Still Your Turn Mapping Compensation Strategy - 1137 Words

Still Your Turn Mapping Compensation Strategy In summarizing the key points of our company’s strategy, this is what the observation show. Billy Joe’s Fashions LLC retails their high class and affordable fashion clothing through web sites events, flea markets, and catalogs. The clothing is not only stylishly different but comes from some of the finest quality materials. The company is utilizing southern cotton, and synthetic polyester so that the cloth is not only affordable but tremendously stunning and attractive. Billy Joe’s Fashions Clothing is delivered through salespersons to customers via flea markets, personal shopping, websites and catalogs. BJ’s is the undeniable and unique place to buy from because of the extensive selections offered to our customers. In addition to that, the sale people are experts in the field. Their philosophy is to place service above self and to operate with integrity always looking for new ways to grow and improve customer satisfaction. The mission is to provide cloth ing for every home in America and changing the lives by changing their appearance. BJ’s Clothing premise is that this clothing line will create an opportunity for other men and women to start their businesses and achieve financial independence doing the kind of work they are excited. The key points that are being discovered about BJ’s Clothing are prominence. â€Å"Prominence is the measure of how important total compensation is in the overall HR strategy† (Milkovich, 2014, p.54).Show MoreRelatedEssay on Mapping Compensation Strategies678 Words   |  3 PagesCase Assignment Still Your Turn – Mapping Compensation Strategies, p. 57.- Do the first two questions in the gray box. Please submit a map modeled after the one on p. 48. Q 1: Summarize the key points of your company’s strategy. A1: Traci Lynn Fashion Jewelry (TLFJ), LLC sells its high-quality, affordable fashion jewelry through special events, home shows, and catalogs. The jewelry is not only fashionably distinct, but is made of the finest quality materials. Cubic zirconium and Austrian crystalsRead More908064 PDF ENG4007 Words   |  17 PagesrP os t 9-908-064 REV: JANUARY 8, 2010 BRIAN J. HALL DEEPAK MALHOTRA NICOLE S. BENNETT op yo Name Your Price: Compensation Negotiation at Whole Health Management (A) Monroe Davies’ heart skipped a beat when he saw the email from Jim Hummer, founder and CEO of Whole Health Management, entitled â€Å"Job Role and Offer.† In the winter semester of his second year at Harvard Business School (HBS), Monroe was deeply entrenched in the recruiting process and was focused on Whole Health Management as hisRead MoreWilmot-Hocker Conflict Assessment Guide: Summary Notes4935 Words   |  20 Pages(motivate) –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Self responsibility calls for understanding anger to prevent harmful behavior †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fear – key emotion in anxiety –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sometimes disables us †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Anger-fear sequence – fear makes people experience vulnerability which turns into anger †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sadness and depression –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sadness can strengthen social bonds (death of loved one-for example) –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depression: sadness anxiety; elevated feelings of anger –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   May help in conflict resolution by moving us to findRead MoreBSBRSK501B Manage Risk Essay4580 Words   |  19 Pagesdistribution channel which serves only in some locations in Australia 2.Retail area prices are increasing still it has inadequate usage of area in showroom 3.Target consumers are present only in Australia and no global presence Opportunity 1.Foreign players are dominating retail sector so opportunity to tie up with these players 2.Opportunity to increase footfalls by exploring innovative promotional strategies 3.Enhance in showroom performance by effective use of staff members Threats 1. Consumer preferencesRead MoreEffective Performance Management With The Balanced Scorecard Technical Report19419 Words   |  78 PagesEffective Performance Management 1 Contents 1. Development of scorecard thinking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1 From performance measurement to strategic management . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2 Strategy mapping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2.1 An introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2.2 Decision support. . . . . . . . Read MoreProject on Employee Retention9019 Words   |  37 Pagesrelationship—and leaving was a pretty big change! What is Employee Retention Today? Employee retention is more than just keeping employees on the job. It is also about sustaining employees, primarily by enhancing their job satisfaction. Job satisfaction, in turn, can increase productivity and keep employees energized and motivated to give their best. Job satisfaction can equate to employees who stick with their current employer and strive to perform at or above expectations and standards. Employee retentionRead MoreAnterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries ( Acl )2150 Words   |  9 Pageschances of re-injury. This review will present evidence related to the dysfunctions/adaptations developed post ACL reconstruction from brain plasticity down to the localized site of impairment. Proprioception relates to the use of sense organs in your muscles and other body parts to attain information and give feedback to where the body is in space (kinesthesis). Feedback mechanisms (derived from proprioception and neuromuscular activity) deliver a vital component for the formation and preservationRead MoreHidden Flaws in Strategy4558 Words   |  19 Pagesflaws in strategy Charles Roxburgh The McKinsey Quarterly, 2003 Number 2 After nearly 40 years, the theory of business strategy is well developed and widely disseminated. Pioneering work by academics such as Michael E. Porter and Henry Mintzberg has established a rich literature on good strategy. Most senior executives have been trained in its principles, and large corporations have their own skilled strategy departments. Yet the business world remains littered with examples of bad strategies. Why?Read MoreEssay on The Kroger Company4443 Words   |  18 Pagesover 100 million miles a year. They have managed to reduce their mileage by over 2%, thus reducing emissions; which is the equivalent of planting over 250,000 trees. This was accomplished by designing more efficient routes through state of the art mapping tools, multi-temperature trucks (increasing load versatility), standardizing top speeds and using renewable E-85 fuel. Socially, Kroger has improved food safety, increased vendor standards and diversity, and improved business ethics. Kroger continuesRead MoreReward Systems11202 Words   |  45 Pagescomprehensive compensation package offered by the organization. The objectives of employee benefits are : (a) to get increase the commitment of employees to the organization ;(b) to demonstrate that the organization cares for the needs of its employees and (c) to meet the personal security and personal needs of the employees (d) to ensure that the benefits are cost-effective interms of commitment and improvement in retention rate. Benefits represents a large share of total compensation and therefore

Why Is of Mice and Men Described as a Tragic Novel

I would regard the film mice and men as a tragic novel which is full of many dreams that don’t come true, and that being the overall message and tragedy throughout the story. Steinbeck represents tragedy in many events, through many of the characters, the main example of tragedy i would say to me would be the fact the characters George and Lennie have so much hope and dreams that all end in the worst. They have always been a team and George has always convinced Lennie that ‘We got a future.’ And always tells him the story: ‘ok, someday- we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and..’. Every time Lennie hears this story it reassures him and cheers him up. Lennie is†¦show more content†¦There is also tragedy through racism and discrimation against crooks throughout the book which is mainly shown in chapter four where Curly s wife verbally attacks him and makes him feel worthless by saying ‘Listen, Nigger, you know what i can do to you if you open your trap?’ This makes Crooks realise that no one would listen to him and that she could do much more harm to him than he could to her. ‘Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ant even funny.’ There is also the killing of Candy’s dog by Carlson. Candy is shown to of loved his dog very much and to have he had him since he was a pup, he was the only one there for him however the dog was to old and was causing to much trouble with the other men who complained about his smell. Carlson said it would be best for everyone to Candy and that he would shoot him in the back of the head so he would feel no pain. When this happened Candy was very upset as he lost his dog that meant everything to him, and regretted letting Carlson kill him instead of him because it wasn’t out of love. This is very similar i think to the terribly tragedy ending where George shoots Lennie. It is done the same way ‘in the back of the head’ however this time it was done out of love by George rather than letting someone else do it out of selfishness. Lennie had always been part of George and they stuck together throughShow MoreRelated What Contribution Does Curleys Wife Make to Of Mice and Men?637 Words   |  3 PagesWhat Contribution Does Curleys Wife Make to Of Mice and Men? Curleys wife is the most dangerous character in the novel, because she is the loneliest one. Because of her need for attention, she destroys George and Lennies dream of living off the fatta the lan. The appearance and clothing of Curleys wife have a symbolic meaning. She is described as a purty woman because she is always made up. Even on the ranch she has full, rouged lips and her hair lies in little rolled clustersRead MoreLife of Americans in the 1930s in John Stienbecks of Mice and Men/Original Writing856 Words   |  4 PagesLife of Americans in the 1930s in John Stienbecks of Mice and Men/Original Writing What does John Stienbecks Of Mice and Men tell us about life in America in the 1930s? John Steinbecks novels can all be classified as social novels dealing with the economic problems of rural labour in America during the 1920s and 30s. Steinbeck uses setting, theme, characterisation, and a modernist simple style to portray a 1930s American society, which was isolating, alienatingRead MoreDiscrimination in the Book â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck1451 Words   |  6 PagesDiscrimination was one of the issues that caused conflict in the novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck. One example of discrimination in the novel comes in the form of racial discrimination against Crooks, as he is an African American. Another example of discrimination is gender discrimination against Curley’s wife. Finally, there is discrimination against mentally disabled people, which is evident in Lennie’s character. The ranch hands actions and conversations demonstrated the racial discriminationRead MoreGeorge and Lennie - a Friendship Essay1669 Words   |  7 Pages Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a novel involving two extremely different main characters. George is a reasonably intelligent, hardworking ranchman. Lennie on the other hand always manages to find trouble. He is equally as hardworking and honest as George but his simple childlike mind always finds him trouble wherever he goes. However they have one thing that unites the two of them as close as any bond can. This is that they both share the same dream of owning their own ranch Ââ€" and afterRead MoreOf Mice and Men - Lifestyle of the Average Itinerant Worker in America During the Great Depression1852 Words   |  8 PagesDiverse Cultures - English Coursework What have you learnt about the of 1930’s, as depicted by Steinbeck in â€Å"Of Mice and Men?† The Great Depression was a worldwide economic breakdown. It was the largest and most important economic depression in modern history; it began in the United States on Black Tuesday with the Wall Street crash of October 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. It lasted about a decade, ending in the early 1940s. Poverty stricken, life became a struggle to survive. Banks,Read MoreExplore the Way the Writer Presents the Relationship Between George and Lennie in of Mice and Men3909 Words   |  16 Pagesrelationship between George and Lennie in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† Of Mice and Men was written in the 1937 by John Steinbeck, he other well know books as the Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden, h also received a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. This book is set in the 1930s and set in California, his home region. During this time, the USA was suffering from a great depression, this meant that it was hard to find job because the economy was very weak, so to find job the men were disposed to go anywhere and theRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Curleys Wife1470 Words   |  6 Pages In the novel, Of Mice and Men, there are many characters who face different conflicts that they have to overcome, whether it is man vs. man, man vs. self, or man vs. society. One of the characters who faces both internal and external conflicts is Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife is known for being the ideal stereotypical woman; always wears makeup, is always wearing a dress with heels, and is described as a â€Å"tart.† Although Curley’s wife has these qualities that may make you think shes justRead MoreEssay on Analysis of John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men2005 Words   |  9 PagesAnalysis of John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men    Steinbecks ‘Of Mice and Men’ is a novel about people, their dreams, relationships and disappointments.   The characters are diverse and represent a cross section of society during the American Depression of the 1930s.   The novel is set in Steinbecks birthplace of Salinas Valley, California, and it is at the ranch where he grew up that we meet the majority of characters.   There are three specific locations in the novel where most of the story unfoldsRead MoreReview Of The Of Mice And Men And An Inspector Calls 1773 Words   |  8 PagesEnglish Literature Assessment 40% How are Eva Smith and Curley’s Wife presented as victims in the ‘Of Mice and Men’ and ‘An Inspector Calls’? In this essay I will compare the two characters ‘Eva Smith’ and ‘Curley’s Wife’ on how they being presented as victims, similarities and their classes. An Inspector Calls was set in 1912 when the First World War was about to start but then this novel was written in 1945. Also there was a really big distinctions between the upper and the lower classesRead MoreOf Mice and Men-Curleys Wife Analysis2542 Words   |  11 PagesOf Mice and Men  is a novel set on a ranch in the Salinas Valley in California, during the  Great Depression  of the 1930s by John Steinbeck. It was the first work to bring  Steinbeck’s  national recognition as a writer. The book addresses the real hopes and dreams of working-class America. Steinbecks short novel raises the lives of the poor and dispossessed to a higher, symbolic level. The title suggests that plans of Mice and Men often go awry, a reference to Robert Burn’s poem To a Mouse.  Since

IHRM Text and Cases

Question: Discuss about the IHRM for Text and Cases. Answer: Introduction The large scale expansion of multinational organizations has indicates that enterprises have identified the drawbacks of operating in a single geographical jurisdiction or country. The contemporary business environment is characterized by dynamics and hence companies are directed towards sending employees to foreign units of the enterprise. Therefore, competitiveness in the domain of international business could be achieved only through international human resource management (Armstrong Taylor, 2014). The increasing number of expatriates employed in international assignments has created new prospects for realizing a varied assortment of functional and developmental entities in the sector of international business. Expatriates have become an inevitable constituent of organizational strategies pertaining to international business. Expatriates are responsible for catering the diverse needs of an enterprise during globalization such as management of crucial projects, fulfillment of staf fing needs in the subsidiaries and operational units of the company in foreign jurisdiction, realizing competency in the distinct units and transfer of knowledge pertaining to organizational operations, processes and responsibilities (Aswathappa, 2013). Therefore, the significance of expatriates for multinational corporations could be clearly apprehended from the distinct roles assumed by them. Hence, the need for management of cross-cultural effectiveness and the adjustment of expatriates have been included as profoundly functional activities pertaining to human resources of a multinational organization. Pre-departure training It is imperative that the rising number of expatriates has led to a drastic changeover in the field of international business and intercultural adaptability has been considered as a major contribution to the efficiency of international assignments. As per Bratton Gold International assignments involve substantial investments and the primary cause of failure in international assignments is reflected in the lack of intercultural adaptability which are necessary for expatriates to cope with the new business environment as well as the foreign culture (Bratton Gold, 2012). Managers appointed for international assignments are generally selected on the basis of performance in the domestic jurisdiction. It is also observed that the most prominent areas which require pre departure training involve association with language facilities, local traditions, social behavior and beliefs as well as the political environment of the foreign jurisdiction. The views of several researchers and authors i n the domain of international human resource management have suggested that the success of pre departure training is solely dependent on the provision of a plan which could enable the individuals to cope with the new cultural setting without any potential setbacks. Intercultural orientation is considered as a prolific aspect of pre departure training as it helps the expatriates to be prepared for unprecedented events in the novel business environment. Apprehension of social attitudes as well as the political scenario in an international business assignment is also included as a vital inclusion in the pre departure training. According to Budhwar Debrah, expatriates with the ability to predict socio-political adjustments and their subsequent implications for the operations of their enterprise in the foreign jurisdiction must be emphasized for international business assignment (Budhwar Debrah, 2013). The most common benefits which could be drawn from pre departure training include clear identification and observation of disparities among different cultures and countries, adoption of behavioral practices for adapting to the new post and establishment of a cognizable cultural framework for understanding the behavior, values and norms of the resident population. According to Caligiuri, components of best practice pre departure training could be apprehended from the generalization of various theories and models laid out by authors and researchers in the domain of international business management (Caligiuri et al., 2001). The distinct components of a pre departure training program comprise of language training, practical support, training on cultural awareness and preliminary visits. Moderation of the individual factors in pre departure training could ensure that the expatriates are able to complete their period of stay in the international business assignments and acquire the desired returns on investments in the projects. Preliminary visits account for a superficial apprehension of the host country environment. Expatriates should be sent to foreign countries intended by the organization for short trips. As per Mendenhall, Mark Gnter, this initiative could enable the potential expatriates to evaluate the feasibility of their living in the foreign environment. The trips are also responsible for introduction of expatriates to the context of contemporary business in the host country (Mendenhall, Mark Gnter, 2000). The initial adjustment process could also be facilitated through preliminary visits and hence the pre departure training program receives substantial support from preliminary visits. Practical support should be provided to the expatriates in the pre departure training which are responsible for helping the expatriates and their families to accept the new foreign environment. Mendenhall, Mark Gnter futher added that the practical assistance should be offered through the provision of facilities for determining appropriate schooling and health facilities as well as accommodation. Language training is a considerable investment that could be made in the pre departure training since language is the conduit which holds people together (Mendenhall, Mark Gnter, 2000). Language is the basic necessity for communication and hence best practice pre departure training should include language training in order to derive considerably favorable outcomes such as improved negotiation capabilities. While many organizations prefer to exclude language training due to the complexity involved in training as well as learning a new language, the necessity of consistent monitoring of the retention of language skills is also a setback for inclusion of language practice in pre departure training. Cultural awareness programs are intended for effective performance of tasks and are a fundamental inclusion in the pre departure training program. As per research of Nickson cultural awareness would enable the expatriates to appreciate the culture of the host country as well as understand the behavioral and orientation problems observed in host country. Furthermore, expatriates could garner a conclusive interpretation of suitable coping patterns from the observations in cultural awareness programs (Nickson, 2013). The cultural awareness programs are considered as the most crucial phases of pre departure training and are associated with numerous variations depending on individual factors such as host country, duration of stay and the objectives of the business assignment. Despite the consideration of individual components required for the most efficient pre departure training, the major setbacks for training of expatriates is associated with the distinctive influencing factors such as the length of training, level of rigor, the period of stay and level of integration required for the international business assignment. Generally, the period of stay for expatriates is the influential moderator of pre departure training plans. The period of stay is responsible for deciding the degree of integration which includes low, moderate and high levels. According to Stahl, Bjrkman Morris, expatriates required to stay for durations less than one month could be classified in the low degree of integration while those assigned with almost a year of stay in the international business environment are classified under the moderate degree of integration category. Individuals assigned for periods of stay exceeding one year are subject to high degree of integration (Stahl, Bjrkman Morris, 2012). The distinct levels of integration are responsible for the decision on the cross cultural training approach to be followed for the expatriates. The cross-cultural training could be referred to as the cultural awareness component of pre departure training and the distinct approaches which could be identified for the distinct le vels of interaction. As per Storey, information giving approach is preferred for expatriates in the low degree of integration (Storey, 2014). The training period for this category of expatriates is generally lesser than one week which involves minimal level of rigor. The information giving approach is associated with the use of area briefings, basic language training, cultural knowledge through books and films and use of interpreters. The expatriates classified in the moderate level of integration are subjected to training periods of almost one month and they are required to follow the affective approach in cross cultural training. The affective approach involved critical incidents, moderate language training, case studies, role playing and stress reduction training. As per Vance, Charles Yongsun, the expatriates selected for high level of integration are characterized with high level of rigor in training period which could last from one to two months. The high level of integration requires immersion approach of cultural training involving simulations, extensive language training, and sensitivity training and field experi ences (Vance, Charles Yongsun, 2016). The effectiveness of pre departure training could be apprehended from the individual components included in an ideal pre departure training program. The significance of pre departure training program can be apprehended on distinct scales depending on the type of international business assignment as well as the selected type of cross cultural training program. The ability of handling spouse adjustment in the domain of international human resource management has led to the proliferation of distinct resources for progress of an organization in international business assignments. While the apprehension of individual measures for the components of pre departure training is imperative for multinational corporations, it is also necessary to understand the significance of ongoing expatriate development program. The training and development of expatriates is necessary, considering the requirement of varying competencies for success in international business assignments (Waxin, Marie Alexandr a, 2016). Expatriate development programs are intended for the improvisation of cognitive, performance and behavioral competencies. These programs enable the acquisition of facts and information related to the host country, integration of abilities to adapt to unprecedented conditions, acquire the justified business etiquettes, display of cross-cultural communication as well as the abilities pertaining to managerial skills, development of support networks and learning in context of the job itself (Stahl, Bjrkman Morris, 2012). Conclusion The provision of prolific international training and development practices in multinational corporations could be classified as a mandatory initiative. The identification of real world examples of pre departure training programs as well as the suggested best practice models could be validated as potential resources for expatriates to accomplish competitiveness in an international business assignment. References Armstrong, M., Taylor, S. (2014).Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers. Aswathappa, K. (2013).Human resource management: Text and cases. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Bratton, J., Gold, J. (2012).Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave Macmillan. Budhwar, P. S., Debrah, Y. A. (Eds.). (2013).Human resource management in developing countries. Routledge. Caligiuri, Paula et al. (2001): "The Theory Of Met Expectations Applied To Expatriate Adjustment: The Role Of Crosscultural Training".The International Journal of Human Resource Management12.3 357-372. Web. Mendenhall, Mark E. and G?nter K. Stahl. (2000) "Expatriate Training And Development: Where Do We Go From Here?".Human Resource Management39.2-3: 251-265. Web. Nickson, D. (2013).Human resource management for hospitality, tourism and events. Routledge. Puck, Jonas F., Markus G. Kittler, and Christopher Wright (2008), "Does It Really Work? Re-Assessing The Impact Of Pre-Departure Cross-Cultural Training On Expatriate Adjustment".The International Journal of Human Resource Management19.12 2182-2197. Web. Stahl, G. K., Bjrkman, I., Morris, S. (Eds.). (2012).Handbook of research in international human resource management. Edward Elgar Publishing. Storey, J. (2014).New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals). Routledge. Vance, Charles M. and Yongsun Paik. (2016) "One Size Fits All In Expatriate Pre?Departure Training?". N.p.,. Print. Waxin, Marie?France and Alexandra Panaccio. (2016), "Cross?Cultural Training To Facilitate Expatriate Adjustment: It Works!". N.p.,. Print.

Low life expectancy free essay sample

Today’s world is all about speed. Every single process is studied and programmed to be as quick as possible, with optimal efficiency. We are currently witnessing a fundamental transformation of the society that we can qualify as a robotisation, essentially in the developped countries. That could be beneficial for some countries, in some fields, for some people. But we all should be aware that there are humans that cannot follow this step. In fact, this new process is involving a wider gap between developped countries and the least developped countries concerning life expectancy. Life expectancy is an average number of year given to a person at his birth depending on the country he was born in, and it is a factor defining the health of a country. Diseases, war, famine, death rates in one hand, national economic prosperity, standard education and performant healthcare in the other hand, there are many factors affecting the life expectancy in each country, making it better or worse. We will write a custom essay sample on Low life expectancy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page People tend to have. a longer. life in western countries like Israel where the average expectancy life is 81 years old, instead of Zimbabwe, where the average expectancy life is 52 years old (CIA, 2012). This essay will assess two solutions to low life expectancy in the developping world. First, the. promotion and improvement of the health care system and infrastructure, then the development of appropriate education programs to instruct and educate the population of those third world countries. The countries where life expectancy is very low are country where death rates are very high. These death rates are caused by further facts as war, diseases, pandemics and outbreaks so we can notice that healthcare system and infrastructure are very important to maintain the population in a good shape. The difference between developped and developping countries concerning this matter has always been the economical issues. Developping countries, in order to improve their situation, must establish plans wich will structure an efficient government budget, however because of their low or very low GDP, this budget could be extremely tight regarding. healthcare and infrastructures dedicated to that matter. For example in UK, the budget dedicated to healthcare represents eleven percent of the GDP, whereas Angola uses only 2% of public expenditure (WHO,2005). Due to such a low budget dedicated to Healthcare, developping countries are not able to provide efficient treatments and qualified medical staff to their citizens. The only solution to that issue for developping coutries is to increase their health care budget and place the ministry of health upper in their priorities. Increasing the tax rates on high income people would raise the budget and slightly rise the budget by 2% in the Gross Domestic Product. Government should aso work on the drug prices and user fees to make it more affordable , and control the parallel market to prevent fiscal losses. A reasonnable and efficient use of ressources should imply an equilibrium in the third world economies and make them refill their budget. That would make the coutry eligible for a financial help from the world bank, the african development Bank or the IMF. Construction of new hospitals and purchases of drugs would then be possible perspectives. Moreover, the governments should focus on supportive private health care and introduction of a health insurance that would help people keep their money and still get efficient treatments. Improving healthcare all over the world and especially in the developping coutries is actually one of the most relevant issues of the 21rst century. The second part of the essay focuses on the educational kind of treatment that people in the developping coutries should get in order to educate them to the new technologies that they will be facing, the new facilities that tey will be using. Education will also allow the medical staff to supply the knowledge and services that people are expecting. On top of that, education will improve peoples situation, working in better places and not being in contact with diseases and bacterias. They will earn more money and that is improving the situation of the country as well, by increasing the GDP. We can say that ducation is at the begining of the chain that will bring a country to prosperity. In order to improve the medical treatments quality, the ministry of education should organize training programs and. seminars for the. medical body (WHO, 2000). In a close collaboration with the ministry of Health and some associations, the Ministry of education should promote hygenie among primary schools, high schools, universities and other educational institutions through presentations, or conferences with medical bodies or even advertisement. The local associations should be also supported and prevention should happen mor often. Give soap a chance! (wash hands, 2012) is a slogan used by NHS in the UK, a world leading country in terms of health. Awareness of young people associated with scientific knowledge and prevention actions would be a great sanitary improve and could lead to a rie in the life expectancy rise. According to the previous sayings, we can say that life expectancy could be well improved by working on how to manage the budget to improve the sanitary system, and improving the educational system that will in a way rise the awareness of people concerning health care and science. Even if we focused on two aspects of low life expectancy solutions, we should mention that famine, war and natural disasters are also issues that governments should work on.

Role Of Airplanes In World War II Essays - Airplane, Model Aircraft

Role of Airplanes in World War II Role of Airplanes in World War II Chapter 1: War itself Flying started when the first people on earth saw a bird flying in the sky, we were amazed of seeing how freely they could move and to know that you could reach any place on earth with this ability, since then our dream had been follow them. People then tried to make this dream possible, the result in all cases was serious pain and failure after failure. A lot of time passed since the first time we dreamed of being able to fly, but we finally achived this goal. Two brothers were able to do the first flight on history, this brothers were the Wrights brothers who achived the goal of all the humankind, even know when someone thinks of airplanes they think on the Wrights brothers, because thanks to them in 1903 the world had his first flying machine. But the plane's status changed because of time. The porpuse of this flying machines was to achive our goal, to fly and see the world, to imitate wonderful animals such as birds, but people had never thought that they could use airplanes as a war machine. After it was invented we were so eager to seek destruction that we saw the potential of using it to kill ourselves. It all started when we saw that people on the ground were indefencseless with this new war toy. They found a lot of new uses for it for example: they used them to spy on their enemys, to know where they were heading, to make maps and startegies on what will be the most useful way of attacking them, and this was its use during the first World War. This war was fought on land not on the air as the second war. People didnt knew that their dream could be their mourder. After the war ended countries started to look how to improve their new war toys, they put factories to try to make airplanes reach a higher velocity, altitutde, range etc... There was a war between wars to see who was better, Americans made their airplanes, English tried to make their Royal Air Force the best one, Japanese wanted to make their airplanes lighter and faster, but the real winner in this war were the Germans, their airplanes could travel long range, they were easy to maniubrate and ofcourse they were able to use them for massive destruction against other countries. Thanks to airplanes the Germans were the powerful nation they were during the war. But why did Germans built better airplanes, well there were some reasons like : Germans live in a country with many mountains, people liked to fly model airplanes and make contests to see which were the best ones, from this models a lot of airplanes were constructed. Another reason was that their scientists were very ingenious, people wanted revenge from all the other countries. Their curiosity and their intelligence lead them to make the best war toys in hisotory of war. After World War I Germans were humiliated, they burned their own money for fuel. They had nothing left, they just seeked for revenge, war has always been part of German's culture. But another thing German's have is that they are really smart, they dream of making things but they have a difference over all other nations, they dreams do become true, but they become true because of their intelligence and because they never give up. The versailled treatment was just like a tentation to make they come to life again, they realized to late that this treatment was not peace, it was just an intermission for the worst war ever in history, the first in where land, air and sea were involved. Logic happened the Germans broke the Versailles trateament and started to build a strong army, they used all their money for warfare, between this machines was the airplane. Airplanes were considered the most valuable arm the Germans had, with this machines they could bomb entire cities in just questions of days and then send their soldiers to finish the work making war very fast and easy to win, this concept was know as the Blitz Krieg. Some of this airplanes were the U2 bomber and his brother, they were a two engine plane that could carry a larg number of bombs and soldiers for attack.. Countries as Poland and Austria saw how easily their armys were defeated because of this new war machines that Germans were using. They didn't realized that

The Turn-A-Card Behavior Management Plan

The Turn-A-Card Behavior Management Plan A popular behavior management plan most elementary teachers use is called the Turn-A-Card system. This strategy is used to help monitor each childs behavior and encourage students to do their best. In addition to helping students display good behavior, this system allows students to take responsibility for their actions. There are numerous variations of the Turn-A-Card method, the most popular being the Traffic Light behavior system. This strategy uses the three colors of the traffic light with each color representing a specific meaning. This method is usually used in preschool and primary grades. The following Turn-A-Card plan is similar to the traffic light method but can be used throughout all elementary grades. How it Works Each student has an envelope containing four cards: Green, Yellow, Orange,  and Red. If a child displays good behavior throughout the day, he/she remains on the green card. If a child disrupts the class he/she will be asked to Turn-A-Card and this would reveal the yellow card. If a child disrupts the classroom a second time in the same day he/she will be asked to turn a second card, which would reveal the orange card. If the child disrupts the class a third time he/she will be asked to turn their final card to reveal the red card. What it Means Green Great job! Working well throughout the day, following rules, demonstrating appropriate behavior, etc.Yellow Warning Card (breaking rules, not following directions, disrupting the classroomOrange Second Warning Card (still not following directions) This card means that the student loses free time and takes a ten minute time out.Red A Note and/or Phone Call Home A Clean Slate Each student starts off the school day with a clean slate. This means that if they had to Turn-A-Card the previous day, it will not affect the current day. Each child starts the day with the green card. Parent Communication/Report Student Status Each Day Parent-communication is an essential part of this behavior management system. At the end of each day, have students record their progress in their take-home folders for their parents to view. If the student did not have to turn any cards that day then have them place a green star on the calendar. If they had to turn a card, then they place the appropriate colored star on their calendar. At the end of the week have parents sign the calendar so you know they had a chance to review their childs progress. Additional Tips It is expected that each student stays on green throughout the day. If a child does have to turn a card, then kindly remind them they get to start fresh the next day.If you see that a particular student is getting a lot of warning cards then it may be time to re-think the consequences.When a child has to turn a card, use this as an opportunity to teach the child the correct behavior that should have been displayed.Reward the students that stay on green all week. Have Free-Time Friday and allow students to choose fun activities and games. For the students that flipped over an orange or red card during the week, they will not be able to participate.

Education of Physically Disabled Child Coursework

Education of Physically Disabled Child - Coursework Example This education consists of six or seven years. The children enrolled in primary education are of the age of five or six years. According to UNESCO (UNESCO, 1994) almost 70 % of children enroll for primary education. This report also suggests that most governments in all parts of the world are ready to achieve a full universal enrollment of all children in primary schools by the year 2015. Disability is defined as an impairment, which can be either physical or mental that limits a human being from performing activities performed by an ordinary person. The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA, 2005) defines disability as a mental or physical limitation that has a substantial long term negative effect on the person and limits his/her ability to perform day to day duties. With respect to this definition, 'substantial' indicates that the disability can be minor or major. 'Long term' means that its effects can last for one year minimum. The activities that the disabled person is unable to perform include, but not limited to, speech, hearing, sight, manual work, movement and reasoning power. According to research conducted by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, 2001), the areas affected by disability include, performance of general task, communication impairment, limited or no mobility, lack of self care, limited learning ability, inability to carry out domestic function, inability to have relationships with other people and the community as a whole. Some of the most common disabilities among human beings include, deafness, which is the inability to hear, blindness which is the inability to see, lameness which is the inability to walk or perform other physical tasks and mental retardation or cognitive disability which is the inability to reason or solve problems normally. According to a report by UNESCO (UNESCO, 1994), the implementation of inclusive education would be more advantageous to the disabled children in the long run. The report highlights that the inclusion of disabled children will lead to the enhancement of a cooperative spirit between the disabled children and the other able bodied children. This will help the other children to accept the disabled children as part of the society. The other children will also help them in adapting to the ordinary system of learning. Implementation of inclusive education is considered to be beneficial to all the children in the long run. Initially the disabled children may feel a little different from other children, but with time the children accept their differences. The children with disabilities will also learn how to tolerate and accept each others differences. SPECIAL SCHOOLS These are schools, specially designed and staffed with specially trained and experienced tutors in order to cater for the educational needs of disabled children. In these schools the children are given more attention by the teacher. The student/ teacher ratio is less than 6:1. In addition, these children have special facilities e.g. sensory

Establishment of a Public Relations Department within a Holiday Resort Essay - 2

Establishment of a Public Relations Department within a Holiday Resort in the Flinders Ranges Promoting Eco-Tourism - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the goal of PR by a corporation is to persuade the investors, public, employees, partners, and stakeholders to uphold a point of view about public relations, its products, leadership or political decisions. Â  Activities involving public relation include speaking at conferences, working with the press, employee communication and winning industry awards. According to Danish Public Relations Association, PR is a management function that tabulates public attitudes; define the interests, procedures, and policies of a company followed by implementing a program of action to win public acceptance and understanding. An establishment of PR department is critical in building the relationship that advance, benefit and promotes the reputation of the Holiday Resort. Being an eco-tourism sector, gaining the confidence of its clients is key, and this is facilitated through marketing the company’s services and product. Improving reputation is a fundamental objecti ve of most organizations. As such, a PR department creates an industrial partnership and strong community translating to increased productivity. The public relation will be vital in maintaining the Holiday Resort’s image and conveying its information to the general public, investors, and customers. A positive perception of Holiday Resort is likely to increase the number of tourists both locally and internationally as it improves its bottom line. The public Relation professionals will work closely with the CEO to craft an overview of how the Holiday Resort will be perceived and assist in planning to design a positive image. Unlike in marketing, the public relation professionals aim at organizing interviews with clients, writing the press release and providing information on the company’s achievements.

The Meaning of Lives Essay Example for Free

The Meaning of Lives Essay In her article The Meaning of Lives, Susan Wolf, a moral philosopher and philosopher of action, investigates whether meaning can exist in lives without postulating the existance of God. Wolf establishes her position on this philosophical question from an agnostic perspective and rationally argues that such a question can in fact â€Å"fit within a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life† (Wolf 63). With this paper, I will first summarize the prominent points of Wolf’s article then highlight and expound upon areas of her argument that contradict her line of reason. Lastly, I will introduce the theistic perspective on meaningful lives along with presenting Wolf’s reason and argument as supporting evidence for the theistic view. In the Meaning of Lives, Susan Wolf opens briefly with an evaluation of the philosophically ambiguous question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † She argues this particular question is impossible to rationalize because it dependents upon a postulation for the existence of God. Wolf claims it is necessary to postulate the existence of God in order to argue this original question because if God does exist, then He â€Å"may have created us for a reason, with a plan in mind†(Wolf 63). Thus, if God exists then there would be purpose and meaning to human existence dependent upon the creator God. Wolf does not deny the existence of God; she simply suggests that a divine existence is improvable. Therefore the question of a grand purpose and meaning in life is an unnecessary and an improvable argument to find an answer to, due to the improvable nature of God. However, she does believe that meaning in lives is not contingent upon the existence of God stating, â€Å"Meaningfulness is an intelligible feature to be sought in life† and that â€Å"a positive view about the possibility of meaning in lives can fit with a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life†(Wolf 63). She expounds on this argument in three distinct sections. The first part of Wolf’s argument observes three different examples of meaningless lifestyle. Wolf articulates that learning from three paradigms of meaningless lives, one can construct an understanding for meaningfulness. She begins with a lifestyle she labeled the Blob. The Blob is defined by a lifestyle that â€Å"is lived in hazy passivity†¦ unconnected to anyone or anything, going nowhere, achieving nothing† (Wolf 64). Wolf deduces from the Blobs meaningless lifestyle, that in order to attain a meaningful life one must be engaged in a project, which can include relationships. The second meaningless lifestyle, in contrast to the Blob’s lifestyle of passivity, is regarded as the Useless life; â€Å"a life whose dominant activities seem pointless, useless or empty† (Wolf 65). After reviewing the lifestyle of the Useless life, a life void of worth, to achieve meaning â€Å"one must be engaged in a project or projects that have some positive value† (Wolf 65). The final category of a meaningless life would be the lifestyle of the Bankrupt, â€Å"someone who is engaged or even dedicated, to a project that is ultimately revealed as bankrupt, not because the person’s values are shallow or misguided, but because the project fails†(Wolf 65). Ultimately, Wolf concludes that in order to achieve meaningfulness one must not only be engaged in a project of positive value but that project must be in some way successful. After providing a working definition for a meaningful life, Wolf raises the question as to what constitutes â€Å"positive value† and who has the right to objectively determine value. Similarly to Wolf’s construction of meaningfulness, she argues reasons for why an individual is incapable of objectively determining positive value. This incapability for determining objective value is due to the individual’s subjectivity and â€Å"interest in living a life that feels or seems meaningful†(Wolf 66). Therefore, because an individual is incapable of distinguishing objective positive value from interest, it is unlikely that the individual can distinguish what is required for a meaningful life. She argues that objective value is determined and achieved through observing value in other people’s lives. Wolf clarifies that the objective good she is referring to is not compared to moral goodness, â€Å"benefiting or honoring humanity† (Wolf 67). Wolf claims that meaningfulness is not contingent upon moral value. Instead, Wolf suggests that while there are examples of lives exhibiting great moral value, such as Mother Teresa and Gandhi, that are full of meaning; there are also examples of other lives, such as â€Å"artists, scholars, musicians and athletes†, that possess great meaning, not based upon their moral value. These lives are considered valuable and meaningful due to their ability to â€Å"develop our skills and our understanding of the world† which â€Å"give meaning to our lives- but they do not give moral value to them †(Wolf 67). A greater understanding of our own worth and the Universe is what Wolf constitutes for lives to have meaning. The final stage in Wolf’s argument poses the question â€Å"what is the good, after all, of living a meaningful life†(Wolf 67)? Wolf does not wish to define goodness, but rather discusses the advantages for living a life full of meaning. Wolf makes the final stand, that in order to grasp meaningfulness and understand how one can achieve it in their life; an individual must become enlightened to their status in the world as â€Å"a tiny speck in a vast universe† (Wolf 69). This description of where an individual lies in relation to the vastness of the Universe, provides the reality that meaning in lives cannot logically be contingent upon the desires and benefits for the individual, due to humanities insignificance. It seems illogical to Wolf, that a person who seeks to find meaning in their life could conclude that is dependent upon their independent happiness claiming, â€Å"to devote oneself wholly to one’s own satisfaction seems to me to fly in the face of truth, to act as if one is the only thing that matters, or perhaps, more, that one’s own psychology is the only source of (determining) what matters† (Wolf 70). The truth, to which Wolf refers, is the reality that individuals have very little significance in relation to the value of the vast Universe. It is because of this truth that a self-center and egocentric life goes against of logic after such a truth is realized. Wolf argues that instead of egocentric priorities to achieve meaning, an individual should alternatively be focused on the needs of the Universe and others. She understands that â€Å"you are just one person among others, equally real- is the source of practical reason-in this case, it gives you reason to take the pains of others to constitute reasons for action†¦reason to care about the pain of others that is grounded, not in our own psychologies, but a fact about the world†(Wolf 70). In this section, I will address three areas of Wolf’s reasoning I find to be inconsistent with her argument as a whole. A concern that I have regarding Wolf’s argument is her use of the word â€Å"meaning†, in regards to the meaning of lives. A very different connotation of the word â€Å"meaning† suggested by the philosophical question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † Wolf states that the question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † requires an individual to postulate the existence of God because it implies their ultimate aim â€Å"to find a purpose or a point to human existence†(Wolf 63). However, Wolf also argues, â€Å"whether or not God exists, the fact remains that some objects, activities and ideas are better than others. Whether or not God exists some ways of living are more worthwhile than others†(Wolf 72). At the beginning of Wolf’s argument about the meaning of lives, suggests that she neither denies nor rejects the existence of God. She argues this as true because she believes the question behind the meaning in lives can be answered as â€Å"an intelligible feature to be sought in life and that it is at least sometimes attainable but not everywhere assured†(Wolf 63). Wolf reduces the meaning of lives to that which can be determined by human reasoning a finite measurement of this transitory world. Thus Wolf, who has neither denied nor rejected the existence of God has unreasonably eliminated the question of origin of lives, as irrelevant to meaning in lives. She focuses how certain types of lives merit significance in existence and consequently refers to the word â€Å"meaning† as synonymous with value. Finally, Wolf argues that there is value in human lives that â€Å"can fit with a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life†(Wolf 66). This statement is far less controversial than her attempts to argue that meaning in lives is achievable without the postulation of God. Logically, to explore meaning in lives, one must consider the beginning of life, which must have been constructed either by accident or by a creator. Meaning cannot be cited as more or less significant at a particular point in an individual’s life. Thus, the point that one comes into existence must be regarded for defining meaning within an individual’s life. The second problem in Wolf’s argument comes in her evaluation of what is considered a project of positive value. An individual who is engaged in a project of positive value is central to Wolf’s definition of a meaningful life. Although, projects of positive value can add to meaning in an individual’s life, Wolf’s reasoning as to â€Å"who is to decide which projects have positive value† is vague and inconsistent with her earlier positions (Wolf 66). Wolf concludes that individuals are incapable of objectively deciding what has positive value, due to subjective interests, which skew their understanding of objective value. Wolf deduces that in order for an individual to understand projects of positive value, which will eventually adds meaning to heir lives, they must experience an â€Å"epiphany†¦ to the recognition that our life to date has been meaningless† (Wolf 66). This comment is completely inconsistent with Wolf’s fundamental goal to acquire an understanding of meaning in lives from an intelligible process of reason. The understanding for projects of positive value through an epiphany is inconsistent with her pervious arguments because it depends she suggests that understanding meaning comes from an unintelligible source of knowledge. Who is to say that that epiphany is not guided by a supreme higher being? The irony of Wolf’s conclusion about the necessary epiphany, is that her statement â€Å"It is the sort of experience that one might describe in terms of scales falling from ones eyes†, compares closely to the allusion found in Acts 9:18 (Wolf 66). The verse reads â€Å"And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized† (NIV 1000). The language of scales falling from the eyes in order to gain true understanding is regarded in both versions as an act depended upon a supernatural entity enabling the change. This very interesting comment by Wolf, suggests that understanding how an individual recognizes truth through epiphany is beyond the capabilities of human control and intellect. Her attempted arguments about how a meaningful life is realized are sound up until the point about epiphany. Lastly, Wolf’s argument for meaning in lives lacks any discussion of immortality as a necessary property for meaning. Wolf reasons that there are certain lifestyles that are more meaningful than others. This argument for certain lifestyle having greater meaning has limited relevance because as she rationalizes, lives are finite and temporary as are the lives of others whom we must focus in our acknowledgement of the truth that we are just a â€Å"speck in the vast Universe†(Wolf 69). Wolf does a fine job at articulating the insignificance and temporary state of human life. However, she fails to recognize that in her attempts to construct a logical framework for meaning in finite lives she disregards the possibility for immortality to give further meaning to lives. Thus, she reduces the idea of meaning as an avoidance of an egocentric lifestyle and recognizes insignificance and meaning within an individuals’ life alone. Wolf’s claim that meaning is attainable through certain actions only satisfies temporary lives for a finite amount of time. This argument surrounding meaning as dependent upon an inward realization of insignificance manifesting into outward actions, is simply a cycle of meaningless people helping other meaningless people, and causes only a temporary impact. In an argument for the importance of immortality to meaning in lives, Gianluca Di Muzio states, â€Å"If a human being dies and her actions have no lasting effect, because the world itself perished, then her life was meaningless. If, in the end, all comes to nothing, then it does not matter in the first place whether a particular person existed or not† (Di Muzio 2). In order for actions and lives to be meaningful, they must have a lasting impact or something to gain, and provide for others in a way that is not reducible to the finite and temporary world. Thus, achievable immortality must exist for meaning to be possible. Although she attempts to determine the meaning in lives for an agnostic world, I would argue that Wolf’s argument actually supports many theistic views regarding the meaning of lives. Though many of Wolf’s arguments do not adequately provide understanding for meaning in lives from an agnostic perspective, many of her points parallel to the theistic view of â€Å"purpose theory. † Before I expound on these similarities, an understanding of the theistic view regarding the meaning of must be addressed. According to Borchert, the theistic view argues that, â€Å"life is meaningful insofar as one fulfills a purpose that God has assigned† (Borchert 295). In â€Å"Confession†, Leo Tolstoy discusses meaning in life from the theistic perspective and claims â€Å"now I see clearly that my faith-my only real faith-that which apart from my animal instincts gave impulse to my life- was a belief in perfecting myself† (Klemke 2). Tolstoy sought such perfection in artistic achievements and loving his family. In trying to find meaning in family and people, Tolstoy ultimately realizes that â€Å"My family — wife and children — are also human. They are placed just as I am: they must either live in a lie or see the terrible truth† (Klemke 10). In other words, Tolstoy realizes that if meaning resides in the finite and temporary nature of humanity, meaning too will die along with the life. Tolstoy further suggests that meaning cannot reside within artistic modes when he writes Art, poetry? Under the influence of success and the praise of men, I had long assured myself that this was a thing one could do though death was drawing near — death which destroys all things, including my work and its remembrance; but soon I saw that that too was a fraud† (Klemke 10). This declaration further supports Tolstoy’s theistic belief that everything of and in this world cannot be the ultimate source of meaning in lives. Although, the substance of this world may increase value within life, it cannot supply ultimate, enduring meaning. Tolstoy finally declares, â€Å"To know God and to live is one and the same thing. God is life- Live seeking God, and then you will not live without God† (Klemke 11). This passage concludes with his theistic assertion that without a â€Å"divine plan for the world, then all efforts come to nothing, because everything comes to nothing. Hence our lives are meaningless without God† (Metz 293). Though Wolf attempts to support an agnostic view for the question, â€Å"is there meaning in lives? † her central points mirror those of the theistic view and supports many of its claims. This final section will concentrate on central points within Wolf’s argument that support a theistic view for understanding meaning in lives. To begin, she claims that a life has meaning insofar as it is â€Å"engaged in a project or projects that have some positive value† (Wolf 65). Although this statements seems logical, Wolf fails to provide an intelligible source for acquiring knowledge about whether or not a project has positive value and which projects do not. She betrays the agnostic attempt to provide an understanding of meaning in lives through reason, by suggesting that realization of projects with positive value relies upon an epiphany. The concept of an epiphany for realization is inconsistent with her attempts to rationalize. However, when Wolf’s definition is placed against the theistic view, it is logically consistent with theological beliefs. Theists believe that an individual must be actively engaged in positively affecting peoples lives with in the world, while ultimately contributing to God’s divine plan in order for their lives to have meaning. This concept is articulated beautifully in Gianluca Di Muzio’s argument: Theism and the Meaning of Life, in which he states, â€Å"In order to have meaning, our lives must make a difference to a higher scheme. And theism sees human action as doing a sort of double duty. On one hand, they affect other people and events in this world, on the other, they further or hinder God’s ultimate plan† (Di Muzio 2). This statement suggests that humanities actions in projects have the ability to have two different forms of significance, both relative and ultimate. Relative significance refers to the theistic perspective that, â€Å"actions and events have relative significance when they only influence other actions and events†(Di Muzio 3). Ultimate significance is when our actions and events â€Å"contribute to God’s plan† (Di Muzio 3). Both of these forms contribute to theistic view, however Wolf’s argument focuses solely on relative significance. The theistic understanding of relative significance is paralleled to Wolf’s understanding of meaning in lives. She believes that when individuals realize their insignificance and begin to seek beyond themselves for meaning by actively engaging in projects of positive value, they can acquire meaning. Though this insignificance is transient, it supports the theistic belief that, â€Å"human beings have access to value† without having to postulate the existence of God, because â€Å"existence affords the opportunity to attain the kinds of goods that make a human life worthwhile and fulfilling† (Di Muzio 5-6). Wolf’s profound point that human life is just a â€Å"speck in a vast universe† lays the foundation for the theistic belief in ultimate significance (Wolf 71). Theists believe that there is A fundamental disproportion between aspirations and reality is a powerful source of the idea that our lives are absurd and meaningless. We think we matter, and yet we don’t. The world is not intoned with our hope, desires and projects. The possibility of out destruction looms everywhere; and human suffering, however enormous, seems to be nothing but a passing accident, a byproduct of the presence of sentient creatures in a world that merely tolerates them for a short time. (Di Muzio 9) This understanding of human insignificance plays a vital role in the theistic belief that despite human fragility, purpose and significance are achievable within the most tragic circumstances. Wolf’s recognition of our insignificance implies our need to look beyond our own lives for meaning. If a life of meaning depends upon recognizing the truth about our insignificance and continuing to be â€Å"actively engaged in a project of positive value†, and one cannot perform these projects due to tragic circumstances, then within Wolf’s reasoning their life can not have meaning. Wolf’s understanding of meaning depends upon individual human performance. In trying times of suffering, whether great or small, this concept of looking outside of ones own circumstances is hard to accomplish and in some circumstances impossible, thus in such cases meaning cannot be unachieved. The theistic view of ultimate significance provides a hope that a life of suffering can have meaning and purpose too in that, â€Å"the idea of God and hope for immortality can help us look again at the world and our fragile lives as meaningful†(Di Muzio 9). The project of participating in God’s divine plan is the only project that has lasting and unwavering value for meaning in lives. Wolf’s central argument concerning meaning in lives provides many logically convincing and sound points. However, Wolf’s definition of a life of meaning is both disconnected from her original argument and lacks a consistent, authoritative source and process for achieving meaning. She attempts to suggest that meaning is an â€Å"intelligible feature to be sought in life†, then provides the solution for achieving this insight of through the unintelligible source of epiphany. Secondly, Wolf’s argument for the realization of insignificance as the truth, unlocks the need for an individual to look beyond serving his or her own self-centered desires for meaning. However, though her point about insignificance seems valid, Wolf fails to provide examples or an understanding of how an individual can objectively determine how to look outside of themselves. In total, Wolf produces an understanding of meaning that depends upon an individuals abilities to undergo an epiphany and properly manifest their understanding of the need to look outside one’s self and recognize Universal needs. The problem with this stance is that focusing on the Universe provides no lasting impact, or meaning to a particular life because the things of this Universe are finite and temporary. The individual’s life will eventually end along with the actions and events they affected. Though existence can provide an opportunity for value, as understood in Wolf’s argument and the theistic view, meaning is dependent upon a infinite being whose performance can not be temporary. An individual must not be reliant on their personal performances and finite experiences to obtain meaning, but rather is actively engaged in an eternal project of positive value, determined by an infinite and constant authority, God. Works Cited Borchert, Donald M. Theism. Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2nd ed. 10. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Web. 25 Apr 2012. Di Muzio, Gianluca. Theism and the Meaning of Life life’s meaning? Ars Disputandi . 6. (2006): 1-12. Print. Klemke, E. D. â€Å"The Meaning of Life†. 2nd. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print. Metz, Thaddeus. â€Å"Could God’s purpose be the source of life’s meaning? † Cambridge Journals. (2000): 293-311. Print. Wolf, Susan. The Meaning Of Lives. 62-73. Print.

PESTLE analysis of the pharmaceutical industry

PESTLE analysis of the pharmaceutical industry The pharmaceutical industry not only develops but also produces and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies deals in generic and brand medications. They are subject to a variety of laws and regulations regarding the patenting, testing and marketing of drugs. Initially, The Indian pharmaceutical industry grew at a very slowly from 1947 to 1970, all due to the lack of incentives and the failure of the government which was unable to set-up a concrete regulatory framework. Now, the Industry is characterized by numerous governmental regulations and policy changes, stiff price controls, rigorous controls on formulations, and absence of international patent protection. During 1970, the Indian Patents Act (IPA) and the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) were passed. Though DPCO acted as buffer against pharmaceutical companies making free pricing illegal, it fulfilled the goal of providing quality drugs to the public at reasonable rates. The Introduction of the IPA, which did not recognize product patents but only process patents provided a major thrust to the industry and companies which through the process of reverse-engineering, began to produce bulk drugs and formulations at lower costs. This led to high fragmentation in the industry, due to the emergence of a number of small firms. India Manufactures over 400 bulk drugs and around 60,000 formulations, which are distributed by 5,000,000 chemists all over the country. Indian pharmaceutical Industry is passing through a wave of consolidation, with the objective to strengthen their brand equity and distribution in what is essentially a branded-generics market. In the present, the growth of a domestic pharmaceutical company is critically dependent on its therapeutic presence. The old and mature categories like anti-infective, vitamins, and analgesics are de-growing while; new lifestyle categories like Cardiovascular, Central Nervous System (CNS), Anti-AIDS, Anti-Cancer and Anti Diabetic are expanding at double-digit growth rates. Various Pharmaceutical companies in India Ranbaxy Laboratories It is Indias largest pharmaceutical firm with the returns of Rs 4,198.96 Crore (Rs 41.989 billion) in 2007 Dr. Reddys Laboratories With a turnover of Rs 4,162.25 Crore (Rs 41.622 billion) in 2007, it is second largest drug firm in India by sales. Cipla it generated an annual revenue of Rs 3,763.72 Crore (Rs 37.637 billion) in 2007 and made it the third among largest pharmaceutical firms. Sun Pharmaceuticals Sun pharmaceutical Industries had an overall earnings of Rs 2,463.59 Crore (Rs 24.635 billion) in 2007. Lupin Labs Its total profit of Rs 2,215.52 Crore (Rs 22.155 billion) was in 2007. Aurobindo pharmaceutical Indias sixth largest pharmaceutical company by sales, Aurobindo posted Rs 2,080.19 Crore (Rs 20.801 billion) annual returns in 2007. GlaxoSmithKlineg With 2007 turnover touching Rs 1,773.41 Crore (Rs 17.734 billion, GSK is Indias seventh largest pharmaceutical firm. Cadila Healthcare Cadilas earnings was Rs 1,613.00 Crore (Rs 16.13 billion) in the fiscal year 2007, establishing itself as Indias eight largest drug company. Aventis pharmaceutical With an annual revenue of Rs 983.80 Crore (Rs 9.838 billion) in 2007, Aventis pharmaceutical has made a place for itself in the top ten pharmaceutical companies in India Ipca Laboratories Ipca is Indias 10th largest pharmaceutical company by sales and in 2007 it had a turnover of Rs 980.44 Crore (Rs 9.804 billion PEST ANALYSIS Political Factors There is political uncertainty, Combination of diverse political thoughts have got together to cobble together a rag-tag coalition. Hence any consistent political or economic policy cannot be expected. This muddies the investment field. The Minister in charge of the industry had been threatening to impose even more stringent Price Control on the industry than before. Thus it is throwing many investment plans into the doldrums. DPCO, which is the bible for the industry has in effect worked contrary to the stated objectives. DPCO nullifies the market forces from encouraging competitive pricing of goods dictated by the market. Now the pricing is done by the Government, based on the approved costs irrespective of the real costs. The country goes in for the IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) regime which is popularly known as the Patent Act. This Act impacts the Pharmaceutical Industry the most. Thus an Indian company could not escape paying a patent fee to the inventor of a drug by manufacturing it using a different chemical route. Indian companies went against this law and used the reverse-engineering route to invent alternate manufacturing methods. A lot of money was saved this way. This also encouraged competing company to market their versions of the same drug. This means that the impurities and trace elements that were found in different brands of the same substance were different both in qualification as well as in quantum. Therefore many brands of the same medicine were truly different. Here Branding actually meant quality and purer brand actually had pure active ingredients and lesser or less toxic impurities. Product patent regime will now eliminate all this. Patented drug would be manufactured using the same chemical routes and would be manufactured by the inventors or licentiates using the chemicals with same specifications. Hence all the brands with the same active ingredient will not have any difference in purity and impurities. The different brands will have to compete on the basis of non input-related innovations such as packaging, colour, flavours etc. Economic Factors Indians spends a very small proportion of their income on healthcare. This has stunted the demand and therefore the growth of the industry. Per capita income of avg. Indian as low as Rs. 12,890, therefore, spending on the healthcare takes a low priority. An Indian visits a doctor only when there is an emergency. This has led to a flourishing of unqualified doctors and spread of non-standardized medication. The Incidences of Taxes are high. Excise Duty (State Central), Custom Duty, Service Tax, Profession Tax, License Fees, Royalty, Pollution Clearance Tax, Hazardous substance (Storage Handling) license, income tax, Stamp Duty and a host of other levies and charges have to be paid. On an average it amounts to no less than 40-45% of the costs. The number of Registered Medical practitioners is low because of this. Due to which the reach of Pharmaceuticals is affected adversely. There are nearly 5million Medical shops. Also this affects adversely the distribution of medicines and also adds to the distribution costs. India is a high interest rate regime. Therefore the cost of funds is double that in America which adds to the cost of goods. Adequate storage and transportation facilities for special drugs are lacking. Studies had indicated that nearly 60% of the Retail Chemists do not have adequate refrigeration facilities and stored drugs under sub-optimal conditions. Thus affecting the quality of the drugs administered and of course adds to the costs. India has poor roads and railway network. Therefore, the time of transportation is higher. This calls for higher inventory carrying costs and longer delivery time. All this adds to the uncalculated costs. Its only during the last couple of years that good quality highways have been constructed. Socio-cultural Factors Poverty and associated malnutrition dramatically affected the incidence of Malaria and TB, preventable diseases continued to play havoc in India for decades even after they were eradicated in other countries. Poor Sanitation and polluted water sources ended the life of about 1 million children who were under the age of five. In India people preferred using household treatments which handed down for generations for common ailments. The use of magic/ tantrics/ hakims is still prevalent in India. Increasing pollution has added to the healthcare problem. Smoking, drinking and poor oral hygiene is still adding to the healthcare problem. Large joint families transmit communicable disease among the members. Cattle-rearing encourage diseases that are communicated by animals. Early child bearing affects the health standards of women and children. Ignorance of inoculation and vaccination has prevented the eradication of diseases like polio, chicken-pox, small-pox, mumps and measles. Technological Factors Advanced machines have dramatically increased the output and reduced the cost. Computerization has boosted the efficiency of the Pharma Industry. Newer medication, active ingredients are being discovered. In January 2005, the Government of India had more than 10,000 substances for patenting. Ayurveda is now a well recognized science and hence is providing the industry with a cutting edge. Advances in Bio-technology, Stem-cell research have given India a step forward. Humano-Insulin, Hepatitis B vaccines, AIDS drugs and many such molecules have given the industry a pioneering status. Newer drug delivery systems are the innovations of the day. The huge unemployment in India prevents industries from going fully automatic as the Government as well as the Labour Unions voice complains against such establishments. Legal Environment The pharmaceutical industry is now a highly regulated and compliance enforcing industry. As a result of which there are immense legal, regulatory and compliance overheads for the industry to absorb. This tends to restrict its dynamism but in recent years, government has begun to request industry proposals on regulatory overheads to encourage innovation in the face of mounting global challenges from external markets. In Pharmaceutical industry, there is huge PSU segment which is highly inefficient. The Government puts the surpluses generated by efficient units into the price equalization account of inefficient units thus unduly subsidizing them. On a long term basis this has made practically everybody inefficient. Effective the January, 2005 the Government has shifted from charging the Excise Duty on the cost of manufacturing to the MRP thereby making the finished products more costly. Just for a few extra bucks the current government has made many a life saving drugs unaffordable to the poor. The Government provides extra drawbacks to some units located in specified area, providing them with subsidies that are unfair to the rest of the industry, bringing in a skewed development of the industry. As a result , Pharmaceutical units have come up at place unsuitable for a best cost manufacturing activity. S.W.O.T. Analysis of Pharmaceutical Industry Strengths Cost of production is low. Large pool of installed capacities Efficient technologies are present for large number of Generics. Huge amount of skilled technical manpower. Increase in liberalization of government policies. Opportunities Aging of the world population. Increasing incomes. Growing attention towards health. New diagnoses and new social diseases. Spreading prophylactic approaches. Saturation point of market is far away. Better therapy approaches. Better delivery systems. Spreading attitude for soft medication (OTC drugs). Spreading use of Generic Drugs. Globalization Easier international trading. New markets are opening. Weakness Fragmentation of installed capacities. Low technology level of Capital Goods of this section. Non-availability of major intermediaries for bulk drugs. Lack of experience to exploit efficiently the new patent regime. Very low key RD. Low share of India in World Pharmaceutical Production (1.2% of world production but having 16.1% of worlds population). Very low level of Biotechnology in India and also for New Drug Discovery Systems. Lack of experience in International Trade. Low level of strategic planning for future and also for technology forecasting. Threats Containment of rising health-care cost. High Cost of discovering new products and fewer discoveries. Stricter registration procedures. High entry cost in newer markets. High cost of sales and marketing. Competition, particularly from generic products. More potential new drugs and more efficient therapies. Switching over form process patent to product patent. To make India a potentially strong pharmaceutical hub following weakness has to be overcome with: Low investments in innovative RD and lack of resources in order to compete with MNCs for New Drug Discovery and to commercialize molecules on a worldwide basis. Lack of strong linkages between industry and academia. Low medical expenditure and healthcare spend in the country Production of spurious and low quality drugs tarnishes the image of industry at home and abroad. RD efforts of Indian pharmaceutical companies hampered by lack of enabling regulatory requirement. Despite of unique strengths like expertise in process chemistry, availability of abundant and high quality talent, and growing hospital infrastructure, the country still accounts for less than 1 percent of the US$ 130 billion in worldwide spending in pharmaceutical research and development. Remedies: CRAMS: Inherent competitive advantages and cost-effective manufacturing capabilities has now become one of the most preferred destinations for Contract Research and Manufacturing Services (CRAMS). India has huge potential to tap the $20 billion CRAMS business that is expected to reach $31 billion by 2010. India has opportunity to grab this business. Pharma multinationals are also exploiting Indias competencies in the field of information technology and its strong and low cost IT skill sets by setting up centres for their global clinical data management functions in India. CRO: Contract able researches also offer significant opportunity to the Indian pharmaceutical industry that is becoming a global RD hot-spot for innovative pharmaceutical companies. The global contract research opportunity was $14 billion in 2006 and was expected to reach $24 billion by 2010. Identifying opportunities enablers. To Map Indian pharmaceutical industry to realize its full potential and to become globally competitive. Addressing global challenges that impact India pharma industry. Global alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions. Government should provide infrastructures for talent research. Providing regulatory protection. Giving financial incentives to encourage innovations research. Encouraging public -private partnership in infrastructure development. Example of overcoming threats and grabbing new opportunities 1. The lack of research and development (RD) productivity, expiring patents, generic competition and high profile product recalls are driving the mergers and acquisition (MA) activity in the sector. The Lots of mergers and acquisitions in the past shows that the Indian pharma industry is all set to take on the global markets. Nicholas Piramal has acquired 17 per cent in Biosyntech, a Canadian pharma packaging company in July 2005. While in June 2005, Torrent acquired Heumann Pharma, a generic drug company that was earlier a part of Pfizer. Matrixs acquisition of the Belgian firm Docpharma was the largest acquisition deal. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries has announced its plan for acquisitions in the US. Indian generic companies are increasingly fighting patent cases on these secondary patents and Resulting in earlier generic entry hence contributing to affordability of drugs in developed countries Indian companies still continues to market and export generic drugs which are off patent. US is the ideal destination for Indian companies. In US alone, major blockbuster drugs are going off patent in next few years. Further it is estimated that generic market can reach US $ 80 billion in coming few years in value terms and Indian companies stand a good chance of tapping a major chunk of this pie. 2. Lupin being among the top three Indian pharmaceutical companies by 2007 and aimed at achieving the US$ 1 billion mark. In order to compete with the foreign players, Indian pharma companies have started strengthening RD activities, entering the global generics market, venturing into contract research and started exploring segments like herbals and ayurveda; while have already established foreign pharma companies established RD centres and clinical trial centres in India to cut drug delivery costs. Lupin too made significant investments in RD, infrastructure, exports, herbal markets and other therapeutic segments to compete effectively with domestic and global pharma majors. According to Lupins top management, As the country switches on to the product regime, radical changes are expected to affect the pharmaceutical sector. A deep-rooted shift in business policy has taken place within the company by placing a strong emphasis on RD to create proprietary intellectual property. The bud get for this activity was stepped up substantially during the year to ensure that the company has a complete portfolio of products to take on the patent regime. 3. The downfall of many companies is due to not changing with the style of marketing. The analysis of Indian companies revealed that their progress is basically from the new products. Cipla has shown a tremendous growth in the market only due to focus on the new product hence they became No. 1 in 2004. Similarly, the Sun Pharmaceuticals have shown a phenomenal growth by adopting same strategy. This has resulted in their occupying 5th position in 2004. The new product success rate is going down because the companies are more interested in introducing new products and generating volume sales and not brand building. There are very few products which could have registered more than 1 Crore sales. The current scenario in the pharmaceutical industry is to launch new product then get some market share and if the response is good, pick up the brand and build the same in subsequent years.This has given dividend to companies like Ranbaxy, Cadila, Cipla, Sun Pharmaceuticals.

Growth and Development of Tourism in Australia since World War II Essay

This is a short but informative discourse on the growth and development of tourism in Australia since World War II. The first few segments will focus on the history of Australia as a nation in order to provide a solid background for the inherent factors which contribute to the growth and development of tourism in Australia. The second segment will briefly highlight the Australian economy to show the benefits that have been derived from the tourism boom in Australia. Finally, the last segment shall carefully identify and explain the major factors that have contributed to this tourism surge in Australia since World War II. Brief History of Australia Australia mainly known for its picturesque surroundings is more than meets the eye. Australia boasts of a rich history under the rule of the British and enviable living conditions for its citizens (Pike, 2002). However, Australia was not always like this. Before the arrival of Western influences, Indigenous Australians inhabited the mainland but eventually European explorers set foot on Australia. The most notable explorer, James Cook mapped out the east coast of Australia and claimed this piece of Australia as a British Colony. The contributions of James Cook were integral in the establishment of a penal colony in New South Wales. The British territories grew larger with more and more discoveries of Australia’s mainland. The influx of the British caused the decline in the population of the Indigenous Australians (Pike, 2002). Slowly, the British colonies in Australia governed themselves while remaining under the British Empire. The British Empire only controlled foreign affairs, international shipping, and defense. A decade of planning, consultation, and voting gave rise to the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1, 1905 (Mason, 2003). The new country took advantage of all its natural resources to rapidly develop into an agricultural and manufacturing country taking into consideration its strategic location. World War I started to brew across the Europe and Australia was willing to take part in the war (Pike 2002). Enlistments were abundant which caused the industries and trade agreements of Australia were disrupted because of the war. Trade agreements with Germany were put to a halt thus Australia had to find other means to address their needs of steel. Like in any war, profiteering occurred and the ordinary people could not even purchase the basic utilities (Mason, 2003). However, at the end of the War, Australia managed to produce more products than ever before, which contributed to the growth of the nation. Effect of World War II on Australia World War II made Australia purchase products which could have easily been produced thus the war was a huge boon to Australia. The restrictions of rationing imposed by the government allowed personal savings to increase. There was also full employment during the war since manpower was being utilized for essential industries. Australia was more prepared for World War II than it was for World War I. World War II did affect Australia. â€Å"Migration revolution† began which led to multiculturalism instead of â€Å"White Australia†. The government was so afraid to be invaded that it encouraged the influx of refugees and displaced families from Europe. Consequently, Australia evolved into a country of mixed races and mixed cultures (Pike, 2002). Ties between Australia and the British Empire were officially severed with the passing of Australia Act 1986. This act severed any rule of the British Empire in the Australian states. Australia now rules itself and is developed country surrounded by the developing countries of the Asia-Pacific region (Mason, 2003). The Australian Economy Australia is a very prosperous nation. It boasts of ranking third in the UN Human Development Index 2006, which indicates that Australia is a developed country. It beat the United States and even the United Kingdom. Australia was only surpassed by Norway and Iceland. Australia developed from a country with an industry focusing on wool to a country that has numerous industries in sectors ranging from trade to agriculture (Macfarlane, 1998). In 1850, Australia focused on the wool industry but with the discovery of gold in 1850-1860, the government passed a bill that encouraged the manufacturing and construction. Since the gold resources were being stressed by the immigration, wool resumed its position as the economic power in 1860. The decade between 1880 and 1890 saw a great rise in foreign investment but foreign investors grew concerned about the returns that Australia could supply thus, Australia experienced a great depression by 1890. The world wars encouraged Australia to produce more products thus sectors like agriculture increases (Parham, 2002). Now, wool was not the only contributor in the economic strength of Australia. An injection of foreign investment allowed the development of Australia also contributing to the economic growth of the country. The beginning of World War II marked the period of increased productivity or the â€Å"long boom† (Parham, 2002). Manufacturing became a huge part of the economy. Import restrictions allowed the manufacturing sector to grow. However, foreign investors noticed the manufacturing sector could not increase productivity and investment declined in this sector. This did not affect the growth of the economy since the mining industry to exploit the natural resources of the country was being established and encouraged an increase in foreign investment. The Australian Stock Exchange was established in 1987. Government run industries like Commonwealth Serum Laboratories and Quantas were privatized. The Labor markets were deregulated and reforms like the Goods and Services Tax were implemented. All these contribute to a solid economic status that Australia enjoys (Burns, 2006). Tourism in Australia As shown in the graph presented below (See GRAPH 1), the revenues that Australia earns from tourism accounts for a significant portion of its GDP. In line with this, the Australian government has slowly developed the growth of the Tourism industry in the country. Some of these plans include the development of infrastructure to foster sustainable tourism and the shift to more ecotourism which accounts for a major part of Australian tourism (Edgel, 2006). Since World War II, the Australian government has been trying to encourage the growth of the tourism industry by taking advantage of the vast natural resources and exotic scenery. At the present, the tourism industry accounts for 4. 7% of Australia’s GDP. It is also the reason for 11. 2% of Australia’s export earnings and the employment 6% of the workforce in Australia (Elliot, 1997). The vast expanse that is home to a significant number of unique flora and fauna also accounts for the growth of the tourism industry in Australia. Major Factors Contributing to Tourism Surge in Australia Perhaps the greatest factor contributing to the growth of the Australian Tourism industry since the World War II was a work ethic that was long in place, even before the occurrence of World War II. In the early 1900’s, the Australian Urban Trade Unions adopted an eight (8) hour work day accompanied by eight (8) hours of rest and most importantly, eight (8) hours of recreation (Burns, 2006). This was an important development in the growth of local tourism and even international tourism because it emphasized the relevance of leisure and recreation and made travel and tourism an integral part of Australian culture. This type of culture and thinking prompted the creation of new tourist destinations for the local residents. This led to the development of railroads which in turn led to greater access to most of Australia’s national parks (Herremanns, 2006). The developed that ensued not only made tourism accessible to the urban dwellers but eventually opened up tourism to all sectors of society. The development of coastal parks began soon after this. Inland and outland tourist destinations also soon flourished because of the development of the infrastructure in Australia (Chon, 2000). Nina Mistilis, in her work entitled Public Infrastructure Development for Tourism in Australia A Critical Issue (2004), is of the opinion that the past and present growth of the tourism industry in Australia is largely dependent on the infrastructure projects undertaken by the Australian government. For tourism to continue its growth, public infrastructure projects such as roads and rails, ports and airports must be developed to accommodate more traffic and also allow better access to other areas in Australia. Another major factor in the growth and development of tourism in Australia was the amount of leisure time and greater disposable income as a result of the Second World War (Elliot, 1997). The first change was the gradual institution of three (3) weeks holiday as a standard. This allowed more of the domestic tourists to enjoy their vacations in Australia and visit places that were farther away from their hometowns thus expanding the tourist sites (Herremanns, 2006). Aside from the increased holiday and leisure period after the war, more and more Australians owned motor vehicles due to the greater disposable income that was available. This meant that the three (3) weeks holidays could be enjoyed more as the availability of alternative modes of transportation permitted tourists to explore other tourist destinations all throughout the continent (Mason, 2003). International tourism, which accounts for a significant portion of the tourism industry of Australia, also contributed to the development of tourism after the Second World War as it made Australia a viable place to travel to (Burns, 2006). In the early 1980’s and 1990’s when Japan and America had turned into powerhouse economies that possessed strong currencies, particularly against the Australian dollar, international tourism skyrocketed (Herremanns, 2006). The profitable short package tours, which accounted for majority of the tourism packages sold, featured trips to the iconic symbols of Australia such as the Koala Bear, Ayer’s rock and the Great Barrier Reef (Herremanns, 2006). These short package tours were particularly significant however as they increased the marketability of Australian tourism and also strengthened the association of those symbols with Australia and thus increasing visibility and identity on a global scale (Mason, 2003). The local economy invariably profited from these also as the short package tours generated a lot of income and also increased souvenir item sales. This economic growth increased the per capita earnings of the population in these local attractions and also improved the overall condition of the tourist attractions as the added source of funding and income allowed improvements to be made to the local infrastructure (Mistilis, 2004). Another important phase in the growth and development of tourism in Australia since World War II was the development of ecotourism (Edgel, 2006). The vast natural resources and natural land attractions of Australia, not to mention the rich and unique flora and fauna that abound in the national parks, make it an ideal place for ecotourism (Pike, 2002). Backpaking soon became a major source of revenue for the local tourist destinations. Because ecotourism promotes the overall growth of the community, long term benefits were provided to the local populace to achieve what is known as â€Å"sustainable tourism† (Edgel, 2006). This also allowed for the preservation of the local cultures that make Australia and unique and enjoyable tourist experience, be if as part of a group or alone.