What Is the Democratic Peace Theory

The Democratic Peace Theory states that countries with liberal democratic forms of government are less likely to go to war with one another than those with other forms of government. Proponents of the theory draw on the writings of German philosopher Immanuel Kant and, more recently, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, who in his 1917 World War I message to Congress stated that â€Å"The world must be made safe for democracy.† Critics argue that the simple quality of being democratic in nature may not be the main reason for the historic tendency of peace between democracies. Key Takeaways The Democratic Peace Theory holds that democratic countries are less likely to go to war with one another than non-democratic countries.The theory evolved from the writings of German philosopher Immanuel Kant and the adoption of the 1832 Monroe Doctrine by the United States.The theory is based on the fact that declaring war in democratic countries requires citizen support and legislative approval. Critics of the theory argue that merely being democratic may not be the primary reason for peace between democracies. Democratic Peace Theory Definition Dependent on the ideologies of liberalism, such as civil liberties and political freedom, the Democratic Peace Theory holds that democracies are hesitant to go to war with other democratic countries. Proponents cite several reasons for the tendency of democratic states to maintain peace, including: The citizens of democracies usually have some say over legislative decisions to declare war.In democracies, the voting public holds their elected leaders responsible for human and financial war losses.When held publicly accountable, government leaders are likely to create diplomatic institutions for resolving international tensions.Democracies rarely view countries with similar policies and form of government as hostile.Usually possessing more wealth that other states, democracies avoid war to preserve their resources. The Democratic Peace Theory was first articulated by German philosopher Immanuel Kant in his 1795 essay entitled â€Å"Perpetual Peace.† In this work, Kant argues that nations with constitutional republic governments are less likely to go to war because doing so requires the consent of the people—who would actually be fighting the war. While the kings and queens of monarchies can unilaterally declare war with little regard for their subjects’ safety, governments chosen by the people take the decision more seriously. The United States first promoted the concepts of the Democratic Peace Theory in 1832 by adopting the Monroe Doctrine. In this historic piece of international policy, the U.S. affirmed that it would not tolerate any attempt by European monarchies to colonize any democratic nation in North or South America. Democracies and War in the 1900s Perhaps the strongest evidence supporting the Democratic Peace Theory is the fact that there were no wars between democracies during the 20th century. As the century began, the recently ended Spanish-American War had seen the United States defeat the monarchy of Spain in a struggle for control of the Spanish colony of Cuba. In World War I, the U.S. allied with the democratic European empires to defeat the authoritarian and fascist empires of Germany, Austro-Hungary, Turkey, and their allies. This led to World War II and eventually the Cold War of the 1970s, during which the U.S. led a coalition of democratic nations in resisting the spread of authoritarian Soviet communism. Most recently, in the Gulf War (1990-91), the Iraq War (2003-2011), and the ongoing war in Afghanistan, the United States, along with various democratic nations fought to counter international terrorism by radical jihadist factions of authoritarian Islamist governments. Indeed, after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, the George W. Bush administration based its use military force to topple Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship in Iraq on the belief that it would bring democracy—thus peace—to the Middle East. Criticism While the claim that democracies rarely fight each other has been widely accepted, there is less agreement on why this so-called democratic peace exists. Some critics have argued that it was actually the Industrial Revolution that led to peace during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The resulting prosperity and economic stability made all of the newly modernized countries—democratic and nondemocratic—much less belligerent toward each other than in preindustrial times. Several factors arising from modernization may have generated a greater aversion to war among industrialized nations than democracy alone. Such factors included higher standards of living, less poverty, full employment, more leisure time, and the spread of consumerism. Modernized countries simply no longer felt the need to dominate each other in order to survive. Democratic Peace Theory has also been criticized for failing to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between wars and types of government and the ease with which definitions of â€Å"democracy† and â€Å"war† can be manipulated to prove a non-existent trend. While its authors included very small, even bloodless wars between new and questionable democracies, one 2002 study contends that as many wars have been fought between democracies as might be statistically expected between non-democracies. Other critics argue that throughout history, it has been the evolution of power, more than democracy or its absence that has determined peace or war. Specifically, they suggest that the effect called â€Å"liberal democratic peace† is really due to â€Å"realist† factors including military and economic alliances between democratic governments. Sources and Further Reference Owen, J. M.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"How Liberalism Produces Democratic Peace.† International Security (1994).Schwartz, Thomas and Skinner, Kiron K. (2002) â€Å"The Myth of the Democratic Peace.† Foreign Policy Research Institute.Gat, Azar (2006). â€Å"The Democratic Peace Theory Reframed: The Impact of Modernity.† Cambridge University Press.Pollard, Sidney (1981). â€Å"Peaceful Conquest: The Industrialization of Europe, 1760–1970.† Oxford University Press.

Censorship of Music Limiting One’s Rights Essay - 1072 Words

Music has been under scrutiny on behalf of censorship for decades. Censorship is defined as an authorization to examine material and to remove or suppress what is considered morally, politically, or otherwise objectionable. Lyrics are essential to nearly everything in music; its poems, ballads, monologues, etc. They may take the form of actual spoken or sung sounds or of written words, as literature does. Without the musical component, you’re left with literature and words; this leaves the heated debate as to whether music should be censored or not. Music should be used as an expression of freedom and should not be overtly scrutinized as to what is appropriate because it is simply futile and a violation of freedom of speech†¦show more content†¦This is an example of the government being overbearing and limiting musical freedoms. The question of what constitutes as suitable language and obscenity has been greatly forced upon the music industry. The current labeling of parental advisory warnings consists of a black and white logo fixed on the cover of an album on the bottom right hand corner. For all the controversy these stickers stir up, do they really serve a practical purpose for protecting the young people of this nation? And, is this another example of the government mandating our lives rather than â€Å"protecting† us from indecency? The censorship of music can have much more negative effects than positive ones for songs can be extremely taken out of context. Music is almost always construed and misinterpreted with the true gist of a song to fit a person’s accusations. The problem with this is that the individuals (usually parents and politicians) who have an outcry over lyrics are frequently the same group tries to use music to fault the problems of society’s actions upon. 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Moral and Philosophical history of Vegetarianism Essay Example For Students

Moral and Philosophical history of Vegetarianism Essay Vegetarianism is the theory or practice of living solely on vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts. It is practiced for moral, ascetic or nutritional reasons In Western society today meat in many different forms is readily and economically available, yet the current trend shows a growing number of voluntary vegetarians around the world. In the United States, roughly 3 to 4 percent of the total populations are considered vegetarian. The origins of modern day Vegetarian philosophy and its influences can be traced back nearly three thousand years. . Most vegetarians are people who have understood that to contribute towards a more peaceful society we must first solve the problem of violence in our own hearts. So its not surprising that thousands of people from all walks of life have, in their search for truth, become vegetarian. Many well known influential philosophers have both preached as well as practiced its inherent advantages. The earliest archeological data we have that suggest a voluntary partial vegetarian diet is the Old kingdom of Egypt. There are hieroglyphic inscriptions, which suggest the avoidance of eating some animals. The priests avoided eating pig for its lack of cleanliness, and cow for their belief that it was sacred mainly did this. This is believed to been practiced as early as 3000 BC. There are few historical sources on the practice of abstaining from meat in ancient Egypt, but we do know it directly influenced the beliefs held across the Mediterranean in Greece. Pythagoras was born off the coast of Turkey on the Island of Samos in the 6th century BC. He is most famous for his well-known proposition about right angle triangles, known as the Pythagorean theorem. Having spent time in Egypt and Babylon, much of his main philosophical teachings are a combination of ideas expressed in the places he traveled to. Pythagoras preached the soul as being abstract and immortal. A soul is within all living creatures, and therefore all creatures, man or beast deserve to be treated compassionately. The soul was said to pass between lives into different living creatures. Therefore in eating the flesh of an animal, one could be eating the flesh of a deceased cousin. This was somewhat revolutionary for a world in which religious ritual was centered on animal sacrifice. He also believed in the concept that an eternal world which was revealed to the intellect through continuous ascetic routines rather then the senses. For two hundred years following Pythagoras death a religion made up of followers of his teachings persisted. As a religious practice of it dissipated, but the teachings were responsible for influencing the likes of Plato and Socrates. Plato frequently makes reference to the migration of souls across species lines. This is in no way a proof that he himself was a Vegetarian, but it does show that one of western philosophies premier philosophers had a regard for animals with certain sensitivity. In Platos Republic, there is a documented dialogue between Socrates and his student Glaucon. Socrates points out that the eating of animals causes one state to go to war with the other. Cattle were considered great wealth, and states would fight with each other to obtain cattle. Meat was valued as such a luxury that men were willing to die for it. Socrates suggested that the consumption of cattle is somewhat gluttonous rather then of necessity. He suggests refraining from meat would lead to a world with less conflict and greater opportunity for peace. Another great Greek philosopher was Theophrastus. A contemporary of Aristotle, his writings clearly state that if plants and vegetables are abundant there is no need to eat meat. Theophrastus speculates that people only began to eat meat when crops were destroyed in war. harriet tubman EssayIn the modern philosophical era, Leo Tolstoy an influential Russian writer and philosopher was an advocate of vegetarianism. ? By killing man suppresses in himself, unnecessarily, the highest spiritual capacity-that of sympathy and pity towards living creatures like himself, and by violating his own feeling becomes so cruel.? (Letter to Mrs. C.P. Farrell)?A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral.? On Civil Disobedience Tolstoy has mentioned a new linguistic twist on to an ancient Eastern philosophy. Cruelty has been introduced. Many contemporary vegetarians today, will not eat meat because of its inherent cruelty and immorality. This is not as controversial as abortion or mercy killing yet, but it has become a moral issue on randomly selected issues. Tuna fish cans all over America are stamped with a ? Dolphin Safe? emblem. At first the consumer is comforted in thinking he has only sponsored the killing of a Tuna fish, but not the murder of a friendly littl e dolphin. This is an absurd statement. Why not save the Tuna? Why is the average consumer concerned with the life of a dolphin and not a Tuna- fish? I believe the case of the dolphins, is a first step towards a higher awareness of the immoral practice of carnivorous eating by humans. It took centuries for Democracy to develop, and it will take years for modern society as a whole to recognize the inherent cruelty in unnecessarily killing animals for food. Steps have been taken to make sure animals are stunned before slaughtered, but this is in no way a justification for killing them. ?I do not regard flesh-food as necessary for us at any stage and under any clime in which it is possible for human beings ordinarily to live. I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.? ? (Mahatma Gandhi, his Mission and Message)Gandhi, the first man to fight a large-scale war with non-violence was the worlds moral voice in the fi rst half of the twentieth century. He repeatedly spoke out against eating meat, maintaining that human beings have a greater moral standard then the rest of the animal kingdom and should act accordingly. I share the conviction with many earlier philosophers both ancient and modern, Eastern and Western that in the future the human race will reflect upon its meat eating practice remorsefully, and claim overcoming it as another step in the development of a humane species. . BibliographySources1) Spencer, Colin The Heretics Feast, A History of Vegetarianism. London: University Press of New England2) Dombrowski, Daniel A. The Philosophy of Vegetarianism. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. 3) Hill, John Lawrence The Case for Vegetarianism. Lanham, Maryland : Rowman and Littlefield Publishers Inc. Philosophy

Oedipus the King Essays (1099 words) - Greek Mythology, Literature

Oedipus the King A plague has stricken Thebes. The citizens gather outside the palace of their king, Oedipus, asking him to take action. Oedipus replies that he already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi to learn how to help the city. Creon returns with a message from the oracle: the plague will end when the murderer of Laius, former king of Thebes, is caught and expelled; the murderer is within the city. Oedipus questions Creon about the murder of Laius, who was killed by thieves on his way to consult an oracle. Only one of his fellow travelers escaped alive. Oedipus promises to solve the mystery of Laius's death, vowing to curse and drive out the murderer. Oedipus sends for Tiresias, the blind prophet, and asks him what he knows about the murder. Tiresias responds cryptically, lamenting his ability to see the truth when the truth brings nothing but pain. At first he refuses to tell Oedipus what he knows. Oedipus curses and insults the old man, going so far as to accuse him of the murder. These taunts provoke Tiresias into revealing that Oedipus himself is the murderer. Oedipus naturally refuses to believe Tiresias's accusation . He accuses Creon and Tiresias of conspiring against his life, and charges Tiresias with insanity. He asks why Tiresias did nothing when Thebes suffered under a plague once before. At that time, a Sphinx held the city captive and refused to leave until someone answered her riddle. Oedipus brags that he alone was able to solve the puzzle. Tiresias defends his skills as a prophet, noting that Oedipus's parents found him trustworthy. At this mention of his parents, Oedipus, who grew up in the distant city of Corinth, asks how Tiresias knew his parents. But Tiresias answers enigmatically. Then, before leaving the stage, Tiresias puts forth one last riddle, saying that the murderer of Laius will turn out to be both father and brother to his own children, and the son of his own wife. After Tiresias leaves, Oedipus threatens Creon with death or exile for conspiring with the prophet. Oedipus's wife, Jocasta (also the widow of King Laius), enters and asks why the men shout at one another. Oedipus explains to Jocasta that the prophet has charged him with Laius's murder, and Jocasta replies that all prophecies are false. As proof, she notes that the Delphic oracle once told Laius he would be murdered by his son, when in fact his son was cast out of Thebes as a baby, and Laius was murdered by a band of thieves. Her description of Laius's murder, however, sounds familiar to Oedipus, and he asks further questions. Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes. Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. He tells Jocasta that, long ago, when he was the prince of Corinth, he overheard someone mention at a banquet that he was not really the son of the king and queen. He therefore traveled to the oracle of Delphi, who did not answer him but did tell him he would murder his father and sleep with his mother. Hearing this, Oedipus fled his home, never to return. It was then, on the journey that would take him to Thebes, that Oedipus was confronted and harassed by a group of travelers, whom he killed in self-defense. This skirmish occurred at the very crossroads where Laius was killed. Oedipus sends for the man who survived the attack, a shepherd, in the hope that he will not be identified as the murderer. Outside the palace, a messenger approaches Jocasta and tells her that he has come from Corinth to inform Oedipus that his father, Polybus , is dead, and that Corinth has asked Oedipus to come and rule there in his place. Jocasta rejoices, convinced that Polybus's death from natural causes has disproved the prophecy that Oedipus would murder his father. At Jocasta's summons, Oedipus comes outside, hears the news, and rejoices with her. He now feels much more inclined to agree with the queen in deeming prophecies worthless and viewing chance as the principle governing the

Watchmen Seminar Notes Essay Example

Watchmen Seminar Notes Essay Example Watchmen Seminar Notes Paper Watchmen Seminar Notes Paper Essay Topic: Watchmen Summary Chapter one opens with the death of Edward Blake. It becomes apparent that the cause of death had been that he was thrown from his apartment by an unknown suspect. The chapter Is picked up In the point of view of two detectives who are investigating the crime scene and discuss several motives for the burglary/murder. Soon after, the point of view is turned over to Rorschach, a mysterious man who is identified by the police as an outlaw of sorts. After investigating the crime scene, Rorschach uncovers that Edward Blake is the true identity of the masked hero known s the Comedian: a former Minuteman. From there, Rorschach spends the remainder of the chapter going to extreme lengths in order to discover who it was that eliminated the Comedian, as well as his motives for doing so. In this process we get to really glimpse Into Rorschach mindset (with occasional cutaways to Rorschach journal entries) as well as accurately weigh his morals (egg. In one instance, he even goes to extreme lengths as to break a mans fingers In order to uncover the truth of the Comedians death). We are also Introduced to many key characters such as Adrian Veldt, Daniel Dribbler, Dry. Manhattan (the big blue man), and Laurie Jupiter: all retired Minutemen ;death of the Comedian (raises the question of motives and suspects; leads the direction of the novel) Character Analysis Rorschach -Rorschach is a reclusive detective and a former member of the Minutemen. His inner monologue is fairly dark and cynical. He thinks of his city as a gutter (sit hole) and feels that it is his job to clean the streets. Although we dont learn much about Rorschach origin at first, he is first introduced as a sort of vigilante by detectives investigating the murder of Eddie Blake. From the detectives conversation, we learn that he Is crazier than a snakes armpit. They Imply that he Is morbidly fascinated In crime cases, and that he goes through violent means to solve them. When we finally see Rorschach in the novel, we see him as a dark and mysterious man who takes it upon himself to solve Eddie Flakes murder. Upon investigating, Rorschach finds that Eddie Blake is the Comedian, another former member of the Minutemen. This gives Rorschach incentive to keep investigating the murder because he fears for former masked heroes who are his friends (including himself? He shows no superhuman qualities, but through his investigations and his interactions with others we learn that he is very inquisitive and can easily piece things together to get to a final decision. -p. 14-16 breaks a mans fingers trying to find out what happened to the Comedian. Exemplifies the measures heed go through (and hes actually bricklaying INSANE) he doesnt know the man, hes not even a susp ect, but he still broke his fingers In hopes that someone will speak out and tell him what he needs. ;journal entries -?+ snows Nils Inner angst an 3. Page Analysis entreat Tort ten world en lives In -beginning/ending (parallels, adds drama) -p. L dialogue is eerie and unsettling, carries a lot of drama and sets the tone of the novel (focused on button) -final page dialogue is more light hearted, however the presence of the button reminds the audience that there is still a lot of drama taking place despite the fact that they (Derriere and Jupiter) are not at the center of it. Symbols/Themes -Rorschach mask -Comedians button Discussion questions significance of Comedians button? Rorschach mask? Why he wears it? Motivation to kill Eddie?

Axolotl Facts (Ambystoma mexicanum)

Axolotl Facts (Ambystoma mexicanum) According to Aztec legend, the first axolotl (pronounced axo-LO-tuhl)  was a god who changed his form in order to escape being sacrificed. The sneaky transformation from terrestrial salamander to a fully aquatic form did not save later generations from death. The Aztecs ate axolotls. Back when the animals  were common, you could buy them as food in Mexican markets. While the axolotl may not be a god, its an amazing animal. Learn how to recognize an axolotl, why scientists are fascinated by them, and how to care for one as a pet. Fast Facts: Axolotl Scientific Name: Ambystoma mexicanumCommon Names: Axolotl, Mexican salamander, Mexican walking fishBasic Animal Group: AmphibianSize: 6-18 inchesWeight: 2.1-8.0 ouncesLifespan: 10 to 15 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Xochimilco Lake near Mexico CityPopulation: Less than a hundredConservation Status: Critically Endangered Description Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. andrewburgess / Getty Images An axolotl is a type of salamander, which is an amphibian. Frogs, newts, and most salamanders undergo a metamorphosis to transition from life in the water to life on land. The axolotl is unusual in that it doesnt undergo a metamorphosis and develop lungs. Instead, axolotls hatch from eggs into a juvenile form that grows to become its adult form. Axolotls keep their gills and permanently reside in the water. A mature axolotl (18 to 24 months in the wild) ranges in length from 15 to 45 centimeters (6 to 18 inches). An adult specimen weighs anywhere between 2 and 8 ounces. An axolotl  resembles other salamander larvae, with lidless eyes, a wide head, frilled gills, long digits, and a long tail. A male has a swollen, papillae-lined cloaca, while a female has a wider body that is full of eggs. The salamanders have vestigial teeth. Gills are used for respiration, although the animals sometimes gulp surface air for supplemental oxygen. Axolotls have four pigmentation genes, giving rise to a wide range of colors. The wild-type coloration is olive brown with gold speckles. Mutant colors include pale pink with black eyes, gold with gold eyes, gray with black eyes, and black. Axolotls can alter their melanophores to camouflage themselves, but only to a limited extent. Scientists believe axolotls descended from salamanders that could live on land, but reverted to water because it offered a survival advantage. Animals Confused With Axolotls This is not an axolotl: Necturus maculosus (common mudpuppy). Paul Starosta / Getty Images People confuse axolotls with other animals partly because the same common names may be applied to different species and partly because axolotls do resemble other animals. Animals confused with axolotls include: Waterdog: A waterdog is the name of the larval stage of the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum and A. mavotium). The tiger salamander and axolotl are related, but the axolotl never metamorphosizes into a terrestrial salamander. However, its possible to force an axolotl to undergo metamorphosis. This animal looks like a tiger salamander, but the metamorphosis is unnatural and shortens the animals lifespan. Mudpuppy: Like the axolotl, the mudpuppy (Necturus spp.) is a fully aquatic salamander. However, the two species are not closely related. Unlike the axolotl, the common mudpuppy (N. maculosus) is not endangered. Habitat and Distribution The lake Lago Acitlalin in the Ecological Park (Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco) is a vast nature reserve in the wetlands of Xochimilco in the south of Mexico City, Mexico. stockcam / Getty Images In the wild, axolotls only live in the Xochimilco lake complex, which is located near Mexico City. The salamanders may be found on the bottom of the lake and its canals. Neoteny The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) exhibits neoteny, meaning it remains in its larval form throughout life. Quentin Martinez / Getty Images The axolotl is a neotenic salamander, which means it doesnt mature into an air-breathing adult form. Neoteny is favored in cool, high-altitude environments because metamorphosis requires a huge energy expenditure. Axolotls can be induced to metamorphose by injection of iodine or thyroxine or by ingesting iodine-rich food. Diet This captive axolotl is eating a piece of meat. Argument / Getty Images Axolotls are carnivores. In the wild, they eat worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks. The salamanders hunt by smell, snapping at prey and sucking it in like a vacuum cleaner. Within the lake, axolotls  had no real predators. Predatory birds were the biggest threat. Large fish were introduced into Lake Xochimilco, which ate the young salamanders. Reproduction and Offspring This is a newt in its egg sac. Like newts, salamander larvae are recognizable within their eggs. Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images Much of what we know about axolotl reproduction comes from observing them in captivity. Captive axolotls become mature in their larval stage between 6 and 12 months of age. Females typically mature later than males. The increasing temperature and light of spring signal  the start of the axolotl breeding season. Males expel spermatophores into the water and try to lure a female over them. The female picks up the sperm packet with her cloaca, leading to internal fertilization. Females release between 400 and 1000 eggs during spawning. She lays each egg individually, attaching it to a plant or rock. A female may breed several times during a season. The tail and gills of the larvae are visible within the egg. Hatching occurs after 2 to 3 weeks. Larger, earlier-hatching larvae eat smaller, younger ones. Regeneration Starfish regenerate lost arms, but they are invertebrates. Salamanders regenerate, plus they are vertebrates (like humans). Jeff Rotman / Getty Images The axolotl is a model genetic organism for regeneration. Salamanders and newts have the highest regenerative ability of any tetrapod (4-legged) vertebrates. The incredible healing ability extends well beyond replacing a lost tail or limbs. Axolotls can even replace some parts of their brains. In addition, they freely accept transplants (including eyes and brain portions) from other axolotls. Conservation Status Tilapia added to the lake near Mexico City are one of the main threats to axolotl survival. darkside26 / Getty Images Wild axolotls are headed to extinction. They are listed as critically endangered by IUCN. In 2013, no surviving axolotls were found in the Lake Xochimilco habitat, but then two individuals were found in the canals leading from the lake. The decline of axolotls is due to multiple factors. Water pollution, urbanization (loss of habitat), and introduction of invasive species (tilapia and perch) may be more than the species can withstand. Keeping an Axolotl in Captivity An axolotl will eat anything small enough to fit into its mouth. Argument / Getty Images However, the axolotl wont vanish! Axolotls are important research animals and fairly common exotic pets. They are uncommon at pet stores because they require a cool temperature, but may be obtained from hobbyists and scientific supply houses. A single axolotl needs at least a 10-gallon aquarium, filled (no exposed land, like for a frog), and supplied with a lid (because axolotls jump). Axolotls cannot tolerate chlorine or chloramine, so tap water must be treated prior to use. A water filter is a necessity, but the salamanders cannot tolerate flowing water. They do not require light, so in an aquarium with plants, its important to have large rocks or other hiding places. Pebbles, sand, or gravel (anything smaller than the axolotls head) pose a risk because axolotls will ingest them and may die from gastrointestinal blockage. Axolotls need a year-round temperature in the low to mid-60s (Fahrenheit) and will die if exposed to prolonged temperature about 74  °F. They need an aquarium chiller to maintain the proper temperature range. Feeding is the easy part of axolotl care. They will eat bloodworm cubes, earthworms, shrimp, and lean chicken or beef. While they will eat feeder fish, experts recommend avoiding them because salamanders are susceptible to parasites and diseases carried by fish. Sources   Luis Zambrano; Paola Mosig Reidl; Jeanne McKay; Richard Griffiths; Brad Shaffer; Oscar Flores-Villela; Gabriela Parra-Olea; David Wake. Ambystoma mexicanum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2010. IUCN. 2010: e.T1095A3229615. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T1095A3229615.enMalacinski, George M. The Mexican Axolotl,  Ambystoma mexicanum: Its Biology and Developmental Genetics, and Its Autonomous Cell-Lethal Genes.  American Zoologist. Oxford University Press.  18: 195–206, Spring 1978.Pough, F. H. Recommendations for the Care of Amphibians and Reptiles in Academic Institutions. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1992.

Organizational Structure and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Organizational Structure and Culture - Essay Example As indicated in the earlier paragraph, such an organizational set up uses charts that show the hierarchy of responsibilities and how their roles are divided. An organizational chart is a diagrammatic expression of the positions and departments found in an organization. It is also important in defining the relationship between them. An organizational chart is important in playing a number of roles that include;- showing the formal organizational relationships between different people and departments in the organization, enhancing channels of communication and hence improving the way information flows in the organization and lastly it helps one to know whom they are accountable to. This is very important in any nursing set up to eliminate the confusion that can be created if they could be working in an informal set up where the role s and responsibilities of the various people playing part was not clearly defined. Organizational charts include vertical ones which run from up to bottom while left to right have the highest rank on the left and the others follow to the right. In our study I used a vertical chart. An example used has the board of directors as the premier heads of the organization. They are responsible for making core decisions regarding the organization. In case the hospital is government owned or accountable to a higher body they are the ones who will be accountable. They decide on what is good for the hospital and through the suggestions laid before them by people in the lower levels in the rank they can decide on how to address each problem in the organization. The hospital administration follows in the rank. This is a group of people who are selected to oversee the day to day running of the hospital and trouble shoot problems as they emanate. They handle different departments in the hospital which makes the positions very delicate and need to be handled by diligent personnel who cannot

Feminist Film Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Feminist Film Theory - Essay Example He seems angry but could not resist himself from taking a peek inside once again and while he does so, a dog is shown licking his hand, obviously giving an indication of what is going on inside. Looking at the description of the scene it seems to be a part of some porn film. But it is actually is a scene from an award winning film ‘ The Piano’ directed by a female director named Jane Campion . The scene is erotic, it is sexual and it is about sex. Does it involve a woman? Yes. Is a woman in this scene used as a commodity or is she objectified? No. The scene is a brilliant work of art where even though the love scene shot is very intimate and erotic, it does not expose the body of a woman just so that it can create a visual pleasure for men. This scene, and the movie as a whole, is an answer to what Laura Mulvey in her essay, â€Å" Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema† had challenged the film makers to achieve. Sex is a part of life. We are born out of sex. So sex can never be denied or eliminated from the cinema. But the challenge was to show sex and woman in such a way that it allows her to maintains her dignity and respect in the society and does not become just an object of visual pleasure. The movie ‘ The Piano’ is an excellent example of how this aim can be achieved. Laura Mulvey is one of the thinkers who had discussed the feminism in cinema with the aid of the psychoanalytical theories of Sigmund Freud. She studied the theories of Freud and have tried to understand how woman has been suppressed and objectified in the world of cinema. She has compared Freud’s theory with the way the audience

Theory of Gravity Essay Example for Free

Theory of Gravity Essay Of all the current nuclear fusion reactor experiments JET and ITER are the largest. JET, Joint European Torus, based in Culham Science Centre in the UK, is the centre of Europes fusion research. JET is currently the worlds largest tokomak capable of delivering up to 30 MW of power, it is used by more than 20 European Countries and also used by international scientists. It is used to test the conditions that will be in use by commercial fusion power plants. JET began in 1978, in operation since 1983 and in November of 1991 became the first experiment to produce controlled nuclear fusion power. It has been a stepping stone for ITER, producing parameters that have been vital in its production. In 1997 a record of 16 MW of energy were produced by JET using the mixed deuterium-tritium fuel with an input of 24 MW; a 65% ratio. ITER, originally standing for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor but dropped due to negative connotations of thermonuclear especially combined with the word experimental. ITER began in 1985, but it was only until 2005 that the south of France was decided on as a location for the reactor. ITER is supported by many countries worldwide including the USA, the EU, the Russian Federation, India, China, Korea and Japan. In November 2006, and agreement was signed which formed the international ITER organisation who owns the device and all aspects of the project. ITER was formulated because it was agreed that a larger and more powerful reactor was needed to emulate conditions in a commercial reactor and demonstrate its feasibility. ITER is built from the collective research made by all the many fusion experiments worldwide; a collaborative effort to provide cheap, clean fuel for many future generations. The first plasma is predicted to be produced by 2016. Nuclear Fusion is entirely feasible as a future energy source though it will be a long time before they will overtake traditional natural resources in terms of percentage of the Earths energy provided. Estimated put it around 2050 until fusion power plants are in full commercial use. It is proven that fusion is the most efficient energy source we have to date; 4 times more than that of nuclear fission. It is inherently safe, and there is no hazardous waste except some radioactive materials from free neutrons, though in future designs this could be eradicated. Research is currently going well; all that remains is for bigger more powerful models and with ITER on the horizon it will not be long before a self sustaining fusion reaction with a positive output is achieved. This means well into the future 100% waste free fusion plants could provide nearly all of the worlds electricity, resulting in a clean safe environment with a massively reduced threat of global warming. Bibliography C. R. Nave, 2006, HyperPhysics, viewed 13 September 2008 http://hyperphysics. phy-astr. gsu. edu/hbase/hframe. html David Sang, 1995, Nuclear and Particle Physic, 2nd Ed. Thomas Nelson and Sons ltd.  https://www.euro-fusion.org/

Antiterrorism Policy Essay -- Government Intervention, Global Issues

Does being peaceful and showing goodwill in the state indicate terrorists have the license to work at their freewill?? Indeed it does!! Soft policies against terrorists will definitely create a lot of positive headlines but at the same time it puts to stake the survival and security of its people and primarily disturbs the government's commitment towards preserving national interests. The Mumbai terror attacks of 11/26 shook India and stunned the world, clearly revealing huge chinks in the country's anti-terror armor. A year later, the sole surviving terrorist captured by authorities, Mohammad Ajmal Kasab is given the right to seek freedom before the courts of law, the masterminds of the deadly assault are free and the country harboring these terrorists- Pakistan, is probably laughing at our weakness, dismissing us as a state whose outrage is easily calmed by tokenism. Our leaders say, war is not the only way to assert one's strength, dialogue with Pakistan is the best recourse given the volatile situation in the country. But, isn't this 'anti-confrontation' policy responsible for India's failure to check terrorism? Isn't India a soft state? India, being a secular democratic state has always faced difficulties in maintaining its integrity every now and then. But the unity amongst people and the prevailing brotherhood among countrymen have kept as intact despite being the most diversified country in the world. We are renowned to be kindhearted and generous towards others. We like our friends and love our enemies. Call it Gandhigiri or national ethics, compared to other nations, people in our country are not outrageous or rebellious when it comes to "International Relations" (only when it comes to international r... ...etic condition of the poor find higher priority. It is difficult to turn away from the harsh reality-high population, illiteracy, unemployment, social marginalization, poverty, highly appalling condition of public health and much more make our country weak. We need to track these issues right to their ancestral roots in order to come up with a permanent remedy. Sooner the headship realizes this, the better for the nation. On the track to betterment there is no gray, it's black or white, yes or no. There is no scope for a counterfeit policy. We can no longer put to stake our successful trail by swaying into mediocre sources of insinuation. Hence it becomes highly important for the Government to stand up to such situations in future and demonstrate the right mix of power and bargaining strength to neutralise the antagonist and avoid becoming a soft state.

Research Prince Charles

Prince Charles Research Essay Frank Jimenez English IV Ms. Amy Morales November 6, 2004 Throughout the years there have been many great kings and queens of Great Britain. None should ever be overlooked, but one that stands out is Prince Charles Phillip Arthur George. Still currently the Prince of Great Britain; he’s been an amazing leader. The highlights of his life include his marriage to the late Princess Diana, his early life with the military, and of course his present life now. The Prince’s marriage to Diana wasn’t one of the best kept secrets in the world.Everyone in the world had their eyes glued on their TV for the extraordinarily special occasion (Barry, 1983). Charles and Diana had known each other since they were young, and were later introduced in the late 1970’s (Charles, 2011). One thing that people don’t really know about the two was that they were thirteen years apart in age. The two got engaged in February 1981, and the ceremony was on July 29, 1981. It was televised all over the world for millions to see this spectacular occasion (Charles, 2011).Their fairytale marriage together seemed almost perfect, but suddenly tragedy struck. They had felt strained over their years together with royal responsibilities, pressure from the media, and even some infidelities. Prince Charles had been accused of re-igniting an old flame with his ex-lover Camilla Park Bowles. Charles had admitted to the accusations and he officially separated with Diana in 1992, and divorced her in 1996 (Barry, 1983). Misfortune struck the Prince again when Princess Diana died in a car crash several years later in Paris (Charles, 2011).Prince Charles set aside both of their differences and traveled with Diana’s sisters to France to accompany her body back to England. Charles took the role of his grieving sons; Prince William and Prince Henry. He took this time of mourning seriously and asked the media to leave his children alone and let th em live as normal a life as possible. After years of quietly keeping their relationship a secret, Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles on April 9, 2005 (Charles, 2011). She became the Duchess of Cornwall.In addition to his rollercoaster of a love life, his early life was a bit different than most considering he was in line to take the throne. He was born on November 14, 1948, in London, England (House, 2009). His parents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip made him ascend the royal hierarchy at a very early age. It wasn’t much of a surprise to the country. His mother became queen when he was only three after the death of his grandfather, King George VI (Charles, 2011). Since he was the oldest child, Charles became the heir apparent to the British throne and received the title Duke of Cornwall.The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh decided that the Prince should go to school rather than have a tutor at the Palace (Martin, 1985). They did this in part by because they wanted him to have as normal a life as possible and they wanted him to be able to have a lot of interaction with other people. In 1956 he attended the Hill House School in West London before heading off to boarding school at the Cheam School the following year. One interesting fact about Prince Charles was that he was actually made Prince of Wales at the age of only nine (Charles, 2011).Charles also attended Gordonstoun in Scotland, and studied in Australia too during his time there. The Prince also went to Cambridge University in 1967 to study archaeology and anthropology (House, 2009). He attended the Trinity College part, a subdivision of Cambridge University. In addition to his studies, he was active in campus life. He involved himself in several activities, such as playing on the polo team. After receiving his degree in 1970, Charles began a military career. He spent six months of training The Royal Air Force (Barry, 1983).Prince Charles joined the Royal Navy in 1971. He did several thin gs while in the Navy. He served as a helicopter pilot and even commanded a ship before leaving the military in 1976. That same year, Charles established The Prince’s Trust, a charitable organization dedicated to helping improve the lives of Britain’s disadvantaged youth (House, 2009). The Prince had a very diverse education along with a variety of activities. It shaped him to become a great leader. Furthermore, Prince Charles has left a great number of legacies.Prince Charles has become the longest-serving heir apparent in British history. The previous record, of 59 years, two months and 13 days, was set by his great-great-grandfather, King Edward VII. Over the years The Prince of Wales has founded a number of initiatives in order to try and help communities locally and globally. The Prince has long been sensitive to the plight of sheep farmers in this country and abroad and through two particular initiatives, the Campaign for Wool and The Mutton Renaissance, has sough t to improve the prices of two of their main products.Both the Campaign for Wool and the Mutton Renaissance initiatives aimed to make popular again these two products:Â   wool as a natural fire-retardant and sustainable fabric; and mutton as a tasty alternative to lamb, in order to help sheep farmers gain a better profit and thus protect their way of life (House, 2009). The Prince’s Rainforests Project was set up in October 2007 by The Prince of Wales to find practical solutions to slow tropical deforestation and combat climate change.START is an initiative inspired by The Prince of Wales, which aims to provide people with simpler steps towards sustainable living (House, 2009). In 2010, The Prince conducted a tour to a number of projects across the country, where he saw first-hand a number of inspiring ways that people are making a start. The Prince visited projects in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol, Carmarthen, Manchester, Todmorden, Newcastle, Nottingham, Birmingham and culmi nating in London with A Garden Party to make a difference in the grounds of Clarence House, Lancaster House and Marlborough House (Martin, 1985).The Prince of Wales has homes in England, Scotland and Wales. Clarence House is the official London residence of The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry. The private pursuits and interests of The Prince of Wales are as varied as the concerns – like the welfare of young people and the disadvantaged, the quality of our built environment and sustainability – to which he devotes his public life. The Prince is a keen watercolorist and paints whenever his schedule allows.Lithographs of his paintings are sold and all proceeds go to The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation. His Royal Highness enjoys gardening, especially in his organic garden at Highgrove (Martin, 1985). A keen advocate of traditional rural skills, The Prince enjoys hedge laying and has hosted the National Hedgelaying Championships at Home Far m. He has also laid many of the hedges on Home Farm himself. In pursuing some of his interests, The Prince is able to give support to organizations in the worlds of art, music and theatre – as he oes in many other fields – through becoming Patron or President (House, 2009). In total, The Prince of Wales is Patron or President of around 400 organizations. For example, His Royal Highness is Patron or President of the English Chamber Orchestra and Music Society, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, The Welsh National Opera, Live Music Now! , The Royal Shakespeare Company and The Royal Ballet, to name but a few.The Prince and The Duchess regularly attend theatre and opera performances and symphony concerts, sometimes as part of a fundraising event and sometimes in a private capacity (Barry, 1983). Over the years His Royal Highness has taken part in many different sports including racing, scuba diving and sailing. Up until November 2005 The Prince raised money f or charity by playing polo. He decided to retire from the game after playing it for over 40 years. In conclusion, there is much to be said about the great Prince Charles.The almost perfect marriage to the late Princess Diana, his early life with the military, and his present life now can all be great examples of the way one person can have an impact on the world. Next time you’re making decisions, think of how Prince Charles would’ve handled it; with grace and dominance. Once you take a step back and look at all of the great Princes and Princesses of Great Britain; Prince Charles will always be on the top of the list as one of the most impacting human beings of his generation.

A Written Assessment for work in the nursing profession Essay

Question 1: Explain the ‘health’ and ‘wellness’. Health is the ability of an individual to function well physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually to be able to demonstrate the full range of one’s â€Å"unique potentialities within the environment in which one is living† (Farlex, 2013). Our Health can be affected by the way we deal with our social, physical and psychological issues in life. Shelter, food, education, social security, health and social services, income and employment are one of the factors that leads to the condition of our health. Wellness is â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity† (WHO, 1974). Wellness goes beyond the absence of symptoms and works toward achieving maximum potential and prevention of health problems. We tend to think that a person who shows no sign of illness is healthy. Positive thinking helps gives us answers, control and the way out of illness and problems whereas if we think negative it strips us of power and control. To achieve a good health we must involve ourselves to exercise, proper nutritional food, good sleep and healthy lifestyle. Question 2: Health Models can provide nurses with a framework to help guide the focus of their nursing care. Describe two of these models and how they can influence a person’s health. One of the health models is the Holistic Health Model. Holistic health is defined as a â€Å"wellness approach that addresses the body, mind and spirit or the physical, emotional/mental and spiritual aspects of an individual† (Perkins, 2007). By spiritual means the essence of who you are. Holistic health is how our physical state, mental state and experience in life responds to the status of our health. Nurses can help and encourage patients to engage in the healing process and practice a variety of self-care strategies to better their health and wellness. Another one of the health models is The Illness-wellness continuum, which is a guide to help understand the degree of illness and wellness of an individual in terms of their health. â€Å"Illness is characterised by  responsibility and purposeful actions to maintain high levels of health† (Central Institute of Technology, (n.d.), p. 64). This model will help guide the nurses in identifying the client’s level of illness and what methods of help and care they can give to the client to improve their health and wellness. Question 3: There are a number of factors, which have an influence on our health. Please identify four factors and explain how they can influence a person’s health. Some factors that influence our health are as follows: Employment/Income – Gives people the opportunity to earn money and enjoy it by spending for their needs and what they want. Our income will help us provide for our families proper nutrition, and safe shelter. Having a job will help pay our bills, medication, health insurance and other necessities. Physical Environment – Having to have clean air, water and surroundings will have a lesser impact to our health. Exposure to heavy metals, chemicals, and other environmental toxins and pathogens can affect our health as these can be harmful to our body. Having a healthy and safe working environment helps to reduce any injury or harm. Aside from these, having a safe house, communities and surroundings will help us achieve good health Nutrition – Proper nutrition, healthy food to eat has a big impact on our health. If we eat unhealthy, fatty foods it will not only make us over weight but can be a cause of serious illness in our body. By eating plenty of fresh, green vegetables and having a balanced diet gives our body the nutrients we need to have a healthy life. Lifestyle – Lifestyle defines how we live. Being involved in sports, exercise regularly, eating healthy, having the right weight are all part of healthy lifestyle but if we involve ourselves to bad habits like smoking, alcohol and drugs then we wouldn’t achieve that good health that our body need. Question 4: People from other countries will face heath and illness issues than those we face in Australia. Choose a country other than Australia and identify two unique or different health/illness issues they face. Philippines faces a lot of health issues and one of them is tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a â€Å"potentially contagious disease that can affect almost any part of the body but is mainly an infection of the lungsâ⠂¬  (Tuberculosis, 2014) It is a communicable disease which can be transferred from one person to another via air when they sneeze, cough or spit. Symptoms include coughing for more than two weeks, weight loss, cough with blood, chest pain and fever. About 10-15 people anually are infected with this disease by a tuberculosis patient. Normally, this disease infect adults but it can also be acquired by children. It is curable and preventable as well. There was an estimated 260,000 people infected with tuberculosis in 2011 according to the WHO in the Philippines and 28,000 of them die per year. The prevalence rate is high with elders, urban porr, smokers, people with HIV, and those who suffer from malnutrition. Another health issues that the Philippines faces is Malaria. According to the World Health Organization, over 12 million people in that country are at risk of death caused by malaria. Most of the cases occur in mountainous and forested areas that are infested with Plasmodium and other species. The virus can be transferred by the species by puncturing the human skin where the virus flow on the blood stream, spreading in the whole body. In an hour, malaria can kill a person if they are not aware that they have been bitten. The World Health Organization together with Department of Health came up with different programs which talked about treatments and awareness about malaria. Question 5:  a) What are some of the different health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here in Australia? Please describe at least 3 and include in your answer some of their health beliefs and practices that may have an influence on their health. One of the most common health issues faced by Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders is ear disease/hearing loss, one in eight persons have a case of ear disease or hearing problems. Heart and circulatory disease is also one of them. The indigenous people had  the higher rate of heart and circulatory disease compared to non-indigenous people who live in Australia. The last most common health issues faced by Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander is Asthma. One in every six persons have asthma according to the survey done by Australian Bureau of Statistics. There was as much cases of indigenous people who live in non-remote area who has asthma. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people greatly believe in traditional medicine and this highly influences their health. One aboriginal elder and medicine woman, Anna Warren, said that the core of the traditional aboriginal medicine is the â€Å"spirit†. She said that if the body is well, then the spirit will be well too. She added that it requires deep listening to be able to connect with the spirit. For these indigenous people, they feel that western medicine is alienating and makes them uncomfortable to the point where they would avoid seeking treatment. Aside from this, many indigenous people do not trust the health care system due to their negative previous experiences (i.e. racism and mistreatment) while they were given services. b) How should this influence how health care is delivered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Based on the website made by Creative Spirits, in order to make great improvements possible and to make the indigenous people feel more comfortable and for the health care system to regain the indigenous people’s trust, the following should be considered: Employ indigenous staff – more indigenous patients will be at ease seeking help or treatment when they know that more indigenous staff work in the health sector. Create an aboriginal-friendly feel – hospitals, clinics and other health care related pplaces should incorporate indigenous art works because this help them feel relaxed and connected with the place. The indigenous people will have the sense of belongingness and pride when they see their artwork  displayed. Verify informed consent – this is a process which should be stricty followed if an indigenous patient will undergo any medical procedure which involves the right person within the network of kinship and community relationships. Help Aboriginal patients understand their disease – providing visuals, using clear and simple language, much better if native language is used will help the indigenous people understand what causes their condition. Have culturally aware staff – Aboriginal culture training should be taught to the staff in order to give them better understanding and for them to offer respect to the indigenous people. Offer low price treatments – medical treatments should be made affordable for the indigenous people as most of them have little or no income at all. Question 6: Nursing as a profession has had many changes over the time. Compare nursing as a profession in 2014 to 1960 in the areas of education and professional appearance. During 1960 when it comes to professional appearance nurses use to wear white dresses, stockings and starched caps. It was during this decade that uniform also take a turn in the direction of more fashionable than in the past. Today’s nursing uniform was designed more for functions than form but are considered much more comfortable than those worn throughout the history. In 1985 – 1997 a two year training to become a general nurse was introduced and over the time hospital based training was also introduced and continued until 1980’s. The tertiary sector then took over all the RN education and degree level in 1990’s. The Enrolled Nursing education in WA was located in TAFE colleges, Mt Lawley in 1989. The development of post graduate nursing studies in Australia is still ongoing. As a profession today Nurses role has taking on more technologically challenging roles than at any other point of history. Some nurses are taking over roles that were once reserve for physician. Nurses are becoming more specialized than in days past, there are specialties like OR (operating Room), Medical Surgical Nurse, Pediatric Nurses, Labor and Delivery nurse  and even Psychiatric nurse. Continuing education and clinical experience go along way today to ensure that nurses are on top of their games. Question 7: There are occupational health and safety issues that nurses should take into consideration when carrying out their nursing practice. Please explain what is meant by a) Infection Control – it means following procedures, standard and additional precautions to prevent the risk of infections from spreading. Nurses play a vital role in controlling the risk of potential spread of infection in their workplace and must always remember that patients and the health care providers alike are vulnerable to easily acquire any disease. Nurses must always think and apply the following practises: -hand hygiene -using personal protective equipment -safe handling and disposal of sharps -decontaminating equipment -achieving and maintaining clean clinical environment b) Manual Handling – is a procedure that involves physical movement of our body by way of lifting, pulling, pushing, carrying, holding or restraining of a person or individual. It involves repetitive actions and sometimes use of equipment can be involved. Nurses should follow the standards of manual handling to prevent injury, illness, pain and suffering of individuals in the workplace and to have a safe workplace. Question 8: What are some of the professional development strategies you can use to maintain your skills and knowledge when you are qualified nurse? Performance review appraisal – which can be done by your manager’s review of your performance or you review the performance of your peers. Self-assessment – this will help you find out how you can further improve or develop your skills, attitudes and capabilities. Continuing education – by learning new skills, learning how to use new equipment or simply updating your knowledge and skills will help in gaining more knowledge and skills. Question 9: Please explain the role of the Nursing and Midwifery Board; Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency and Industrial Organisations in nursing profession. Nursing and Midwifery Board Australia has a broad function and one of them is registering suitably qualified and competent person as nurses, midwives and students. They are the ones that develop and approve the standards codes and guidelines for nursing and midwifery professions. They also are the ones that assess the knowledge and skills of overseas applicants for registration and determining suitability for registration in Australia. Nurses and midwives must be registered in Nurses and Midwifery Board of Australia and meet the boards registration standards to be able to practice in Australia. AHPRA’S role is to protect the public’s safety. They publishes national registers of practitioner so important information about the registration of individual health practitioner is available. They are the ones that manage the registration and renewal processes for health practitioners and students around Australia. They also provide advice to the Ministerial Council about the administration of the National Registration and accreditation scheme. The development of registration standards, guidelines and codes are maintained and supported by them. The ANF (Australian Nursing Federation) is one of the largest industrial organisations and the national union for nurses in Australia. They help with the progress and development of policy relating to: â€Å"Nursing and midwifery practice, professionalism, regulation, education, training, workforce, and socio- economic welfare, health and aged care, community services, veteran’s affairs, occupational health and safety, industrial relations, social justice, human rights, immigration, foreign affairs and law reform† (ANF, 2011, p. 2). The Autralian Nursing Federation’s function is the industrial and professional representation of nurses through activities of a national office and branches in every state and territories. Question 10: How does the Scope of Practice Decision Making Framework influence your nursing practice. This will help us to determine and understand if we are capable enough to perform a given task. If the nurse have been given a task and is not confident or unsure of how to achieve it, the chart will help guide you as to what step you should take instead. We  must understand carefully each steps to provide the best appropriate care for our patient and to help us achieve a safe proficient nursing care. Question 11: There are three levels of care provided in different health care environments in the Australian health care system. Please explain what those three levels are and where we can expect to find each level of care. Primary Health Care – is the first point of health care and is part of Australian health system used most. Given to people living in their own community outside of hospitals. Its major task is the early detection and prevention of disease and the maintenance of health. Secondary Health Care – looks at the general services provided by a hospital. A hospital stay for a brief but serious illness and mostly concerned with the provision of specific technical, therapeutic or diagnostic health care services. They usually focus on a specific health problem and can provide services by medical specialists e.g. cardiologist. Tertiary Health Care – Highly specialised and technical care provided in hospital to diagnose and treat disease. Individuals who has complex health problems, and require treatment from doctors and nurses with advance level skills. Entry into the health care system at this level is gained by referral from either the primary or secondary level. Question 12: a) What is the philosophy for Primary Health Care? Primary Health Care’s main goal is to give provide better health for people. â€Å"The philosophy behind primary health care is based upon†: (Gallagher, 2014, p. 8) A holistic understanding of health as wellbeing rather than absence of disease (Gallagher, 2014, p. 8) Recognition of the multiple determinants of health including gender, housing, education, transport, planning, communication, social and other services (Gallagher, 2014, p. 8). Community input into health services which will be reflected by involvement of communities and individuals at all levels of planning and provision of services (Gallagher, 2014, p. 8). Equity in health care and prioritisation  of services to the most needy (Gallagher, 2014, p. 8). Accessible, acceptable and affordable services and technology (Gallagher, 2014, p. 8). Eliminating causes of ill health through health promotion and disease prevention (Gallagher, 2014, p. 8). Recognition that primary health care must be based upon social, biomedical and health services research in order to provide effective health care (Gallagher, 2014, p. 8). b) Explain the difference between health promotion and illness prevention Health promotion means encouraging and supporting the person or yourself to improve your health and wellbeing. Illness prevention is the way to promote good health and reduce the risk of illness to individuals and their family members through knowledge, education and healthy lifestyle. c) Describe some of the factors you would consider if you were to design a health promotion campaign. In designing a promotion campaign I would think of the design of the campaign, presentation of it, which audience to present it to, contents of the message and how to advertise it. I would also include these following in promoting my health campaign: – promote the involvement of every individuals in physical activities and sports – provide education towards healthy lifestyle and harmful effects of drug and alcohol – to encourage everyone of eating healthy nutritious food – promote the importance of having 8 hours of sleep Health care promotion can help improve a healthy living and helps a person to build up strengths that will keep up and develop his or her good health and boost their quality of life. d) What is your role as a nurse in the area of health promotion? Nurses are expected to be aware and acknowledge the health issues and factors that affects health condition. Nurses contributes to the promotion of their clients health and social wellbeing by; Promoting health and self-care, participating in providing health promotion interventions, being aware of the key health and social factors to be considered when carrying out an assessment of individual needs, being aware of the contributions of other professionals to assessment and intervention. Question 13: How has the focus of the provision of health care changed over the last 20 years. There had been a lot of changes for the past 20 years in the health care here in Australia. Since 1984, there had been major changes in medicare which provides access to affordable high quality care and it is available to all Australian citizens and permanent residents. Medicare is also seen as â€Å"providing universal access to a set rebate, being well suited ti episodic careof ill-health; and enabling patient choice of health provider† (Department of Health and Ageing, 2009). -In 1999-2000 The EPC (Enhance Primary Care) MBS was introduced to provide quality health care for elderly Australians, patients with chronic conditions and with multi-disciplinary care needs. -â€Å"In 2004 MBS items were introduced for a limited range of services provided by practice nurses when acting for, and on behalf of, a GP† (Australian Government, 2009). -In 2004 bulk billing incentive items were introduced to concession card holders and children aged under 16 -Chronic disease management was introduced in 2005. Changes in general practise funding for indigenous people were also introduced. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) provides an important role to the delivery of primary health care to the Indigenous people. â€Å"In addition, the 2009-10 Budget announced that, from January 2010, a new Rural Primary Health Services Program (RPHS) would be established to consolidate a range of existing programs and introduce greater flexibility into primary health care service provision in rural and remote communities† (Australian Government, 2009). Through the years the government have developed the National Age care programs which includes residential health care and community care services for elderly that funded by the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments. Community age care support is available through; ‘Home and community care’ which address low care needs, ‘community aged care packages’ available for mid-level care needs, and ‘extended aged care at home’ and ‘dementia specific’ supported with high care needs. In 2002 the Department of Health and Aging was established. The Government put up programs to help multicultural Australians to provide help when accessing the health care and they did it in the form of pamphlets with different languages, telephone interpreter service and culture specific health services. â€Å"Australian government  implemented some innovative solutions to health issues arising out of Australia’s unique history needs† (Cent ral Institute of Technology, 2014, p. 23). Australians â€Å"have access to heavily subsidised medicines, pharmaceuticals and technologies prescribed by medical officers† (Koutoukidis, Stainton & Hughson, 2010, p.67). Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) provides timely, reliable and affordable access to necessary medicines for Australians. The PBS is part of the Australian Government’s broader National Medicines Policy. The rates of hospital utilisation have increased because of the impact of the new technology and hospital organisation in reducing length of stay. Our government has increased their funding to expand the provision of sub-acute services. Our present and our future primary health care system is more accessible, clinically and culturally appropriate now. It’s more focus on preventive care including support of healthy lifestyle more safe, high quality care which is continually improving through relevant researched innovation and rise of health care promotion.

Social Policies of Music essays

Social Policies of Music essays Social Policies of the Music Industry: Record labels come in all sizes and shapes. There are large, well-funded labels, organized and run by major corporations such as Sony Music and Capital Records. The more money a label has the more people they can hire to handle the various responsibilities in running a label. Smaller, grass roots agencies organize the work of promoting, selling and publicizing their releases by individually taking on multiple tasks. These smaller labels have a challenging job of marketing their records because the organization itself may only consist of two or three employees, including the label owner. A group that small has the duty of talent scouting, calling radio stations for airplay, working with distributors, following up with music retailers, as well as coordinating publicity efforts. Finally, it is the responsibility of a record label to deal directly with its artists and bands, helping them find performances and create tours. The best way to describe a record label is to compare it to an extremely well organized assembly line. Every department at a record label plays an essential role in the success or failure of the company. They are team members, working together toward the goal of selling records, cassettes and CDs as one synchronized machine. There is a very specific pattern of events that have to take place in order for a label to succeed in creating its final output. The result is music, and the following essay is an inside look into the workings of both major and smaller run record labels. My intention is to categorize and break down the various tasks and lines of communication with outside media that exist in maintaining a successful label. As one will see, the larger record labels have the luxury of having several different departments and dozens of employees to carry out the many responsibilities involved in running a label. The smaller companies that have the same amount of wor...

The 12 Olympians of Greek Mythology

The 12 Olympians of Greek Mythology In Greek mythology, there were 12 Olympians, gods and goddesses, who lived and held thrones on Mount Olympus, although you may run across more than a dozen names. These major gods and goddesses are named Olympian for their place of residence. Greek Names The canonical list, based on the Parthenon sculptures includes: Olympian Gods ApolloAresDionysusHermesHephaestusPoseidonZeus Olympian Goddesses AphroditeAthenaArtemisDemeterHera You may sometimes see: AsclepiusHeraclesHestiaPersephoneHades listed as Olympian deities, but they are not all regulars. Roman Names The Roman versions of the Greek names are: Olympian Gods ApolloBacchusMarsMercuryNeptuneJupiterVulcan Olympian Goddesses VenusMinervaDianaCeresJuno The alternates among the Roman gods and goddesses are: Asculapius, Hercules, Vesta, Proserpine, and Pluto. Also Known As: Theoi Olympioi, Dodekatheon Alternate Spellings: Hephaestus name is sometimes spelled Hephaistos or Hephestus. Examples: Iuno, Vesta, Minerva, Ceres, Diana, Venus, Mars, Mercurius, Iovis, Neptunus, Vulcanus, Apollo.Ennius Ann. 62-63 Vahl.From Plautus as a Source Book for Roman Religion, by John A. Hanson, TAPhA (1959), pp. 48-101. The 12 Olympians were the major gods and goddesses with prominent roles in Greek mythology. Although being an Olympian meant a throne on Mt. Olympus, some of the major Olympians spent most of their time elsewhere. Poseidon lived in the sea and Hades in the Underworld. Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Poseidon, and Zeus are the names of the Olympian gods on the Parthenon frieze, according to the Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World. However, Elizabeth G. Pemberton, in The Gods of the East Frieze of the Parthenon (American Journal of Archaeology Vol. 80, No. 2 [Spring, 1976] pp. 113-124), says that on the East frieze of the Parthenon, in addition to the 12 are Eros and Nike.

Is Anheuser-Busch a monopoly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Is Anheuser-Busch a monopoly - Essay Example It, however, is not the only corporation that is doing so, as the beer industry has become an oligopoly where â€Å"a few large firms producing a homogeneous or differentiated product dominate a market† and â€Å"firms in the industry that firms are mutually interdependent—each must consider its rivals’ reactions in response to its decisions about prices, output, and advertising† (Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly). This has created a beer market where the smaller brewers do not really have a chance for success, since the larger companies will make it nearly impossible for them to survive. These large corporations have altered the free market to the point where it is not really free anymore and the consumer’s choices are very limited. Anheuser-Busch does not dominate the beer industry, but it is one of the members of this oligopoly that has taken control of this industry globally. It cannot be said that Anheuser-Busch dominates the market because of its low prices because other breweries do the exact same thing. Anheuser-Busch was, until recently, the world’s largest brewery, by volume, but it has since fallen back a little bit because of its reluctant to acquire other breweries. Despite this, Anheuser-Busch has managed to take a 49% market shape in the United States based almost purely on its major brands: Budweiser, Michelob, and Busch. Each of these beers is basically the same recipe, with minor variations and different names, which is what most beer companies do with their beers. Despite all of this, there have been problems growing for the company in terms of revenue and net profits, as both of these have declined in recent times. The net income for the company is down 31% from last year and the company also went from having %50 of the market share down to only having 49%. One reason for this drop in profits is that beer consumption as a whole has decreased in the United States recently. People are now beginning to

The Issue of Virtue or Citizenship for the New Republic of Antarctica Essay

The Issue of Virtue or Citizenship for the New Republic of Antarctica - Essay Example As a preliminary matter, it is essential to define precisely what is meant by the notion of civic virtue or citizenship. The main idea is that citizens are bound to place certain larger civic goals above their more particularized personal desires. Implicit in this concept is the notion of sacrifice. The citizen, while to be protected and respected as an individual, is also expected to behave in ways which promote the larger interests of his state or country. In this way, citizenship implies certain fundamental obligations. The virtue is behavior which conforms to these expectations. The important question, therefore, becomes what expectations ought the New Republic of Antarctica create for its citizenry The nature of virtue is a question which deserves serious attention. Some have argued that virtue is to be closely aligned with austerity. The pursuit of luxury and personal fame is to be discouraged. Larger social goals should be the guiding goals of citizenship. Others have argued that virtue need not be so limiting on a personal level. This line of reasoning is more liberal, and suggests that individual achievements will contribute to the development of the country. Thus, personal gain ought to be encouraged so long as the fundamental objectives of the government are not endangered. In the final analysis, the virtue to be explored in this report refers to the role and the function of individuals within the New Republic of Antarctica. This raises questions of political conformity and the nature of the individual's influence within the republic. 1.2 Alternative Models The manner in which virtue is to be incorporated into a republic is variable; to be sure, there are different models to consider. First, there is the notion of a direct democratic republic to be considered. This model extends a vote to its citizens, according to a formula prescribed by law, and effectively operates on the basis of majority rule. This model is something of an all-win or all-lose system. The majority dictate representatives as well as an overarching civic conscience. The minority, meanwhile, is entirely subject to the whims of the majority. A second model is the constitutional republic. This model is motivated by a philosophical desire to protect minorities from majority rule. A constitution is interposed between the government and the citizens. It functions to state general and specific principles of virtue. The goal of the constitutional republic is to temper the potential extremes and abuses of the majority model. In addition to the direct and constitutional models, there are also questions pertaining to the centralization or the fragmentation of our governing system. The federalist model assumes a strong national government with subsidiary state governments. The states are possessed with governmental functions; however, they are subservient in many cases to the larger interests of the national government. An alternative model, the confederacy, envisions a more fragmented system of government. In this model, individual states reserve a fuller sovereignty over their own affairs; in this scheme, states function almost as separate governments unbeholden to

Health care operations management roles and goals Essay

Health care operations management roles and goals - Essay Example Controlling is the function that monitors the progress towards the goals and taking the necessary corrective action, should the progress be unsatisfactory (Langabeer, 2007). Managers in health care operations thus have to play several roles. These roles can be classified as the informational roles, the decisional roles, and the interpersonal roles. The informational role consists of collecting, monitoring and disseminating information that is garnered from internal as well as external sources relevant to the efficient functioning of the organization. The decision roles consist of making critical decisions in the organization. These decisions include the appropriate allocation of resources of the organization either in manpower, finance or materials to the disparate units in the organization. Rewarding employees for good performance and punishing employees for poor performance, and negotiating between employees and others in the organization. The inter personal role involves training and motivating employees, serving s their spokesperson, facilitating communication and the exchange of information between the various units and professional present in a he althcare organization, and acting as a liaison between these units and professionals (Langabeer, 2007). Operations managers thus play several roles in an organization. However, it must be remembered that a health care organization differs from other organizations. Within a health care organization service is provided by personnel, who are extremely specialized in their tasks, governed by a set of professional principals and values. In other words for achieving the quality and service objectives of the organization disparate specialized professionals need to work as a team to meeting these objectives. Furthermore there is call for highly specialized equipment and devices in the delivery of

Customer Satisfaction at The Plaza Crowne Hotel

Customer Satisfaction at The Plaza Crowne Hotel Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Introduction Tourism is frequently and justifiably described as a major phenomenon of modern times. Since 1950 the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide has increased spectacularly, from just 25 million to over 924 million in 2008. Representing an average annual growth of 7 % a year (Sharpley, R., 2004; and WTO – World Tourism Organisation, 2009). International tourism generated US$ 856 billion in 2007, representing 30% of the world’s exports of services for the related year. Under the influence of the recent global economic recession, tourism demand has significantly slowed down in the past few months. Notably in the second half of 2008 growth came to stagnation with the number of international arrivals declining slightly – a trend which is expected to continue in 2009 and probably beyond, if the economy does not show signal of reaction (WTO – World Tourism Organisation, 2009). Regardless of the current actual global recession, it is undeniable the importance of the tourism activity for the world economy, mutual understanding of nations, personal growth and development, just to mention a few benefits that tourism brings in. The hospitality industry, as a segment of the tourism industry, plays a major role in this economic activity (King, 1995). Being accommodation the biggest percentage in tourism expenditure, in average of 34% of the total expenditure per trip (Sharpley, R., 2004). The success of the hospitality industry, relies massively on the quality of the service delivered and customer satisfaction. The index of the measurement of both, quality service and customer satisfaction, will widely influence on occupancy rates, hence, on the profitability of the company (Holloway, JC, 1998; Solomon et al, 2006). Therefore, justifying the need for a reliable model of assessment of customer satisfaction and service quality that would better adapt to the hospitality field, which at present still have a lack of agreement. 1.2 Research Title The measurement of service quality and customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry: a case study of the Plaza Crowne Hotel. 1.3 Research Background For Cardozo (1965), cited by Williams and Uysal (2003), marketing researches in the consumer satisfaction field started in the early 60’s. The subject had a relevant increase in popularity by organisations and researchers only in the 80’s, when organisations, in an attempt to try to keep itselves in the marketplace, started paying substantial attention on customer’s expectations demands. 1.4 Research Aims The aim of this project is to analyse customer satisfaction and service quality measurement, using the SERVQUAL model, within The Plaza Crowne Hotel – Kansas City (USA), based upon the hotel’s own data against the highlighted gaps within the model. 1.5 Research Objectives In order to achieve the specified aim it will be necessary to: Conduct a review of service quality and customer satisfaction; Illustrate The Plaza Crowne Hotel’s current customer satisfaction and service quality measurement model to identify its positive and negative aspects; Conduct an initial diagnosis of the key issues presented in the Crown Plaza data, examining the hotel’s past assessments in order to identify areas of failure; Analyse the SERVQUAL model focusing on the hospitality industry; Identify and critically recommend suitable quality measurement practices to apply within The Plaza Crowne Hotel, if necessary; Chapter II Literature Review 2.1 Introduction To Kotler et al (1996), nowadays companies need to change their view and attitude in the marketplace and adopt a more customer centred philosophy, in order to keep competitive and profitable. Customers are changing their behaviour towards consumption, becoming more challenging to companies to attend their expectations, as they are increasingly aware of their rights, expect more than they used to, and know exactly what they want when purchasing a product or service. This increase in consumers expectation naturally leads to the need of a higher quality in costumer services delivery. Customer satisfaction and quality service became priority for companies worldwide. They are believed to generate repeated business, therefore increased profit margin. The hospitality industry is paying close attention to it. Hampton’s Inn, a well know resort in Florida, has developed a 100% satisfaction guarantee program that promises its customers no charge unless they are completely satisfied. Other companies such as Sheraton Hotels has implemented a employees’ reward system for superior services to guests, the Sheraton Guests Satisfaction System (SGSS). Hilton International has adopted as a primary goal its customers satisfaction with global diversity. Moreover, organisations are increasingly becoming adept of rewarding its employees with bonuses, incentives and salary rise, just to mention a few actions to improve service. (Oh, 1997). Therefore, marketing researchers are constantly developing and improving models of measuring customers satisfaction and quality service. Among many measurement models and theories, this dissertation will focus on the analysis of the 5 Gaps Model developed by Parasuraman, Berry and Zeithaml also called The Servqual Model. 2.2 Defining Service Service is any act or performance that one firm can offer to a costumer, its nature is essentially intangible and does not result in the ownership of anything. The service production may or may not be tied to a physical product (Kotler, P, 2003). Addittionaly, Gronroos (1990) cited by Hsu et al (2001, p.18) defines service as â€Å"an activity or series of activities of more or less intangible nature that normally, but not necessarily, takes place in interactions between the costumer and services employees and/or physical resources or goods and/or systems of the service provider, which are provided as solutions to customer’s problems†. From the consumer’s optic, service is nothing else than the experience lived in the whole process of this transaction (Hsu et al, 2001). Moreover, it was noted that services have four major characteristics that greatly affect the way it is delivered and its marketing programme. Which are: intangibility, inseparability, variability, and perishability (Kotler, 2003). Bellow the four charactecristics are briefly explained in the light of Kotler (2003) and Hsu et al (2001): Intangibility relates to the extent that services cannot be tried in anyway before they are actually purchased and delivered. The only thing that can be done to reduce uncertainty is to look for evidences of service quality; Inseparability is the relation that services are typically produced and consumed simultaneously. The person who provides the service, is actually part of the service purchased, therefore the importance of the interaction of providers and customers; Variability occurs because services depend on who provides, when and where, one experience is never exactly equal the other. As people are the means through service production, personal problems, mood, knowledge of the job and many other factors can interfer and widely vary the service; Perishability means that services cannot be stored as we can do with manufactured products, because services are produced and consumed simultaneously. As an example, in a hotel, a room that was not occupied yesterday, cannot be sold anymore as time does not goes backwards. For Cook (2002) the increased global competition has made many organisations realised that they cannot compete only in price. Therefore companies are developing their own strategy in providing superior customer care to differentiate their products and services. â€Å"Surveys suggest that service-driven companies can charge up to 9 per cent more for the products and services they provide. They grow twice as fast as the average company and have the potential to gain up to 6 per cent market share† (Cook, 2002, p.1). 2.3 Defining customer satisfaction and quality service Peter Drucker cited by Cook (2002, p.1), once said: â€Å"There is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer () an organisation’s ability to remain in business is a function of its competitiveness and its ability to win customers from the competition. The customer is the foundation of the business and keeps it in existence†. Customer satisfaction relates to the personal opinion and result of customers’ assessment of a service based on a comparison of their expectations and actual perceptions of the service delivered (Clark, G.; and Johnston, R., 2005). According to Lancaster et al (2002) from the customer’s point of view, service is judged by the mix of customers’ previous experiences and their perception of the outcome of the service. The service experience is the customer’s direct experience of the service process and concerns the way the customer is dealt with by the service provider. The result for the customer of the service delivered is described by the term service outcome. (Lancaster, G. et al, 2002). â€Å"Service quality is more often used to mean different things. Some managers use the term to mean how the customer is treated. This is perhaps more accurately called quality of service, as opposed to service quality, which can mean the entirety of outcome and experience† (Clark, G.; and Johnston, R., 2005, p.108). Van Looy (et al, 2003) differentiates service quality and customer satisfaction stating that â€Å"service quality is a form of attitude representing a long-run, overall evaluation, whereas satisfaction represents a more short-term, transaction-specific judgement. The level of customer satisfaction is the result of a customer’s comparison of the service quality expected in a given service encounter with perceived service quality. This also means that satisfaction assessments require customer experience while quality does not â€Å"(p.124). 2.4 Benefits of service quality Kotler (1996) has listed many benefits that an organisation enjoys as a prize for delivering service quality. As listed bellow: Retaining customers – high quality builds loyal customers and creates positive word of mouth. Avoidance of price competition – â€Å"the PIMS data show that firms in the top third in quality could charge 5% to 6% higher than those in the bottom third. High quality can help to avoid price competition and help to maximise potential revenue† (p.363). Retention of good employees – employees appreciate working in operations that are well managed and produce quality services and products. When an organisation operates in high quality, it decreases turn over rates, hence, retaining good employees. Additionally, recruiting is easier and training costs are reduced. Reduction of costs – which are divided in three categories of costs: Internal costs are those associated with correcting problems discovered by the firm before the product reaches the costumers; External costs – are associated with errors that the costumers experience; Quality system costs – are costs viewed as investments in the future of the company to ensure that customers return. (Kotler, 1996) 2.5 Benefits of a customer-centred organisation An excellent service provides many benefits to an organisation, Cook (2002) has listed what some of the best-practice organisations have gain on focusing on the customer. â€Å"Differentiate itself from the competition; improve its image in the eyes of the customer; minimise price sensitivity; improve profitability; increase customer satisfaction and retention; achieve a maximum number of advocates for the company; enhance its reputation; ensure products and services are delivered ‘right first time’; improve staff morale; increase employee satisfaction and retention; increase productivity; reduce costs; encourage employee participation; create a reputation for being a caring, customer-oriented company; foster internal customer/supplier relationships; bring about continuous improvements to the operation of the company† ( p.24). 2.6 Importance of customer relationship management (CRM) Customers perceive service quality through everyday aspect of their contact with the company. In improving the quality of its service therefore an organisation needs to develop a strategy bearing in mind all aspects of the relationship with its clients. (Cook, 2002) Customers often do not perceive the service they receive from an organisation as a complete entity. Attention to detail is a key tool of the organisation’s relationship with the customer â€Å"such as an incorrectly addressed letter, a lengthy delay in receiving an e-mail response, a service which turns out to be different to how it was originally advertised, which forms customers’ impressions† (Cook, 2002, p.24). CRM involves managing the customer relationship across all its interfaces with the company as one entire process. A CRM system can help identify sales prospects from existing or potential customer databases. It also can assist with all aspects of the sale and service being provided, eg offering online access to order status and a single view of the customer status when the sale is complete. It can collect information about the customer and the queries that he or she made. It can also monitor customer-usage patterns, so abnormal patterns or a reduction in use can be identified. Hotels systems can store any peculiarity or requests made by guests, such as preferences for smoking or non-smoking rooms, higher or lower floors etc. (Cook, 2002 and Lancaster et al, 2002). Ernst and Young found elements that are essentially important for organisations to build a CRM framework. First basic step is to accumulate systematic knowledge of its markets and costumers. This could be made by complex IT systems, that are designed to store, manager and analyse informations about customer’s value. With this tool organisations can access business informations regard theier costumers, and also predict consumer’s behaviour. Enabling organisations to share informations across departments, and automatically update this informations by tracking loyalty cards costumers, any time they make a purchase or request the company’s service,for example (Cook, 2002). CRM systems helps companies to target theier segments, and also to analyse the information flow throughout the company. Making easier to identify its costumers needs, and more importantly, shows the best way to approach its most profitable clients. The more information a company holds about its costumer’s the best is the knowledge built, as it helps refines consumer segmentation and individual needs. In this particular case, data about costumers life-style is very helpful (Cook, 2002). Selling involves taking a proactive approach towards costumers, rather than a reactive. For instance, hotels can treat their most profitable business guests with special offers on their holidays. To finish the CRM framework, is essential to hold a service, providing an after-sales which should be measured to individual needs (Cook, 2002). 2.7 Importance of performance measurement and a programme development â€Å"You cannot manage what you can not measure† (Kelvin Anon, www.dti.gov.uk/quality/performance). According to Cook (2002) and Williams (2002) managers braves the way through customer satisfaction measurement. A measurement programme starts with a clear definition of objectives, budget and timeline. Moreover, for this task to be performed and achieve its highest level of success, it is necessary the full commitment and willingness of top management to act on the results founded. A starting point should be to decide which part of customer satisfaction the company is most concerned to measure. Is also important to be aware that expectations and satisfaction levels can widely vary between the costumers of a company, therefore, the need to identify market segments. For example, the different needs of a businesses and tourists guest of a hotel. (Cook, 2002; Laws, 2004; Williams, 2002) According to Clark and Johnston (2005) performance measurement is costly. Few organisations have calculated just how much time and energy they spend on measuring their performance and its value for money relation. Two useful tests of a performance measure are, first, what is its purpose and, second, what systems are in place to support or achieve that purpose. There are four main purposes or reasons to take measurement: communication, motivation, control and improvement within the company. In the endless improvement process, measuring performance is an important task in order to identify and track progress in harmony with the organisations’ goals; identify areas and opportunities for improvement; and compare performance with internal and external standards (www.dti.gov.uk/quality/performance). According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) the main reasons of measuring performance is: †¢ â€Å"To ensure customer requirements have been met †¢ To be able to set sensible objectives and comply with them †¢ To provide standards for establishing comparisons †¢ To provide visibility and a â€Å"scoreboard† for people to monitor their own performance level †¢ To highlight quality problems and determine areas for priority attention †¢ To provide feedback for driving the improvement effort† (retrieved from ). 2.8 The SERVQUAL model The Servqual model was developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry, and has been one of the most popular service quality measurement instrument since then. The model was designed to measure those components of service that generate satisfaction within five dimensions (Ryan and Saleh,1991; Lee et al, 2004; Johns et al, 2004). Originally the researchers conducted a focus group studies with service providers and costumers, and as a result they came up with a list of ten determinants or dimensions of service quality which are: reliability, responsiveness, competence, access, courtesy, communication, credibility, security, understanding/knowing the customer and tangibles, (Van Looy, B et al, 2003; Parasuraman et al, 1990; Ryan and Saleh,1991) which will be briefly explained bellow: Tangibles – the appearance of physical facilities, the personnel, the tools or equipment used to provide the service and communication material. Guests of a hotel look for details of the building, web sites and reservation systems for instance. Reliability – consistency of performance and dependability. This means that the firm performs the service correctly the first time and that the firm honours its promises. Responsiveness – the willingness to help the customers and to provide prompt service. Competence – knowledge, ability and possession of the right skills to perform the job. Access – degree of approachability of service providers. Courtesy – use of good manners, politeness, friendliness, smiling during the service. Communication – ability to successfully communicate with costumers, keep them informed. Understanding – degree of interest of employees to know the costumers needs and wants. Assurance – knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence. Empathy – caring, individualized attention to customers. (Van Looy, B et al, 2003; Parasuraman et al, 1990; Ryan and Saleh,1991) Later on, in another attempt of improving their models they found a high degree of correlation between communication, competence, courtesy, credibility and security. They therefore, merged them into one dimension, which they called assurance. Similarly they found a high correlation between access and understanding which they merged into empathy. Thus compacting the dimensions of service quality in five which are: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy (Van Looy, B et al, 2003; Dabholkar et al 2000). The diagram bellow was originally made to suit the quality service measurement and customer satisfaction of a car repair garage. Which can be easily adapted to any other service organisation, surely including any hotels to be more precise. Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/fig/0240221006003.png The SERVQUAL identified gaps between clients and organisations perceptions of attributes of service perceived, and also between customers expectations and perceptions of the service actually delivered (Ryan and Saleh,1991; Landrigan, 1999). This has led to the well known and widely used 5 gaps of service quality: Gap 1: Consumer expectations versus management perception CEO’s and managers often fail to realise what consumers expect of a service and which features needs to be pursued to deliver a high-quality service. When management does not understand what their customers want, a gap 1 exists. Very often, organisations research to find out what are their markets needs and wants, but later can occur a divergence. When customer needs change but the product remains the same, gap 1 increases, as the service becomes less attractive (Parasuraman etal, 1991). Gap 2: Management perception versus service quality specifications A gap 2 situation occurs when managers know their customers needs, but do not deliver it, either for unwillingness or incapability. Reasons for gap 2 to happen could be inadequate commitment to service quality, absence of goal setting, lack of perception of feasibility, and lack of standardization. The pursuit to achieve short-term profits refrain companies to invest in equipments and people, causing service quality issues (Parasuraman etal, 1991). Gap3: Service quality specifications versus service delivery Gap 3 occurs when employees are unwilling or unable to deliver the appropriate service that was specified by management. In this case managers understand their customers needs, develop strategies and tasks to fulfil these needs, but in the moment of employee and costumer interaction it does not occur (Parasuraman etal, 1991). Gap 3 could be minimised through training and development, rewarding and internal marketing campaigns. Human resources department plays a major role in this task. Gap 4: Service delivery versus external communications A company creates gap 4 when it promises more than it can deliver, creating disappointments to its customers. Good sense and ethic when advertising should be primordial in any circumstances (Parasuraman etal, 1991). The image of a company that cheats or lies to its costumers leads to an extremely bad reputation and negative word of mouth. Gap 5: Expected service versus perceived service Last but not least, gap 5 is a function of the other gaps. It pictures the difference among expected quality and perceived quality. If any of the other 4 gaps increases or decreases, gap 5 will follow it (Parasuraman etal, 1991). The diagram below represents the 5 gaps model of quality service. Source: http://www.kmfadvance.com/mind_the_gap_files/image004.jpg 2.9 Criticisms and limitations of the SERVQUAL According to Oh (1997) the use of the difference of the scores contributes to discrepancies and errors, affecting the reliability and valididyt of the model. Such finding suggests that caution has to be taken when using the scores, and that additional work is essential to the development of measures of assessing the quality of services. In addition it is also noticeable that the SERVQUAL lacks in ties with statistics, economics and even psychology theories, therefore many arguments has formed a doubtful opinion regards its relaibility. 2.10 Other service quality and costumer satisfaction measurement models Obviously, the SERVQUAL is not the only model available to measure service quality and costumer satisfaction. Indeed, there is a range of variety of models out there. Some of them will be quickly explained in this study. 2.10.1 The expectancy-disconfirmation model (EDM) The principle of expectancy theory was early stated by Lewin (1938) who hypothesized that individuals make decisions on the most appropriate action to take based on their expectations of the outcomes of that action. After being reviewed by many researchers, the model developed to two processes: the formation of expectations and the disconfirmation/ confirmation of the expectations through performance evaluations (Oh, 1997; available at http://proquest.umi.com.newdc.oum.edu.my/pqdweb). Chapter III Research Methodology 3.1 Research Process This research will include several components of different character, promoting the approach to new problems, providing bibliographic survey, offering a selection of methodologies, as well as providing a critical analysis of results (Saunders, et al, 2003). In order for the aims of this research to be met it is necessary to gain an understanding of the practices of the service quality and customer satisfaction assessments applied within The Crowne Plaza Hotel (please see appendix II). This data will be given by one manager of the company, and will be adapted for a experimental application of the SERVQUAL model. The research and development will comprise creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to build knowledge accumulation, including not only the practices of the service quality and customer satisfaction assessments model researched but how would be applied within The Crowne Plaza Hotel in order to achieve competitive advantage and business success. The purpose of the literature review is theoretically discussing ideas that exist about the given topic. Data sources, such as library catalogues and indexes will be scanned for secondary data. This will produce a list of journals and newspaper articles, published books and internet sources (Saunders, et al, 2003). The secondary research will be complemented by primary research, through questionnaires and interviews with stakeholders of the organization in question. In case of interviews and questionnaires, the manager cooperating with this research will be fully informed about the, methods and intended possible uses of the research, what their participation in the project entails, the strict confidentiality, and academic purpose only (Bell, 1999). The project proposes to use analytical and theoretical framework, which extends descriptive research, making suggestions of why and how practices of the service quality and customer satisfaction assessments plays an important role in the competitive advantage, profitability and success of the firm (Yin, 2003). A method of both, quantitative and qualitative approach will be applied in order to examine values, attitudes and perceptions aspects of the research subject. (Flick, 2003) The departure point will be deductive, with the observation of the SERVQUAL model, fed by the organisation information’s collected where conclusions will be critically evaluated against facts. Moreover, a phenomenological philosophy will be implemented, applying a case study approach, since this kind of research methodology is ideally suited to investigate the insights into the service quality and customer satisfaction in theory and practice (Yin, 2003). The data collected for this research was taken between the months of January, February and March 2009, it consists of 380 customer satisfaction surveys, applied by the hotel. This surveys were answered by guests, either on the check-out or on the hotel web site, after their stay in the hotel. At the time of the data collection, was common practice of the hotel’s front desk manager to put the weekly result together and send to all hotel departments, so they could have a picture of the guest’s feedback. 3.2 Research Theories In order to achieve this reaserch objectives it will be necessary to apply many reaserch theories that reinforces the reliability of it. The theories used in this research will be briefly explained one by one. 3.2.1 Case study According to Robson (2002:178) cited by Saunders et al, 2003, p.93), a case study is â€Å"a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evedence†. A case study approach is recommended to those reasearchs that essentially aims to explain ‘why’, ‘how’ such phenomenon occurs, as well as in research that includes surveys (Saunders, 2003; Yin,2003). A case study is also a scientific way of explore an existing theory, which is one of the main objectives of this research, as is analysing the use of SERVQUAL (Saunders, 2003). 3.2.2 Descriptive studies In order to have a clear picture of the scenario studied is essentially important to describe with accuration every data collected. As cited by Saunders et al (2003, p.97), Robson, 2002:59 describes the objective of descriptive research as ‘ to portray an accurate profile of persons, events or situations’. 3.2.3 Deductive method Complementing the case study approach, a deductive method could be simply described as way of what we would think of a scientific research or theory, moving from theory to practice (Bailey, 2006; Cottrell, 2005; Saunders, 2003). â€Å"It involves the development of a theory that is subjected to a rigorous test† (Saunders, 2003, p. 86). The deductive method has many characteristics. â€Å"First, there is the search to explain casual relationships between variables† (Saunders, 2003, p. 86). Then, hypothesis development, followed by hypothesis testing, normally using quantitative data, but could also being backed up by qualitative data. 3.2.4 Quantitative data On the other hand quantitative research apply measurements and normally considered as better than qualitative research. Ghauri and Gronhaug (2005; p. 109) explains that â€Å"the difference between quantitative and qualitative methods and approach is not just a question of quantification, but also a reflection of different perspectives on knowledge and research objectives†. A method of qualitative approach will be applied in order to examine values, attitudes, and perceptions aspects of the research subject. 3.2.5 Qualitative data A narrative analysis process was implemented to interpret the data that were collected from the research portion of this project. Thomas (2003; p.1) argues that â€Å"Qualitative methods involves a researcher describing kinds of characteristics of people and events without comparing events in terms of measurements or amounts† 3.3 Research Design The survey consists of a questionnaire of 44 questions (picked by the hotel’s own customer satisfaction survey) related to the quality of the service provided by the hotel. The guests (sample = 380) will answer the questions according to their perception of the service received, whilst the managers (sample = 4) will answer the questions according to what they expect the overall of the guests to answer. The answers will range between score 1 to score 5. Being 1 the best degree of satisfaction and 5 the worst degree of dissatisfaction, (Saleh and Ryan, 1991) having some variations as follows: Score 1: very satisfied / definitely would / much more than you paid / much better / excellent / yes Score 2: somewhat satisfied / probably would / somewhat more than you paid / somewhat better / very good Score 3: neither / might or might not / about what you paid / about the same / good Score 4: somewhat dissatisfied / probably would not / somewhat lees than you Customer Satisfaction at The Plaza Crowne Hotel Customer Satisfaction at The Plaza Crowne Hotel Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Introduction Tourism is frequently and justifiably described as a major phenomenon of modern times. Since 1950 the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide has increased spectacularly, from just 25 million to over 924 million in 2008. Representing an average annual growth of 7 % a year (Sharpley, R., 2004; and WTO – World Tourism Organisation, 2009). International tourism generated US$ 856 billion in 2007, representing 30% of the world’s exports of services for the related year. Under the influence of the recent global economic recession, tourism demand has significantly slowed down in the past few months. Notably in the second half of 2008 growth came to stagnation with the number of international arrivals declining slightly – a trend which is expected to continue in 2009 and probably beyond, if the economy does not show signal of reaction (WTO – World Tourism Organisation, 2009). Regardless of the current actual global recession, it is undeniable the importance of the tourism activity for the world economy, mutual understanding of nations, personal growth and development, just to mention a few benefits that tourism brings in. The hospitality industry, as a segment of the tourism industry, plays a major role in this economic activity (King, 1995). Being accommodation the biggest percentage in tourism expenditure, in average of 34% of the total expenditure per trip (Sharpley, R., 2004). The success of the hospitality industry, relies massively on the quality of the service delivered and customer satisfaction. The index of the measurement of both, quality service and customer satisfaction, will widely influence on occupancy rates, hence, on the profitability of the company (Holloway, JC, 1998; Solomon et al, 2006). Therefore, justifying the need for a reliable model of assessment of customer satisfaction and service quality that would better adapt to the hospitality field, which at present still have a lack of agreement. 1.2 Research Title The measurement of service quality and customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry: a case study of the Plaza Crowne Hotel. 1.3 Research Background For Cardozo (1965), cited by Williams and Uysal (2003), marketing researches in the consumer satisfaction field started in the early 60’s. The subject had a relevant increase in popularity by organisations and researchers only in the 80’s, when organisations, in an attempt to try to keep itselves in the marketplace, started paying substantial attention on customer’s expectations demands. 1.4 Research Aims The aim of this project is to analyse customer satisfaction and service quality measurement, using the SERVQUAL model, within The Plaza Crowne Hotel – Kansas City (USA), based upon the hotel’s own data against the highlighted gaps within the model. 1.5 Research Objectives In order to achieve the specified aim it will be necessary to: Conduct a review of service quality and customer satisfaction; Illustrate The Plaza Crowne Hotel’s current customer satisfaction and service quality measurement model to identify its positive and negative aspects; Conduct an initial diagnosis of the key issues presented in the Crown Plaza data, examining the hotel’s past assessments in order to identify areas of failure; Analyse the SERVQUAL model focusing on the hospitality industry; Identify and critically recommend suitable quality measurement practices to apply within The Plaza Crowne Hotel, if necessary; Chapter II Literature Review 2.1 Introduction To Kotler et al (1996), nowadays companies need to change their view and attitude in the marketplace and adopt a more customer centred philosophy, in order to keep competitive and profitable. Customers are changing their behaviour towards consumption, becoming more challenging to companies to attend their expectations, as they are increasingly aware of their rights, expect more than they used to, and know exactly what they want when purchasing a product or service. This increase in consumers expectation naturally leads to the need of a higher quality in costumer services delivery. Customer satisfaction and quality service became priority for companies worldwide. They are believed to generate repeated business, therefore increased profit margin. The hospitality industry is paying close attention to it. Hampton’s Inn, a well know resort in Florida, has developed a 100% satisfaction guarantee program that promises its customers no charge unless they are completely satisfied. Other companies such as Sheraton Hotels has implemented a employees’ reward system for superior services to guests, the Sheraton Guests Satisfaction System (SGSS). Hilton International has adopted as a primary goal its customers satisfaction with global diversity. Moreover, organisations are increasingly becoming adept of rewarding its employees with bonuses, incentives and salary rise, just to mention a few actions to improve service. (Oh, 1997). Therefore, marketing researchers are constantly developing and improving models of measuring customers satisfaction and quality service. Among many measurement models and theories, this dissertation will focus on the analysis of the 5 Gaps Model developed by Parasuraman, Berry and Zeithaml also called The Servqual Model. 2.2 Defining Service Service is any act or performance that one firm can offer to a costumer, its nature is essentially intangible and does not result in the ownership of anything. The service production may or may not be tied to a physical product (Kotler, P, 2003). Addittionaly, Gronroos (1990) cited by Hsu et al (2001, p.18) defines service as â€Å"an activity or series of activities of more or less intangible nature that normally, but not necessarily, takes place in interactions between the costumer and services employees and/or physical resources or goods and/or systems of the service provider, which are provided as solutions to customer’s problems†. From the consumer’s optic, service is nothing else than the experience lived in the whole process of this transaction (Hsu et al, 2001). Moreover, it was noted that services have four major characteristics that greatly affect the way it is delivered and its marketing programme. Which are: intangibility, inseparability, variability, and perishability (Kotler, 2003). Bellow the four charactecristics are briefly explained in the light of Kotler (2003) and Hsu et al (2001): Intangibility relates to the extent that services cannot be tried in anyway before they are actually purchased and delivered. The only thing that can be done to reduce uncertainty is to look for evidences of service quality; Inseparability is the relation that services are typically produced and consumed simultaneously. The person who provides the service, is actually part of the service purchased, therefore the importance of the interaction of providers and customers; Variability occurs because services depend on who provides, when and where, one experience is never exactly equal the other. As people are the means through service production, personal problems, mood, knowledge of the job and many other factors can interfer and widely vary the service; Perishability means that services cannot be stored as we can do with manufactured products, because services are produced and consumed simultaneously. As an example, in a hotel, a room that was not occupied yesterday, cannot be sold anymore as time does not goes backwards. For Cook (2002) the increased global competition has made many organisations realised that they cannot compete only in price. Therefore companies are developing their own strategy in providing superior customer care to differentiate their products and services. â€Å"Surveys suggest that service-driven companies can charge up to 9 per cent more for the products and services they provide. They grow twice as fast as the average company and have the potential to gain up to 6 per cent market share† (Cook, 2002, p.1). 2.3 Defining customer satisfaction and quality service Peter Drucker cited by Cook (2002, p.1), once said: â€Å"There is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer () an organisation’s ability to remain in business is a function of its competitiveness and its ability to win customers from the competition. The customer is the foundation of the business and keeps it in existence†. Customer satisfaction relates to the personal opinion and result of customers’ assessment of a service based on a comparison of their expectations and actual perceptions of the service delivered (Clark, G.; and Johnston, R., 2005). According to Lancaster et al (2002) from the customer’s point of view, service is judged by the mix of customers’ previous experiences and their perception of the outcome of the service. The service experience is the customer’s direct experience of the service process and concerns the way the customer is dealt with by the service provider. The result for the customer of the service delivered is described by the term service outcome. (Lancaster, G. et al, 2002). â€Å"Service quality is more often used to mean different things. Some managers use the term to mean how the customer is treated. This is perhaps more accurately called quality of service, as opposed to service quality, which can mean the entirety of outcome and experience† (Clark, G.; and Johnston, R., 2005, p.108). Van Looy (et al, 2003) differentiates service quality and customer satisfaction stating that â€Å"service quality is a form of attitude representing a long-run, overall evaluation, whereas satisfaction represents a more short-term, transaction-specific judgement. The level of customer satisfaction is the result of a customer’s comparison of the service quality expected in a given service encounter with perceived service quality. This also means that satisfaction assessments require customer experience while quality does not â€Å"(p.124). 2.4 Benefits of service quality Kotler (1996) has listed many benefits that an organisation enjoys as a prize for delivering service quality. As listed bellow: Retaining customers – high quality builds loyal customers and creates positive word of mouth. Avoidance of price competition – â€Å"the PIMS data show that firms in the top third in quality could charge 5% to 6% higher than those in the bottom third. High quality can help to avoid price competition and help to maximise potential revenue† (p.363). Retention of good employees – employees appreciate working in operations that are well managed and produce quality services and products. When an organisation operates in high quality, it decreases turn over rates, hence, retaining good employees. Additionally, recruiting is easier and training costs are reduced. Reduction of costs – which are divided in three categories of costs: Internal costs are those associated with correcting problems discovered by the firm before the product reaches the costumers; External costs – are associated with errors that the costumers experience; Quality system costs – are costs viewed as investments in the future of the company to ensure that customers return. (Kotler, 1996) 2.5 Benefits of a customer-centred organisation An excellent service provides many benefits to an organisation, Cook (2002) has listed what some of the best-practice organisations have gain on focusing on the customer. â€Å"Differentiate itself from the competition; improve its image in the eyes of the customer; minimise price sensitivity; improve profitability; increase customer satisfaction and retention; achieve a maximum number of advocates for the company; enhance its reputation; ensure products and services are delivered ‘right first time’; improve staff morale; increase employee satisfaction and retention; increase productivity; reduce costs; encourage employee participation; create a reputation for being a caring, customer-oriented company; foster internal customer/supplier relationships; bring about continuous improvements to the operation of the company† ( p.24). 2.6 Importance of customer relationship management (CRM) Customers perceive service quality through everyday aspect of their contact with the company. In improving the quality of its service therefore an organisation needs to develop a strategy bearing in mind all aspects of the relationship with its clients. (Cook, 2002) Customers often do not perceive the service they receive from an organisation as a complete entity. Attention to detail is a key tool of the organisation’s relationship with the customer â€Å"such as an incorrectly addressed letter, a lengthy delay in receiving an e-mail response, a service which turns out to be different to how it was originally advertised, which forms customers’ impressions† (Cook, 2002, p.24). CRM involves managing the customer relationship across all its interfaces with the company as one entire process. A CRM system can help identify sales prospects from existing or potential customer databases. It also can assist with all aspects of the sale and service being provided, eg offering online access to order status and a single view of the customer status when the sale is complete. It can collect information about the customer and the queries that he or she made. It can also monitor customer-usage patterns, so abnormal patterns or a reduction in use can be identified. Hotels systems can store any peculiarity or requests made by guests, such as preferences for smoking or non-smoking rooms, higher or lower floors etc. (Cook, 2002 and Lancaster et al, 2002). Ernst and Young found elements that are essentially important for organisations to build a CRM framework. First basic step is to accumulate systematic knowledge of its markets and costumers. This could be made by complex IT systems, that are designed to store, manager and analyse informations about customer’s value. With this tool organisations can access business informations regard theier costumers, and also predict consumer’s behaviour. Enabling organisations to share informations across departments, and automatically update this informations by tracking loyalty cards costumers, any time they make a purchase or request the company’s service,for example (Cook, 2002). CRM systems helps companies to target theier segments, and also to analyse the information flow throughout the company. Making easier to identify its costumers needs, and more importantly, shows the best way to approach its most profitable clients. The more information a company holds about its costumer’s the best is the knowledge built, as it helps refines consumer segmentation and individual needs. In this particular case, data about costumers life-style is very helpful (Cook, 2002). Selling involves taking a proactive approach towards costumers, rather than a reactive. For instance, hotels can treat their most profitable business guests with special offers on their holidays. To finish the CRM framework, is essential to hold a service, providing an after-sales which should be measured to individual needs (Cook, 2002). 2.7 Importance of performance measurement and a programme development â€Å"You cannot manage what you can not measure† (Kelvin Anon, www.dti.gov.uk/quality/performance). According to Cook (2002) and Williams (2002) managers braves the way through customer satisfaction measurement. A measurement programme starts with a clear definition of objectives, budget and timeline. Moreover, for this task to be performed and achieve its highest level of success, it is necessary the full commitment and willingness of top management to act on the results founded. A starting point should be to decide which part of customer satisfaction the company is most concerned to measure. Is also important to be aware that expectations and satisfaction levels can widely vary between the costumers of a company, therefore, the need to identify market segments. For example, the different needs of a businesses and tourists guest of a hotel. (Cook, 2002; Laws, 2004; Williams, 2002) According to Clark and Johnston (2005) performance measurement is costly. Few organisations have calculated just how much time and energy they spend on measuring their performance and its value for money relation. Two useful tests of a performance measure are, first, what is its purpose and, second, what systems are in place to support or achieve that purpose. There are four main purposes or reasons to take measurement: communication, motivation, control and improvement within the company. In the endless improvement process, measuring performance is an important task in order to identify and track progress in harmony with the organisations’ goals; identify areas and opportunities for improvement; and compare performance with internal and external standards (www.dti.gov.uk/quality/performance). According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) the main reasons of measuring performance is: †¢ â€Å"To ensure customer requirements have been met †¢ To be able to set sensible objectives and comply with them †¢ To provide standards for establishing comparisons †¢ To provide visibility and a â€Å"scoreboard† for people to monitor their own performance level †¢ To highlight quality problems and determine areas for priority attention †¢ To provide feedback for driving the improvement effort† (retrieved from ). 2.8 The SERVQUAL model The Servqual model was developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry, and has been one of the most popular service quality measurement instrument since then. The model was designed to measure those components of service that generate satisfaction within five dimensions (Ryan and Saleh,1991; Lee et al, 2004; Johns et al, 2004). Originally the researchers conducted a focus group studies with service providers and costumers, and as a result they came up with a list of ten determinants or dimensions of service quality which are: reliability, responsiveness, competence, access, courtesy, communication, credibility, security, understanding/knowing the customer and tangibles, (Van Looy, B et al, 2003; Parasuraman et al, 1990; Ryan and Saleh,1991) which will be briefly explained bellow: Tangibles – the appearance of physical facilities, the personnel, the tools or equipment used to provide the service and communication material. Guests of a hotel look for details of the building, web sites and reservation systems for instance. Reliability – consistency of performance and dependability. This means that the firm performs the service correctly the first time and that the firm honours its promises. Responsiveness – the willingness to help the customers and to provide prompt service. Competence – knowledge, ability and possession of the right skills to perform the job. Access – degree of approachability of service providers. Courtesy – use of good manners, politeness, friendliness, smiling during the service. Communication – ability to successfully communicate with costumers, keep them informed. Understanding – degree of interest of employees to know the costumers needs and wants. Assurance – knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence. Empathy – caring, individualized attention to customers. (Van Looy, B et al, 2003; Parasuraman et al, 1990; Ryan and Saleh,1991) Later on, in another attempt of improving their models they found a high degree of correlation between communication, competence, courtesy, credibility and security. They therefore, merged them into one dimension, which they called assurance. Similarly they found a high correlation between access and understanding which they merged into empathy. Thus compacting the dimensions of service quality in five which are: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy (Van Looy, B et al, 2003; Dabholkar et al 2000). The diagram bellow was originally made to suit the quality service measurement and customer satisfaction of a car repair garage. Which can be easily adapted to any other service organisation, surely including any hotels to be more precise. Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/fig/0240221006003.png The SERVQUAL identified gaps between clients and organisations perceptions of attributes of service perceived, and also between customers expectations and perceptions of the service actually delivered (Ryan and Saleh,1991; Landrigan, 1999). This has led to the well known and widely used 5 gaps of service quality: Gap 1: Consumer expectations versus management perception CEO’s and managers often fail to realise what consumers expect of a service and which features needs to be pursued to deliver a high-quality service. When management does not understand what their customers want, a gap 1 exists. Very often, organisations research to find out what are their markets needs and wants, but later can occur a divergence. When customer needs change but the product remains the same, gap 1 increases, as the service becomes less attractive (Parasuraman etal, 1991). Gap 2: Management perception versus service quality specifications A gap 2 situation occurs when managers know their customers needs, but do not deliver it, either for unwillingness or incapability. Reasons for gap 2 to happen could be inadequate commitment to service quality, absence of goal setting, lack of perception of feasibility, and lack of standardization. The pursuit to achieve short-term profits refrain companies to invest in equipments and people, causing service quality issues (Parasuraman etal, 1991). Gap3: Service quality specifications versus service delivery Gap 3 occurs when employees are unwilling or unable to deliver the appropriate service that was specified by management. In this case managers understand their customers needs, develop strategies and tasks to fulfil these needs, but in the moment of employee and costumer interaction it does not occur (Parasuraman etal, 1991). Gap 3 could be minimised through training and development, rewarding and internal marketing campaigns. Human resources department plays a major role in this task. Gap 4: Service delivery versus external communications A company creates gap 4 when it promises more than it can deliver, creating disappointments to its customers. Good sense and ethic when advertising should be primordial in any circumstances (Parasuraman etal, 1991). The image of a company that cheats or lies to its costumers leads to an extremely bad reputation and negative word of mouth. Gap 5: Expected service versus perceived service Last but not least, gap 5 is a function of the other gaps. It pictures the difference among expected quality and perceived quality. If any of the other 4 gaps increases or decreases, gap 5 will follow it (Parasuraman etal, 1991). The diagram below represents the 5 gaps model of quality service. Source: http://www.kmfadvance.com/mind_the_gap_files/image004.jpg 2.9 Criticisms and limitations of the SERVQUAL According to Oh (1997) the use of the difference of the scores contributes to discrepancies and errors, affecting the reliability and valididyt of the model. Such finding suggests that caution has to be taken when using the scores, and that additional work is essential to the development of measures of assessing the quality of services. In addition it is also noticeable that the SERVQUAL lacks in ties with statistics, economics and even psychology theories, therefore many arguments has formed a doubtful opinion regards its relaibility. 2.10 Other service quality and costumer satisfaction measurement models Obviously, the SERVQUAL is not the only model available to measure service quality and costumer satisfaction. Indeed, there is a range of variety of models out there. Some of them will be quickly explained in this study. 2.10.1 The expectancy-disconfirmation model (EDM) The principle of expectancy theory was early stated by Lewin (1938) who hypothesized that individuals make decisions on the most appropriate action to take based on their expectations of the outcomes of that action. After being reviewed by many researchers, the model developed to two processes: the formation of expectations and the disconfirmation/ confirmation of the expectations through performance evaluations (Oh, 1997; available at http://proquest.umi.com.newdc.oum.edu.my/pqdweb). Chapter III Research Methodology 3.1 Research Process This research will include several components of different character, promoting the approach to new problems, providing bibliographic survey, offering a selection of methodologies, as well as providing a critical analysis of results (Saunders, et al, 2003). In order for the aims of this research to be met it is necessary to gain an understanding of the practices of the service quality and customer satisfaction assessments applied within The Crowne Plaza Hotel (please see appendix II). This data will be given by one manager of the company, and will be adapted for a experimental application of the SERVQUAL model. The research and development will comprise creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to build knowledge accumulation, including not only the practices of the service quality and customer satisfaction assessments model researched but how would be applied within The Crowne Plaza Hotel in order to achieve competitive advantage and business success. The purpose of the literature review is theoretically discussing ideas that exist about the given topic. Data sources, such as library catalogues and indexes will be scanned for secondary data. This will produce a list of journals and newspaper articles, published books and internet sources (Saunders, et al, 2003). The secondary research will be complemented by primary research, through questionnaires and interviews with stakeholders of the organization in question. In case of interviews and questionnaires, the manager cooperating with this research will be fully informed about the, methods and intended possible uses of the research, what their participation in the project entails, the strict confidentiality, and academic purpose only (Bell, 1999). The project proposes to use analytical and theoretical framework, which extends descriptive research, making suggestions of why and how practices of the service quality and customer satisfaction assessments plays an important role in the competitive advantage, profitability and success of the firm (Yin, 2003). A method of both, quantitative and qualitative approach will be applied in order to examine values, attitudes and perceptions aspects of the research subject. (Flick, 2003) The departure point will be deductive, with the observation of the SERVQUAL model, fed by the organisation information’s collected where conclusions will be critically evaluated against facts. Moreover, a phenomenological philosophy will be implemented, applying a case study approach, since this kind of research methodology is ideally suited to investigate the insights into the service quality and customer satisfaction in theory and practice (Yin, 2003). The data collected for this research was taken between the months of January, February and March 2009, it consists of 380 customer satisfaction surveys, applied by the hotel. This surveys were answered by guests, either on the check-out or on the hotel web site, after their stay in the hotel. At the time of the data collection, was common practice of the hotel’s front desk manager to put the weekly result together and send to all hotel departments, so they could have a picture of the guest’s feedback. 3.2 Research Theories In order to achieve this reaserch objectives it will be necessary to apply many reaserch theories that reinforces the reliability of it. The theories used in this research will be briefly explained one by one. 3.2.1 Case study According to Robson (2002:178) cited by Saunders et al, 2003, p.93), a case study is â€Å"a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evedence†. A case study approach is recommended to those reasearchs that essentially aims to explain ‘why’, ‘how’ such phenomenon occurs, as well as in research that includes surveys (Saunders, 2003; Yin,2003). A case study is also a scientific way of explore an existing theory, which is one of the main objectives of this research, as is analysing the use of SERVQUAL (Saunders, 2003). 3.2.2 Descriptive studies In order to have a clear picture of the scenario studied is essentially important to describe with accuration every data collected. As cited by Saunders et al (2003, p.97), Robson, 2002:59 describes the objective of descriptive research as ‘ to portray an accurate profile of persons, events or situations’. 3.2.3 Deductive method Complementing the case study approach, a deductive method could be simply described as way of what we would think of a scientific research or theory, moving from theory to practice (Bailey, 2006; Cottrell, 2005; Saunders, 2003). â€Å"It involves the development of a theory that is subjected to a rigorous test† (Saunders, 2003, p. 86). The deductive method has many characteristics. â€Å"First, there is the search to explain casual relationships between variables† (Saunders, 2003, p. 86). Then, hypothesis development, followed by hypothesis testing, normally using quantitative data, but could also being backed up by qualitative data. 3.2.4 Quantitative data On the other hand quantitative research apply measurements and normally considered as better than qualitative research. Ghauri and Gronhaug (2005; p. 109) explains that â€Å"the difference between quantitative and qualitative methods and approach is not just a question of quantification, but also a reflection of different perspectives on knowledge and research objectives†. A method of qualitative approach will be applied in order to examine values, attitudes, and perceptions aspects of the research subject. 3.2.5 Qualitative data A narrative analysis process was implemented to interpret the data that were collected from the research portion of this project. Thomas (2003; p.1) argues that â€Å"Qualitative methods involves a researcher describing kinds of characteristics of people and events without comparing events in terms of measurements or amounts† 3.3 Research Design The survey consists of a questionnaire of 44 questions (picked by the hotel’s own customer satisfaction survey) related to the quality of the service provided by the hotel. The guests (sample = 380) will answer the questions according to their perception of the service received, whilst the managers (sample = 4) will answer the questions according to what they expect the overall of the guests to answer. The answers will range between score 1 to score 5. Being 1 the best degree of satisfaction and 5 the worst degree of dissatisfaction, (Saleh and Ryan, 1991) having some variations as follows: Score 1: very satisfied / definitely would / much more than you paid / much better / excellent / yes Score 2: somewhat satisfied / probably would / somewhat more than you paid / somewhat better / very good Score 3: neither / might or might not / about what you paid / about the same / good Score 4: somewhat dissatisfied / probably would not / somewhat lees than you