Promoting autonomy of oneself and others Essay

Introduction                     Autonomy is the ability to have the capacity for self-governance or have self- determination. This is a concept which comes out through various arenas. For example, the moral autonomy is usually governed by the moral laws ( Deci, 2010). Therefore, personal autonomy can be said to be the capacity of a person to pursue actions based on moral content. This paper will compare the philosophical work by Nietzsche and MacIntyre and determine who offers the best tool of promoting autonomy. Over the past centuries, the teachings of Friedrich Nietzsche have transformed and penetrated every realm of social culture in the Western world. In his essays, he examines the significance of people’s ability to make promises. He states that to hold to the promises made requires both confidence about the future and very powerful memory that will ensure that certain issues are not forgotten. According to Nietzsche confidence requires one to be predictable or calculable and, therefore, he or she must share common sets of customs and laws that govern his or her behaviour (Risse, 2001). The society and morality play an important part of making a person predictable, therefore, giving the person ability to make promises. This process according to Nietzsche is complicated as it ends up in the ‘sovereign person’ who can make decisions, not only because the person in question is bounded by social mores but because he or she is the master of his or her own free will. The sovereign of an individual is characterised by tremendous responsibilities of one being free to make claims in regard to his or her future. This sense of responsibility according to Nietzsche is called conscience (Risse, 2001). Nietzsche defines the concept of ‘bad conscience and guiltiness using German words for ‘debt’ and ‘guilt.’ He suggested that, originally, there were no relationship between guilt and accountability or immorality. Punishments were meted on the basis of reprisal and not on the basis of guilt. If a person failed to honour promises, then they were considered to be in debt the person they failed. The debt could then be balanced by punishing or torturing the person. This happened to a person say the creditor who had no interest of getting his money back from the debtor. Thus, the memory of making promises during this time was burdened and the punishments and cruelty ensured that the debtor does not forget his promises next time (Risse, 2001). Macintyre’s in his book, ‘After Virtue (1981)’ explains his long ethical project. The book diagnoses the rising issues in the society such as ‘culture of emotivism’ where the moral language pragmatically manipulates decisions, attitude and decision. According to the book, those moral cultures are said to be a theatre of illusion where the objectives of moral rhetoric masks the decisions. The books examine the part of the community in making the judgments about the truth or falsity. The work by MacIntyre also examines the reasons why human beings need virtues through investigating the social debts and needs of human agents and the part which they were playing in the formation of an independent practical person who can reason (Borden, 2007). The philosophy by Maclntyre’s is very important especially to the fields of communitarian politics and the virtues of ethics. He points out the insignificance of conventional business ethic as an application of the modern moral concepts in decision making. His work in philosophy has lead tremendous renewal of values over the last decades. For example, in his works his discusses the moral condemnation of Stalinism. His presentation of this concept draws two important conclusions related to morality, one is the fact of the people’s solidarity in discovering what people want in their moral life (Borden, 2007).. According to MacIntyre morality organises life of the community. As he concludes his book, he says that the concepts of morality are neither historical nor timeless and, therefore, the understanding the developments of historical, ethical concepts can liberate people from any falsity claims (Borden, 2007). MacIntyre’s Aristotelian offers the best tool of promoting autonomy of one self and others compared to Nietzsche because he examines the habits that humans should develop in order to make judgement and act efficiently in the pursuit of the true choices which have a worthy end. His examination has a very rich account on the deliberate activities by human that encompass moral formation and society life. He also accounts why humans have practical wisdom to do what is right based on the freedom of morality. References Borden, S. L. (2007). Journalism as practice: MacIntyre, virtue ethics and the press. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). The support of autonomy and the control of behavior. Journal of personality and social psychology, 53(6), 1024.Risse, M. (2001). The Second Treatise in In the Genealogy of Morality: Nietzsche on the Origin of the Bad Conscience. European Journal of Philosophy, 9(1), 55-81. Source document

Gambling addiction Essay

A few years back my brother, Zach, started gambling. He started out with the small poker tables at a friend’s house. He would make a few dollars here and there, so he thought he could beat anyone. Zach thought he was untouchable, he thought he could be the system. It did not matter what it was. He thought he could beat it, from poker to roulette to betting on sports. He believed that he would win every time. After he got uninterested of the poker tables, he moved to betting heavily on sports. He started by betting on small high school games, nothing major. Zach would bet twenty to thirty dollars, nothing he could worry about losing. That was okay until he started betting higher wages on larger games. He then moved to college games and from there started betting on the pros. His favorite sport to bet on was the NFL. That still would not stop him from gambling on a NBA game or a soccer game. He made his biggest bounty on a NFL game two years ago. He made six hundred dollars on one game. That is the point where he got hooked. He has not stopped gambling since and is facing a real problem. This month he has already spent a thousand dollars on betting and gambling. Within the last 6 months, he has spent approximately eight thousand dollars. His gambling varies from poker games to sports. Zach favorite thing to bet on is sports though. He keeps gambling more and more and does not realize how it is affecting him at all. Gambling affects his family, his social life, and his bank account. People who gamble can have several types of problems. They are several types of gamblers. There are professional gamblers, causal social gamblers, serious social gamblers, relief and escape gamblers, compulsive gamblers, and antisocial personality gamblers. Zach falls into the compulsive gamblers categories. Compulsive gambling is where gambling is the only thing that matters in life. The gambler ignores his or her family, social life, and business. Zach does all of this. Since he has gotten hooked on gambling he ignores his family, has almost no social life, and his business is taking a hit from it. Gambling addiction is a major problem, it does not only affect the gambler, but it also affects the whole family and close friends. It can create a massive amount of tension and friction between close members of the family and friends, in a different variety of ways. Before Zach started gambling, he was always around the family. He would never miss a family event. That all changed when he started gambling. He started to spend more and more time gambling. Every day he would gamble away whatever money he had. My family started to notice, but he said he was just fine. Zach started to miss birthday, dinners, and other family events. It was really affecting our family. Not only was it affecting our family, but it was affecting Zach’s social life. Zach use to be a pretty popular guy. He knew everyone and everyone knew him, for good reasons. Now everyone knows him because of his gambling. Zach used to be a stand up guy, responsible, and was loved by everyone. His social life was pretty great before his gambling addiction. Gambling affects Work Cited Borghesi, Richard. â€Å"Widespread Corruption In Sports Gambling: Fact or Fiction?. † Southern Economic Journal 74. 4 (2008): 1063-1069. Business Source Premier. Web. 17 Jan. 2012.

Western v. Sooner Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Western v. Sooner - Case Study Example Subcontract taking after which a manifestation of subcontract, unsigned by Western, was sent by Hastie to Sooner for execution and come back to Western for execution by Western at its home office in Iowa. On the hot blend surface this composed subcontract presented by Hastie held a cost of $7.82 for every ton subsequently however completed not accommodate installment by the tenth of the month. Rather, it accommodated halfway installments to Sooner, less a held rate of 10%, as Western was paid on appraisals by the manager and last installment to Sooner upon complete execution of the subcontract inside 45 days after last installment is accepted from the holder by Western (Gillies, 2000). Lemon denied that an oral subcontract was concurred upon on July 15, 1963, with Hastie and denied that any exchanges were even had whereby Sooner might consent to the $7.82 cost with the retainage procurement and last installment procurement as above set out rather than installment for the hot blend surface by the tenth of the month. Pybas, who affirmed that he was with Lemon at all times going to, at and from the Tinker meeting on July 15, 1963, likewise denied any oral assent to the subcontract or any talks about the reduced cost of $7.82 being pleasant without installment by the tenth of the month. Lemon affirmed that not long after getting the composed subcontract from Hastie he called Hastie on the telephone a few times and questioned the easier cost of $7.82 for every ton without installment being accommodated by the tenth of the month as per his cited terms. Hastie recognized a few phone discussions after July 15, 1963, with Lemon in regards to the retainage and that Hastie p roposed in one of these discussions a decrease of the retainage to just half of the work. Hastie further affirmed that Lemon never provided for him a response to this suggestion. Hastie and Lemon,

Answering Questions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Answering Questions - Research Paper Example Funs get to know the names of the scorers, who helped in different goals, how the team performed in every move, and what it can do to better future games. Kofi Anan uses this analogy of competition to depict a different world and drive his points home. Annan suggests that if countries would come out and compete for respect of human rights, child survival rates, and enrolment in secondary education, then the world would be a better place. Like many who come out to make suggestions and analyse football, Annan argues that the same energy should be used to debate on critical issues like HIV and AIDS affecting countries. In addition, world cup happens on a level ground where each country has an equal chance of participating. In the same manner, other global issues need to be levelled to allow growth and development in all countries of the world. Tim Bowling is a hockey sport lover. He especially remembers some crazy things he has done out of love for this sport. NHL is his main spectator entertainment of this sport. Although he had to give up so much to watch hockey, Tim now realises that this is just a sport. He uses this analogy to pass a message to fanatics of hockey. Apparently, to my shock, some fanatics will go ahead and shed blood just to see their teams reach their intended levels. In reality, too much love for something results in some idolizing it and one will even shed blood to defend it. Besides that, hockey being a major sport that Canada is known for all over the world gives citizens pride associating with this nation. People derive nationhood from association with a country that does so well in a particular sport. In addition, there is a strong connection between hockey and Canadian citizens because it is a shared story. I agree with some politics about sports in that every citizen is entitled to talk about i t and take pride in it. However, hockey sport has considerably changed over time

3 Monthly Business Plan Working as a Sales Consultant Essay

3 Monthly Business Plan Working as a Sales Consultant - Essay Example These days, with a correct business plan, a successful casino business can be established (Stukey 2011, p. 6). Objectives The purpose of this casino business plan to be established in Disbury Manchester includes the following: 1. To retain the existing and attract new clients. 2. To attract cooperate clients. 3. To increase profits made by the casino. Background Disbury Manchester is a place with a large population of people and a lot of youths and old people. The general economy of Disbury Manchester is good and with a prior knowledge of the existing casino business. That means that the general population knows about the gambling business and the casino business at Disbury Manchester would not be a new thing. In knowing ones target group, many casino have established specific clients for their business (Stukey 2011, p. 50). Clients play a very important role in any business and hence casinos with many clients that are financially stable are the best kind of clients to have. Disbury Manchester being a place where people have the spending power, such has been directed in the casino business too and has brought a lot of profits. By proper advertisement and marketing strategies, many casinos have ended up being successful. With a proper business plan, any casino business could maximize its management and increase its profits (Stukey 2011, p. 12). Statistical evaluation In any gambling scenario, if in having clients with a higher financial capability to spend, means the casino business would boom. Such would be attracted to the casino business following the means stated below. In addition, with proper advertisement and marketing, a given casino business would also boom If in a given day, operating 24 hours a day, and having an estimated client number of 150 in a day, the casino business could cash in approximately 3,000 Euros. Hence in a good month, it could get approximately 270,000 Euros. After paying its employees, it could remain with approximately 100,000 Euro s profit. Therefore, in 3 months, the casino business might make approximately 300,000 Euros profit. In order to cash in such profits, a number of things have to be kept in place. Ways of improving the casino business How to attract cooperate clients This can be achieved by intensifying on marketing and advertising campaigns. Proper marketing usually has the effect of attracting people to the gambling place. In addition, by offering free promotions, may still attract some cooperate clients. Identifying cooperate clients from competing businesses and offering better place in your casino may also be another way of attracting them (Stukey 2011, p. 60). Driving away your competitors could also be another means of attracting cooperate clients to the casino. With proper marketing and advertisement and hopes of the casino making profits, cooperate clients would not hesitate to flock into that organization. How to retain existing and attract new clients Ensuring that employees at the casino place are straight in the way they operate with clients may also help in retaining clients. A casino with workers that are friendly may have many customers flocking to their side than that which does not have (Stukey 2011, p. 45). Offering promotions to clients may also be beneficial in retaining existing clients and attract new clients since all people love free things. For example, one may come up with a way to reward clients who win certain amount of money, like giving gifts and vouchers (Stukey 2011, p.88). Having the proper target for the casino business could also have an impact on the number of clients one would wish to attract. In having a multiple market for your business like the age groups 20 to

Compare and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different Essay

Compare and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different sources of haemapoietic stem cells in transplantation - Essay Example Stem cell transplantation can be defined as a process by which stem cells from the patient or a donors bone marrow are removed and re-infused into the patient to produce healthy blood cells (Australian Academy of Science, 2001). Stem cell transplants may be allogeneic, syngeneic or autologous. The most common sources for such transplants are bone marrow, blood and umbilical cord or placental stem cells (Gross & Johnson, 1998. ) Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a procedure wherein the bone marrow, which has been destroyed subsequent to chemotherapy or radiation, is replaced with healthy bone marrow. Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) involves replacing blood-forming cells destroyed by cancer treatment with immature blood cells (stem cells), which helps the bone marrow to recover and produce healthy blood cells as before (NCI, nd). Transplantation may be of three types (Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, 2005): a. Autologous transplants, wherein patients have their own healthy bone marrow cells removed and stored till the time of transplant. Later, chemotherapy, and radiation in some cases, is administered to destroy any remaining diseased cells. b. Syngeneic transplants, wherein patients receive stem cells donated by their identical twin (monozygotic twin). In this case, in addition to HLA, all other genetic loci are also matched (Carella et al, 2001.). Although the development of GVHD can be avoided, the risk of relapse is greater in patients with leukaemia. This is due to the lack of GVL effect (Yarbro, Frogge & Goodman, 2005.) c. Allogeneic transplants, where patients receive stem cells donated by their brother, sister or parent (related allogeneic transplant) or an unrelated donor (unrelated allogeneic transplant). In order to find a potential donor, Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) testing has to be performed. The sources for

Argument for a Current Political Issue Research Paper

Argument for a Current Political Issue - Research Paper Example The rate of unemployment, mortgages, housing, insurance, and manufacturing, among other sectors, are some of the key areas that affect the U.S economy. The European colonization between the 16th and the 18th centuries was the root of the U.S history. In 1776, 13 small farming economies integrated themselves to form one, and they formed the United States economy (Lattimer, p7). The growth of the U.S economy was accredited to high productivity, a legal system which was supportive and the availability of a market which was large and unified. The United States economy is the world’s largest national economy. The $2 trillion difference between its GDP and that of the EU makes it the world’s second largest overall economy.The high levels of capital investment and research, the overall GDP growth rate and the moderate rate of unemployment make the U.S economy to be a mixed economy (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, Bernadette & Smith, Jessica p25). As of 2011, the GDP of the United State s was estimated to be about $15 trillion dollars with a per capita GDP of $48,328. The per capita income of the U.S is the sixth highest in the world and this makes it to be one of the world’s wealthiest nations. ... S is extremely active. In terms of market capitalization, the New York Stock Exchange is the largest in the world (DeNavas-Walt, Bernadette, & Smith, 48). The economy of the U.S is controversial because any alterations to it will result to a ripple effect in the whole country. The economy determines the investment, the health care, the education system, the security of the country, and every other sector. The economy is the back bone of the country and this is the main reason why it is a political issue that causes controversy and much debate especially during election times as witnessed recently in the presidential elections. There are two parties that are involved in the political tussle of the economy. These two parties are umbrellas of the interest groups and the key politicians involved; the Democrats and the Republicans. Below is an outline of the stand that both the Democrats and Republicans have taken on the economy. The Democrat Stand On the issue of minimum wage, the democr ats support a higher minimum wage with increases on a more regular basis. The six state ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage were all passed by democrats in congress in 2006, a move that shows their support of higher minimum wages (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, Bernadette & Smith, Jessica p22). Education is also a pertinent issue of the economy. In this case, college education is the central issue. Democrats have a long term goal of providing low-cost college education that has been subsidized by the public for the purpose of lowering tuition fees. This can be achieved by increasing the state funding for student financial aid. The democrats have divergent opinions on the issue of trade agreements. The liberal part of the democrats supports globalization while

Peer Edit of Article Summary#1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Peer Edit of Article Summary#1 - Assignment Example This research utilizes a laboratory study involving 20 work teams comprising of undergraduate students from a management class of a large university in southwestern United States. The average age of the participants is 24.9 years and half of the respondents are women; ethical diversity was also considered in the formation of the work teams (P335, C1, L20-25). Aside from the work teams that the researcher formed, the participants were also allowed to voluntary form their teams (P335, C2, L29-31). It is the primary purpose of the study to determine the performance of the different work teams in competitive exercises while they were self-managed or without designated team leaders (Solansky, 2008) (P334, C1, L39-41). The researcher also utilized surveys as the primary data collection method (P336, C1,L2-6). Several competitive exercises or activities are used in this study such as creation, design, and construction of products and services. The instructor designed the activities and some of the products designed or created included clothing, a novel and a bridge (Solansky, 2008) (P335, C2, L32-38). The teams were also allowed to choose activities such as creating music videos, writing children’s stories and drawing slogans for their university. It was evident from the study that a team can find a stronger sense of competitiveness while undertaking a work when leadership is shared. Teams with shared leadership enjoy social, motivational and cognitive advantages over teams led by a single individual (P338, C1, L7-23). Ideas taken from the article are somehow very verbatim to the author’s choice of words. Elaborating the author’s ideas could have been presented better. Ideas in P332, C1, L8-10 and in P335, C1, L20-25 as some examples. The chronology of presenting the necessary ideas in conducting a journal review was clearly followed. Though building coherence in the

See question on Order instruction box and also uploaded Essay

See question on Order instruction box and also uploaded - Essay Example When booking hotel its important for the customer to know that it meets the needs. Accolades are perceived as a high valued achievement in both developed and developing countries alike. Customer value is the focus of firm strategies which are shaped by the input from traveler perceptions of value, price, or quality (1). All in all value is what plays a important part which means there is a need to develop segment based strategies for managing both quality and of course price. Travel agents play an important part nominating hotels. â€Å"We are delighted and proud to have been acknowledged by the UK travel trade community, as the top leisure chain in the world. We are extremely thankful of the trust placed on us by the travel agent community and we look forward to continue providing our guests with a true Stay different experience as we expand throughout the world.† Derek Picot, regional general manager, Europe for the Jumeirah group. Accolades are distributed depending on the feedback received from hotels that is consistent with the governments strategy for the location such as that received by Jumeirah Hotel Dubai. Professionals award these accolades based on innovation. The professionals visit locations and carry out evaluations based on consistency, quality, customer service and other areas such as cleanliness, safety, ambience, amenities, hotel exterior appeal and management. The focus of this award is on guest treatment and guest satisfaction maximization. The service includes anonymous service evaluations, design assessments, AAA assistance and advice (5). If a decision has to be made either to get an AAA rating or provide services and facilities guests want it is wise to pursue both aims. AAA applies different classifications to different types of properties, but the basic physical requirements and criteria is the same. Some

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of youth justice policies in England and Wales since 1997 Essay Example for Free

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of youth justice policies in England and Wales since 1997 Essay Introduction When Labour took office in 1997 they claimed that they would be tough on crime and the causes of crime. The first 6 months were unprecedented, with six consultation documents being released on youth and crime each containing its own proposals these were first published in Tackling Youth Crime, Reforming Youth Justice (Labour 1996). To start this essay I will first discuss Labours 1997 White Paper, No more excuses: A new approach to tackling youth crime in England and Wales, where policy was laid out and then later legislated in The Crime and Disorder Act 1998. From this I will evaluate the weaknesses and strengths of the various elements of this policy which will include the aims of the youth justice system. Then in the second part move to evaluate the abolition of the doli incapax, the reparation order and parenting order. Thirdly I will evaluate the child safety order, local child curfew, final warning scheme, action plan order. The fourth part will be an evaluation of the detention and training order and new arrangements for secure remands of 12-16 year olds. And finally the establishment of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, Youth Offending Teams and the duties of the local authorities and other agencies to make sure the availability of the appropriate youth justice services. And then finally bring all my findings together to produce a clear and comprehensive conclusion; which I believe has many strengths and some weaknesses. The Labour governments 1997 White paper, No more excuses: A new approach to tackling youth crime in England and Wales is a document which sets out labours programme of reform for the youth justice system in England and Wales, it aims are a clear strategy to prevent offending and re-offending, that offenders, and their parents, face up to their offending behaviour and take responsibility for it, earlier, more effective intervention when young people first offend, faster, more efficient procedures from arrest to sentence, partnership between all youth justice agencies to deliver a better, faster system Home Office (1997). According to the Home Office (1997) the aim of the youth justice system is to prevent offending by young people. And the Crime and Disorder Bill has in it a requirement that it is the duty of all people working in the youth justice system to uphold these. The requirement covers all the youth justice agencies in England and Wales like the police, social services the probation services and others working in the Youth Offending Teams, the Crown prosecution service, defence solicitors, the prison services and courts and the way they deal with young adults. The claim is that this will provide unity between them all and that everyone is striving for the same purpose. The government will also complement this with a new proposal for a new Youth Justice Board for England and Wales who will give advice on how to set standards and how to monitor performance. Also this will not take over or supersede practitioners previous roles, but will support them to understand their actions and choices when they deal with young people this can help to stop offending and can prevent avoidable delays; such as the chances of offending when awaiting sentence can be reduced, also making young people responsible for their own behaviours which can help youths understand and change their behaviours. Also community and custodial penalties whose priorities are on the causes of offending which can be enforced can help. This duty that has been stated is a clear strength bringing the various agencies and services in the same line and having one clear aim of what the task ahead is this also eliminates any confusion that might have existed. The government according to the Home Office (1997) proposes that an aim of youth justice system and the duty discussed previously and their practitioners would be supported by more complete, non statutory objectives for these agencies. These would support the proposals made by Jack Straws Youth Justice Task Force which is a variety of people and groups that have a high knowledge of the system and have now issues of victims and representatives of the governmental departments. The Task Force stated their recommendations for preventing offending which were, a speedy administration of justice so that the accused matter can be sorted out quickly, confronting offenders with the consequences of their actions, for themselves their families, victims and their communities. Punishment which reflects the seriousness and the persistence of the offending. Also to support reparation to victims by the offenders and to strengthen the responsibilities of parents and to help offenders to fix their problems and to build a sense of the personal self. This is also strength as all involved have a good knowledge of the problems and the system and would be a good resource to the system to have. And also what the Task Force has recommended is also a good step forward as it is these that have stopped the system from being efficient. Moving onto the abolition of the doli incapax the reparation order and parenting order. The doli incapax according to Muncie (2009:275) In England and Wales, children fewer than 10 could not be found guilty of a criminal offence, and the law for many years believed that those under 14 were incapable of criminal intent. But during the 1990s the doli incapax, which had been in the law since the 14th century, was being challenged by both the right and the left. This was due to the Bulger case, the policy was put under review by the conservatives after the 1994 High Court ruling. Three years later it was abolished in the Crime and Disorder Act, the reasons given for this were so that they could convict young offenders who wreaked havoc on communities this was based on the fact that they believed that 10 and 13 year olds could capable of knowing between right and wrong. This was against what the UN had recommended for The UK which they had made in 1995 then 2002 to come in line with the rest of Europe but the government went totally in the other direction. They gave no direction to the courts and to the youth offending teams that overall child welfare is the main consideration. This is a weakness as it contradicts what Labour had said in there White Paper, and the fact that the YOTs would be confused with conflicting policies. This legislation manages not to take the childs age into consideration and this can be seen just by looking at the rest of Europe are the children in the UK not the same. The reparation order is for young adults to understand the cost of their actions and to take responsibility for them. What is asked is that they repair the damage caused directly to the victim through mediation if they both agree or to the community indirectly cleaning up graffiti and other tasks around the community. This would be managed by the YOT, this can be a real strength in the rehabilitation process giving something back to the victims and the community and being able to see the damage they have caused helping to change their lives around. Also the parenting order which has been stated by the Home Office (1997) to be created so that it can give support to parents so they can control their children. The order requires parents attend a counselling or guidance session once a week for 3 months and if the courts think that it is needed then a requirement to make sure that children attend school and to see that they get home on a certain time. This is also a strength as it forces parents to be responsible as some parents let their children do what they want to and so this is a good way of making parents act so that they can help their children from offending. Now moving onto the child safety order, which according to the Home Office (1997) has been developed to safeguard children who are under ten where there is risk that these children will be involved in crime or signs of anti social behaviour can be seen. This could be available to local authorities in the family proceeding court. A court would be able to make a child stay at home at a certain time or ban them from going to certain places. They could also stop certain behaviours like truanting; this could also be combined with a parenting order. And if these are not obeyed then the local authority can start proceedings. The strength of this is a the combination of the two orders as it can be most effective this way by handing responsibility 2 both parent and child giving maximum results. Then there is the Local child curfew which is for the Childs own good and to stop neighbourhood crime and disorder and states that children should not be out without supervision at night. This can be used by the local authorities and police but they would have to get permission from the Home secretary. Also the council could then bar children under 10 from certain public places after certain times. These can last for up to 90 days and if these are to be extended then police and local community. The strength of this is that it involves the local community so determining whats best for the members of their own community. Then there is the final warning where the Home Office (1997) has replaced the cautioning with a statuary police reprimand, what happens is that the police can decide to reprimand a child and give them a final warning or to bring criminal charges to the offender. What then happens is a community intervention programme is forced which makes the offender and his family address the causes this behaviour which can help solve the problem. What the final warning entails is that the first offence the offender can receive a reprimand by the police if the crime is not that serious and if it carries on then a another final warning or criminal charges can be pressed. But on no grounds must 2 final warnings be given. The strength of this is that it lets the offender know that they will be strict and will not put up with it again a final warning is a final warning. Also an action plan order which is like a community penalty for young offenders, this is a small, rigorous programme where community intervention is used combined with punishment and rehabilitation so that the offenders behaviour can be changed and more crime can be stopped. The strength in this lies in the way that it uses various methods simultaneously like community intervention, punishment and rehabilitation which can only increase the chances of success. Moving onto and new arrangements for secure remands of 12-16 year olds. The Home office (1997) state that the government should have undeniable powers to remand to secure accommodation. For young people who are of the age 10-16 and are awaiting trial. And so The Criminal Justice Act 1991 and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 included in its provisions to amend the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 which was to allow courts to remand 12-16 years olds directly to secure local authority accommodation with certain conditions. But this was not put into operation. The conservatives had started a building programme which was for 170 new local authority secure places, there completion date was 1998. But Labour said that these would be not enough. And so declared to use the Crime and Disorder Bill to implement court ordered remand power on some groups of youths. Priority would be gives to 12-14s then girls of the age 15 and 16 and also boys of that age when places become available. This is due to courts believing that these children are vulnerable and they are emotionally and physically immature and so there is a danger that they could harm themselves, this is also strength as it recognises that they are still young but this also does contradict other policies in this White Paper which it does on many levels. Also detention and training orders, these will give powers the Home Office (1997) states can be used for 10-17 year olds and courts can use these only if it is a very serious crime and if they are persistent offenders and the court believes it is needed to protect the public. This will also added to 10-11 year olds but would only be permitted by parliament if seen to be needed. The length of the sentence will be divided, half of it will be in custody and half in community supervision and this also could be adjusted if good behaviour is seen. This is a good as it does not just impose a detention where by this can harden the youth and in some cases lead to further crimes but with the community supervision would let the offender know that they have been given a chance to mend their ways. Then Maguire, Morgan and Reiner (2002:560) discuss Labours new youth justice which is the forming of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) and the Youth offending Teams (YOTs); and also what takes place through this legislation is a restructure of non custodial penalties in the youth court. So considering Labours main aim of having a youth justice system which prevents offending by children and young adults, the way labour went about this is to impose order from the centre. There tools to enable this was a catalogue of legislations, also the then Home secretary Jack Straw formed a youth justice task force the aim of this was to keep a tight link with all the other agencies involved with young offenders. Due to the section 41 of the Crime Disorder Act the YJB had turned into a non departmental public body which was then sponsored by the Home Office. The job of the YJB was to monitor the running of the youth justice system and the provision of the youth justice services and also the national standards and establishing the right performance measures. What also the 1998 Act made possible was for the home secretary to give the board more powers which included the YJB becoming the commissioning body of all the placements that are under 18 in a secure facility on remand or have a sentence from the courts. The YJB was also given control over commissioning places including prison services YOTs, secure training centres (STCs) and local authority secure units. This is also strength as it brings together all the agencies under one roof you could say and so the aims are understood by all and are the same this can only help. This brings me to managerialism, the reason the YJB and the YOTs were set up in the first place was because according to Muncie (2009:297) investigations from the Public Accounts Committee, Audit commission and the National Audit Office recommended and supported subjugating professional skills independent managerial ideals of what works, which could attach certain resources to credible and successful outcomes and which could initiate responsibility to law and order from a central state to a sequence of semi independent local partnerships which will include privatized bodies and voluntary agencies. Words such as individual need, rehabilitation, reformation, penal purpose and due process are replaced by techniques of classification and actuarialism, risk assessment and resource management changes all the earlier understanding of law and order from understanding motivations of crime to making crime bearable through universal coordination. This is a total difference from earlier ways and managerial system is thought to lower the standard or expectations of what a government can achieve in the youth justice system. This to me is a weakness as it is being run like a business which always has its priorities in cost and reduction, but also I can see strengths to as it can be more efficiently run with professionals running it with the right knowledge. The Act also contained anti social behaviour orders. Muncie (2009:317) explains that they are usually refer to a variety of things such as youths that hang out causing trouble making a nuisance of them and to their neighbours, making noise, vandalising property, littering, and causing graffiti to public property and drunkenness. This has been a priority in England and Wales, the key to New Labour was to strengthen the ability of the criminal justice system so they could treat disorder and the lack of respect but serious crimes too as it was clear that disorder was rising and was affecting neighbourhoods and also that it was a sign of times to come more serious crimes. The police and courts were said to be powerless against the nuisance and the anti social behaviour that was being caused and that this was being mixed in with impunity. Second at the centre was a program and wish not just to reduce crime and disorder, but to encourage a process of civil renewal and civic responsibility. Third the broken windows theory was taken aboard a it was believed that a failure to accept zero tolerance policing of lesser serious offending and signs of disorder could only further destroy already deprived and marginalized communities. The Anti social behaviour order (ASBO) was the flagship of New Labour in their 1998 Crime and Disorder Act. Muncie (2009:318) explains that this is a civil not a criminal order and can be given by the police and local authority to anyone that is over 10 years of age whose behaviour can cause alarm, distress or even harassment. The minimum time an order can last is two years. But if you breach the order it will be treated as a criminal offence and the punishment for this can be up to two years in prison for juveniles and five years for adults. Certain local authorities went even further and started to experiment with Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) which were for even lower levels of behaviours and for lower ages those below for ten years of age. And if they are given an order then they must agree and to take steps to correct their behaviour, the steps will be decided by local youth offending team (YOT) and their parents must also agree on the steps. Initially when the ASBO was introduced it was said that it was for adults that were nuisances to their neighbours, but this statement was later changed and became for young people and areas that high crime rates became the targets of this order. The Home office review, 58% were made on under 18 year olds and a further 16% on those aged between 18 and 21. There are certain steps in this that are positive but to me there are inherent weaknesses to, like to give anti social behaviour order and lock youths in their houses and stop them from going into certain locations can work but does not address the real problem, and Labour could try and find the cause of these problems as this to me is just breeding further adult criminals and as we have seen lately getting an ASBO is something t o show off so demoralising it entirely. So to conclude I have found that Labour have a lot of strengths in their Youth Policy but have inherent weaknesses which stem from various contradictions in the policy. The strength that I have found are first of all is the duty that has been put into the legislation, which brings various agencies and services together, which unifies them and sets a main agenda that all must adhere to as it is in the legislation to follow the duty and eliminates any confusion that might have existed, and another strength is to support these by the task force which comprises of professionals and people in the field that can offer the best advice. Also the reparation order is a strength as it forces parents to be responsible as some parents let their children do what they want to and so this is a good way of making parents act so that they can help their children from offending and make them responsible. Then the child safety order, the strength of this is a the combination of the two orders as it can be most effective this way by handing responsibility 2 both parent and child giving maximum results. Then the local child curfews strength lies in the way it involves the local community so determining whats best for the members of their own community. Then there is the final warning where the strength in this lies in the way that it uses various methods simultaneously like community intervention, punishment and rehabilitation which can only increase the chances of success. Which brings me to secure remands of 12-16 year olds which is also a strength as it recognises that they are still young but this also does contradict other policies in this White Paper which it does on many levels, the detention training programme has strength because it does not just impose a detention where by this can harden the youth and in some cases lead to a life of crime but with the community supervision would let the offender know that they have been given a chance to mend their ways. The forming of the YOTs and YJB is strength as it brings together all the agencies under one roof you could say, and so the aims are understood by all and are the same this can only help, and managerialism is strength as it can be more efficiently run with professionals in charge. Now I will just conclude my findings of the weaknesses which are; the abolition of the doli incapax to me is a weakness as it manages not to take the childs age into consideration and this can be seen just by looking at the rest of Europe, are the children in the UK not the same. Another weakness is the ASBO to lock youths in their houses and stop them from going into certain locations can work but does not address the real problem, and Labour could try and find the cause of these problems as this to me is just breeding further adult criminals and as we have seen lately getting an ASBO is something to be proud off and to show off so demoralising the order entirely. There are strengths and weaknesses in this policy but I have found the strengths outweigh the weaknesses. Bibliography Home Office, (1997), White Paper, No More Excuses: A new approach to tackling youth crime in England and Wales Muncie, J. (2009), Youth and Crime, 3rd edition, London, Sage publications Maguire, M. Morgan, R and Reiner, R. (2002), The Oxford Handbook of Criminology, 3rd Edition, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Goldson, B. Muncie, J. (2006), Youth Crime and Justice, London, Sage Publications Baldock, J. Manning, N. and Vickerstaff, S. (2007), Social Policy, 3rd edition, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Customer Satisfaction Case Study of Hotel

Customer Satisfaction Case Study of Hotel Customer satisfaction: A case study of the Travelodge Hotel. Docklands, London. Dissertation declaration â€Å"Is it possible for hoteliers to provide a quality of services that meets with customer satisfaction whilst at the same time reducing the quantity of services that are provided?† Abstract Budget hotels in the hospitality sector are continuing to make significant inroads into the market shares previously enjoyed by the standard hotel chains, even in select areas such as the City of London. However, the question is whether this new type of accommodation supply is being created at a cost to the consumer in terms of customer value and satisfaction. Using the Travelodge hotel Docklands as a case study, this research attempts to address this issue. From the result of a SERVQUAL measurement survey conducted with 48 of the hotels customers, the conclusion is reached that, whilst in theory there is no reason why the customer quality of service should be less, in practice the customers expectations that are attached to a lower price do not equate with the perceptions of the hotel management in some areas, particularly in relation to human resources. There is therefore a need for the management of such establishments to achieve a better level of balance between these two determinants. Table of Contents (Jump to) Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Rationale for research 1.2 Customer retention 1.3 Aims 1.4 Objectives 1.5 Overview Chapter 2: Background 2.1 Tourism in the UK 2.2 Tourism in Docklands Chapter 3: Literature Review 3.1 Customer satisfaction 3.2 Service quality 3.3 Methods used to measure customer satisfaction and service quality 3.4 Summary Chapter 4: Research Methodology 4.1 Research method choice 4.2 Data collection 4.3 Performance of the research Chapter 5: Data presentation and analysis Chapter 6: Implications of the research findings Chapter 7: Conclusion 6.1 Application 6.2 Recommendations Chapter 1:  Introduction The vast majority of commercial concerns, irrespective of whether their business is product or service orientated, are aware of the fact that continued business success is dependant upon determining that the quality of service they provide for the customer equates to or exceeds the perceived expectation of satisfaction that customers have when they decide to enter into transaction with the business. Furthermore, as Michael Porter (1985 and 2004) suggests in his researches into the subject of competition, quality of service can also be used as a strategy to gain competitive advantage, particularly in a crowded marketplace, which certainly exists within the tourism industry. In the context of delivering the quality of service that satisfies the customer, perhaps the hotel industry finds itself in a unique, although some would say unenviable position. Most other industries and sectors only engage with the consumer for a matter of moments during the course of their visit. However, with the hotel industry the interaction this business sector has with the consumer can last from several hours to many days. Similarly, with a number of customers in close proximity, it can be also be said that customer-to-customer interactions form part of the product (Kandampully et al (2001, p.28). In addition, the number of interrelated services within a hotel is invariable far more complex and diverse than other businesses will be offering. For example, in a retail environment, the connection with the customer is the quality of the product and service quality at the point of sale and after sales service. However. With a hotel, customer satisfaction can be influenced by a number of factors. From the product aspect, this will include the standard and quality of the main product, namely the hotel room, in this case relating to the dà ©cor, furnishings, facilities available, cleanliness and cost against performance. In terms of services provided, the hotel will also be judged by several diverse elements. These include the relation built between customers and front office staff, cleaners and employees in other facilities being offered, for example the service received from employees engaged within the waiting, bar-tending, local knowledge and health facility aspects of the busine ss. As a result of these service and quality issues, and in an effort to ensure that these meet with the expectation and satisfaction levels of their customers, one would therefore expect that the market players within the hotel industry would be constantly seeking ways to improve upon the services that their establishments offer. If this is the case, how is it then that, over the past two to three decades, the industry has seen a proliferation of budget and low cost hotel chains emerging, one of the most well known of which within the UK is the Travelodge brand? 1.1 Rationale for research It is the question regarding how budget hotel chains are managing to deliver customer satisfaction whilst at the same time reducing the levels of services being provided that forms the rationale for this paper. There has been a reasonable amount of research dedicated to the delivery of customer satisfaction by the method of adding to the levels and qualities of the services being offered, as would be the case in the tourism industry, for example with five star hotels. However, research into the ability of a commercial organisation to maintain the same standard of customer satisfaction levels, particularly within the UK tourism and leisure industry, when that organisation is operating a â€Å"low-cost† strategy, which by definition is primarily focused on driving down the business costs by reducing the levels of services being made available to the customer, is more limited. 1.2  Customer retention Another factor that makes the â€Å"low-cost† strategy and its removal of services within the hotel industry sometimes difficult to understand is that most literature concentrates upon the fact that providing a quality service that matches customer satisfaction is important in terms of customer retention (Parasuraman 1997, Schiffman and Kanuk 2000 and Porter 1998). On the surface therefore the rule of keeping customers returning by offering them less does seem to contain a dichotomy of views that are incompatible. However, many of the some of the recent observers, Including Zeithaml (1988), Agrawal (2000) and Porter (2004) in his later works, have begun to study this particular issue, finding that there can be a relationship between the less services and customer satisfaction. It is the intention for this paper to add value to these opinions. 1.3  Aims From the explanations given above therefore it can be seen that the aim of this research is to address the following question: â€Å"Is it possible for hoteliers to provide a quality of services that meets with customer satisfaction whilst at the same time reducing the quantity of services that are provided? In an effort to assist in the provision of a definitive response to the hypothesis set, it is intended to use as a case study research carried out at a specific location of the budget hotel chain Travelodge, namely their establishment in Docklands, London. 1.4  Objectives In the process of defining the theoretical and practical response to the hypothesis, as well as adding value to the existing research conducted with the subjects that are covered, these being customer satisfaction and service quality within a tourism and leisure environment, the following three objectives have been set: Customer perception and satisfaction Although there has been considerable literature relating to customer perception and satisfaction determinants, within this research the intention is to broaden this area to take account of how these issues can be best related to the â€Å"budget† service provider and by what methods such organisations can determine that a) the reduction of services reaches an optimal level and b) how other areas of service quality can be introduced in a manner that will continue to improve the business relationship with and retention of customers without adversely impacting upon the business â€Å"low-cost† strategy. Gaps within service quality measurement. Using the â€Å"SERQUAL† method of measurement, which is discussed in more detail in chapter three, we shall look particularly at the â€Å"gap† element of this methods in an attempt to define how these have can and have been applied effectively and successfully to the budget hotel business model despite the fact that these models concentrate upon the task of reducing the levels of services being made available to customers in return from price advantages. The future. From the results indicated above, it is intended to ascertain whether the process of understanding how the use of quality of service in a budget business environment can provide lessons that could be applied to other â€Å"premier† brand hotel businesses within the industry or if these results are strategy specific and therefore not transferable across different business models. The significant data which has been used to provide the foundation for this research paper has been collected through the use of then primary quantitative method of structured questionnaires and interviews, which will be discussed in more detail in chapter four. 1.5  Overview Following this introductory chapter, the second chapter in this study provides a brief background into UK tourism, including the levels and reasons for tourisms within the docklands area, as well as a history relating to the Travelodge hotel chain and its Docklands unit. In chapter three a critical literature reviews is conducted into the major areas of customer satisfaction, service quality and the various theories and models that have been developed to measure these aspects of the business operations. Chapter four is where the methodology for the main research carried out in support of this research is explained in greater depth. It will include an understanding of the strengths and limitations of the chosen research method, together with details of the manner of the performance of these methods. This will be followed in chapter five by the data findings and an analysis of these findings, the implications of which will be further discussed in chapter six. The paper will be drawn to a conclusion in chapter seven, at which point any relevant and appropriate recommendations will also be presented. Following the conclusion of this study, a reference list of all the resources used, together with appendices that contain additional information and data that is considered to add value to the understanding of this paper will also be attached. Chapter 2  Background As stated previously, tourism is one of the most important industries in the UK economy. Therefore, as the core theme of this research is related to an organisation within this industry, it is appropriate to provide some background relating to UK tourism and the Docklands area in particular, as wells as the organisation that is forming the case study, namely the Travelodge hotel group. 2.1  Tourism in the UK The level of tourism in the UK has seen a diverse change depending upon the criteria that one uses. For example, with regards to domestic travel of UK residents, this saw a reported decline of –4.0% in the last 8 months of 2006 when compared with the previous year, although there were still nearly 102 million overnight trips (Visit Britain 2008 b, p,4). Conversely, the numbers of overseas visitors increased by 9%, rising to nearly 33 million trips (Visit Britain 2008 a, p.8), as can be seen from the following table (figure 1). In total therefore, tourism in the UK in 2006 saw a participating total of approaching 135 million customers, who visits were for both leisure and business purposes (see figure 2). With between 59% and 74% of the domestic journeys involving overnights stays of one to three days (see figure 3) and 42% of overseas journeys having the same duration, this provides a significant existing market opportunity for the UK hotel industry and room for continued growth, especially as at present it is estimated that only around 30% of the domestic visitors choose Hotels and guest houses for their accommodation needs (see figure 4). However, with hotel occupancy rates having fallen in recent years, especially in the capital, although this was partially due to terrorist attacks (Chetwynd and Knight 2005), it is important for hoteliers to ensure that they are providing the necessary level of quality service to capture this market. 2.2  Tourism in Docklands Visit Britain statistics (2008 a, p.11) indicates that of the total inbound tourism trade during 2006, nearly 16 million visitors chose London as their destination, with many more domestic tourists swelling that number. Similarly, compared with the rest of the UK, the hotel occupancy levels in London remain at a reasonably high level of around 72% (Visit London 2008, p.4), due mainly to the high mix of customers from the domestic and international leisure and business sectors. Having spent over  £12 billion on regeneration of the area, London Docklands is taking its fair share of visitors, with 24 hotels at present and a further five in development (LDVC 2008), of which the Travelodge budget hotel in Coriander Avenue, E14 is one. 2.3  Overview: Travelodge – London Docklands The Travelodge brand of hotels, which was originally formed in the US, has seen a number of owners since then, with the latest being a  £675 million acquisition for the group by Dubai International Capital in 2006. It is the UK’s second largest budget hotel chain with over 300 units in the UK offering around 22,000 rooms (Editorial 2007), although the company expects that to expand to 32,000 within the next three years, an plans to more than double this expansion by 2020. In 1985 the group was the first hoteliers to strip out what it considered to be non-essential services in an effort to reduce costs of hotel stays to the minimum, which in 2007 were around  £26 a night. Another example of the budget cost example can be seen from the group’s Docklands hotel, where normal rates of  £49  £59 per night can be reduced to as low as  £29 if they are booked around three weeks in advance. Travelodge’s mission statement is aptly summed up on their website as â€Å"Pay for things you don’t want? That’s crazy!† (Travelodge 2008). They further go on to explain this statement by outlining the fact that the quality of their services to the customer is the provision of nice beds, clean rooms and a value for money price which the inclusion of items such as room service, extra towels, toiletries and other items that are seen by other hoteliers as value added services, would prohibit the business from achieving. According to press releases (Travelodge 2008 b), the company has seen significant growth during the course of 2006, with revenues increased by 19% and room occupancy by 24%. These results are in line with the reports issued by the Mintel group (Kuhn 2007), which shows that in the four years to 2006 the budget hotel sector grew by 38% , out performing other sectors of the industry that could only manage 12%, to exceed the  £1 billion barrier of revenue for the first time. It can be seen from this background and the statistics that the budget hotel industry is obviously making inroads into traditional hotel markets. However, the question which this research will address is whether this is simply based upon the price advantage or if other service quality and customer satisfaction issues have also influenced the growing popularity of the budget hotel sector. Chapter 3  Literature Review During the course of the past six or seven decades there has been a considerable amount of literature and research produced that has endeavoured to address the issues of customer satisfaction and service quality, as well as a number of models of measurement that can be utilised in respect of the latter. This critical literature review will discuss a selection of these studies and in particular endeavour to identify whether there is a link between these and the model that has been deemed appropriate for the budget hotel sector, or indeed where gaps in current literature exists. 3.1  Customer satisfaction Customer satisfaction has been the subject of a reasonable amount of academic literature over the past few decades from a number of perspectives. For example, researchers such as Porter (1998), Parasuraman (1997) Agrawal (2000) and Harrison (2003) have all outlined the benefits of customer satisfaction as an integral aspect of competitive advantage. As Hennig-Thurau, and Hansen (2000, p.62) comment in their study on relationship marketing, it is the intention of all businesses â€Å"to try and engender a high level of customer satisfaction in order to positively influence our customers repurchasing and communicative behavior†. There is little doubt that the level of satisfaction experienced by customers will impact upon the way they react to a product or service, in other words it drives their behaviour (Schiffman and Kanuk 2000). However, the difficulty that all academics have wrestled with over the years is in defining exactly what â€Å"customer satisfaction is† and, perhaps more importantly, which determinates influence the achievement of customer satisfaction. Hennig-Thurau and Hansen (2000, p.8) define customer satisfaction as being the â€Å"emotional or empathic reaction† that occurs within the customer as they judge the experience of the product or service against the expectations they had prior to that experience. Richard Oliver (quoted in Holbrook 1999, p.56) rests with the definition that ideals and excellence is equal to satisfaction. Ziethaml (1998) adds further substance to these definition by explaining that satisfaction is all about the perception of value when adjudged again st price, quality, need and payment, In summarising this position, Zeithaml (1988, p.14) stated that â€Å"Perceived value is the consumer’s overall assessment of the utility of a product based on perceptions of what is received and what is given †¦ value represents a trade-off of the salient give and get components,† in other words the cost of ownership against the value perceived. This is a definition that has been accepted by a number of other researchers, including Christopher (1996), although as Dr Brennen (2003, p.4) observes, there is some departure from this consensus in respect of the component parts that make up customer satisfaction, with some observers only including price as a denominator whilst others include the total cost of ownership. Nevertheless as Suzan Boztepe (2007, p.56), points out, to identify customer satisfaction, â€Å"The emphasis is on the point of exchange, and money is seen as a fundamental index of value.† It is as that moment, when the product of service has been purchased and used, in the respect that a contractual agreement has been entered into, that the customer makes a value judgement about what they have been given in exchange for what they have paid. In this situation it is therefore usually the case that the higher the level of quality of service promotes a higher level of satisfaction (Kandampully et al. 2001, p.8). In respect of the determinates that engender satisfaction within a customer, there do of course extend beyond the simple and direct use of the product or service. Parasuraman (1997, p.1) refers to this position when he talks above the â€Å"attributes and consequences arising from that use,† which indicates that satisfaction levels can be increased or decreased by other internal and external factors. Boztepe (2007, p.58) agrees with this comment, promoting the view that the context and environment within which the use is received will impact upon the customers enjoyment or satisfaction with the experience. In the context of the hospitality environment of hotel industry that is the basis of this study, this aspect is very important. For example, if the human service in a particular establishment is good but the physical environment, in terms of dà ©cor, equipment etc is not, this would reduce the customer’s enjoyment and therefore lower the satisfaction and value they g ain from the experience. Similarly, in the case of the hotel attention has to be paid to the external factors. For example, if the service from employees and the environment is good, but other guest create a situation that is disturbing or unpleasant to the customer, this nay also adversely affect their satisfaction with the experience and the value they gain from it. Therefore, it can be seen from the forgoing that when providing a service or product the supplier, or in this case hotelier, has to understand not only how the customer behaves or is likely to react to the value of the service provided, but also be aware of the factors that might adversely influence that behaviour. If that is not understood â€Å"the likelihood of consumer satisfaction diminishes, as does the potential for a profitable business† (Holbrook 1999, p.116). After all, as Porter (1998, p.411) succinctly explains the situation, in order to gain competitive advantage, the aim of the business should be to ensure that the whole format of the various elements of the business supply chain should be geared towards delivering a product or service to the end user that adds â€Å"to their convenience and satisfaction.† To achieve this position the marketer has to understand the whole of the customer behavioural process, which includes what drives them to make the origi nal choice, known as the pre-purchase period, how they will react to the actual use or consumption of the product and their reaction after that use, the post-purchase period (Holbrook, 1999, p.43). If the business bears these aspects in mind, and reacts positively to them, there is more opportunity to be able to provide the customer with a unique product of service that will be perceived by them to have a greater level of value and therefore being more satisfying (ibid p.121), which has the added benefit of potentially engaging the customers loyalty and therefore makes the retention of the customer more likely. In a practical sense this position cannot be achieved unless there is a quality of service. 3.2  Service quality Following on from an understanding of the factors that determine what values give satisfaction to a customer, it has been found that, in essence, this is uniquely linked with service and the quality of that service, which is another area where there has been a concentration of literature over the past few decades. In terms of definition of the words, because of the nature of this paper, the definition of service being relied upon is that promoted by Kolter (1999), who stated that: â€Å"A service is any benefit or activity that one party can offer to another, which is essentially intangible and does not result in the ownership of anything. Its production may or may not be tied to a physical product.† Harrison (2003) and Holbrook (1999) regard quality as being the originator for meeting the expectation of value and satisfaction for the customer. In this respect, Holbrook (1999, p.13) states that â€Å"quality, generally, is an externally mediate perception that a product or service possesses excellent levels of the key quality dimensions which define quality for that product/service.† From the commercial aspect therefore, it is apparent that businesses have a need to use service quality in order to attract customers and to retain their loyalty in a manner that will lead to them continuing to purchase the service in the future, in other words quality is one of the core competing elements (Berry and Parasuraman 1991). An essential element of this will be to aim to provide the customer with an experience of service quality that they perceive to be of a higher value than they can expect to receive elsewhere, at least for the same price and conditions (Hennig-Thurau and Hansen (2000, p.169). Service quality has to permeate through all aspects of the business which, as has been identified earlier, will include the way that employees react to clients, the dà ©cor and content of the environment where the service quality takes place and the control of external determinates. These latter â€Å"situational / environment characteristics† (Holbrook 1999, p.30) are extremely important in a hotel environment as they will directly impact upon the customers perception of value and satisfaction. For example, if when arriving at the hotel the customer is required to wait for some time to become registered and given their room keys, this could adversely affect their satisfaction levels. Furthermore, this experience may reflect in their post–purchase behaviour, for example with the memory of the experience being marred by this one incidence, thus reducing the value they have gained and the likelihood of re-booking. However, what has to be remembered is that each business is unique and will therefore have to find its own way of using service quality in an effort to gain competitive advantage. What works for one sector of an industry or even an individual business may not work for another. In fact trying to change a business service quality strategy to emulate that of another business may do more harm than good (Porter 1998, p.531). For instance, the service quality format and strategy developed by budget hotels such as Travelodge may not work for the five-star hotel sector of the industry. Nevertheless, as can be seen from this discussion, it is important for the commercial organisation to research the are of service quality as it impacts upon their particular business model as this will provide them with â€Å"valuable insights† into how to promote their goods or services in a way that is deemed to provide the customer with the level of service quality that they are expecting (Hennig-Thurau and Hensen 2000, p.13) 3.3  Methods used to measure customer satisfaction and service quality There are a number of methods for measuring the relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality that have been discussed in literature over the years, both from the academic and practical viewpoint. For the purpose of this research it has been decided to use the SERQUAL method originally developed and later revised by Parasuraman et al (1991). However, prior to reviewing this particular method and the reasons for its choice, it would be of benefit to briefly discuss some of the other measurements that are available. Other methods One method of measurement that is particularly popular in the hospitality sector, especially with guesthouses, is the use of comments and feedback from the customer. As Porter (1998, p.147) acknowledges this system of testimonials does have value in the respect that it provides the supplier with a direct indication of the levels of value and satisfaction experienced by the customer. However, the difficulty with this process is twofold. Firstly, the construction of the process may be misleading for the customer and the business (Kandampully et al 2001). For example, a simple complaints format does not show areas where the business is succeeding. The second aspect of this process is that it is not sufficiently defined. The business managers need to know in which specific service quality areas they are performing well or not. Without such definition it is difficult for them to be able to address areas that are perceived by the customer as a concern. Two other methods that prove quite popular are the general satisfaction and the continuous monitoring surveys and polls. Both of these have their drawbacks. In terms of the former, whilst it is in many ways similar to the SERVQUAL method chosen, its concentration upon the customers perceptions leaves it weak in terms of providing practical results that can be directly implemented by the business. Continuous surveys on the other hand have the inherent problem of adding to administrative costs within the business and, in addition, there may be issues with sampling (Visit Britain 2008 b). These can result from the fact that, being random in nature, continual update of relevant data is required, which may not always be easy for an individual business to acquire or manage. SERVQUAL Measurement The SERVQUAL method of measurement is one that has been â€Å"extensively applied† (Shahin 2005, p.4) and has been found by many to be particularly useful in providing a â€Å"true measure of customer service† (Kandampully et al 2001, p.68). It is seen to be relevant to the hospitality sector and has been used extensively in this area of commerce. Although in some cases this model has been extended by researchers to a dozen elements, essentially the foundation of the SERVQUAL process is founded on five key factors (Sahney et al 2004), which are: Tangibles. Physical facilities, equipment and appearance of personnel. Reliability. Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Responsiveness. Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Assurance (including competence, courtesy, credibility and

Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) Essay -- essays research papers

Youth crime is a growing epidemic that affects most teenagers at one point in their life. There is no question in society to whether or not youths are committing crimes. It has been shown that since 1986 to 1998 violent crime committed by youth jumped approximately 120% (CITE). The most controversial debate in Canadian history would have to be about the Young Offenders Act (YOA). In 1982, Parliament passed the Young Offenders Act (YOA). Effective since 1984, the Young Offenders Act replaced the most recent version of the Juvenile Delinquents Act (JDA). The Young Offenders Act’s purpose was to shift from a social welfare approach to making youth take responsibility for their actions. It also addressed concerns that the paternalistic treatment of children under the JDA did not conform to Canadian human rights legislation (Mapleleaf). It remained a heated debate until the new legislation passed the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Some thought a complete overhaul was needed, others t hought minor changes would suffice, and still others felt that the Young Offenders Act was best left alone. In February 2002, the House of Commons passed the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). The Act came into effect in April 2003, replacing the Young Offenders Act (Mapleleaf). The new legislation attempts to balance the legalistic framework of the Young Offenders Act and the social needs approach underlying the Juvenile Delinquents Act. This goal is apparent in the Declaration of Principle stating th...

Essay on Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie -- Glass Menagerie essays

Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie Symbolism plays an integral part in Williams’s play, The Glass Menagerie. Examples of the use of symbolism include the fire escape, as an escape from the family, the phonograph, as an escape from reality, the unicorn, as a symbol for Laura's uniqueness and the father’s photograph, representing something different to each character. Through regonition of these symbols, a greater understanding of the play’s theme is achieved. Throughout the play, Tom Wingfield was torn by a responsibility he felt for his mother and sister and the need to be his own man. He used the fire escape most in the play. He went outside to stand on it when he smoked, to escape the nagging from his mother, and to make his final independence from his family. Tom didn't like being responsible for his mother and sister, working day-in and day-out at a job he hated. He wanted to escape down those stairs and never come back. In scene V Tom speaks to the audience about what he observes from the fire escape, Paradise Dance Hall. The dance hall to him was what he wanted, everyone was living exciting lives "hot swing music and liquor, dance halls, bars and movies, and sex that hung in the gloom..." Tom longed to live a more exciting life. In the final scene Tom says "I descended the steps of this fire escape for a last time and followed, from then on, in my father's footsteps, attempting to find in motion what was lost in space." Tom wanted to be free and to him the fire escape was the exit into freedom. Movies were also an important part of Tom's life. He went to the movies when he and his mother argued or when he felt he needed some excitement. In scene IV Amanda asks "Why do you go to the movies so much, Tom?" and... ...nger; anger that he's abandon them and is doing what he wants. The symbols used in the play are a means of escape. For Tom it's the movies and the fire escape, for Laura it's the Victrola and her glass and for the father, it's his picture. He's escaped from the responsibility of raising and paying for their family. Works Cited and Consulted Beattie, Elisabeth L. "The Glass Menagerie." Masterplots, ed. Frank M. Magill. Revised Second Ed. Vol. 5. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1996. Bigsby, C. W. E. "Entering the Glass Menagerie." The Cambridge Companion to Tennessee Williams, ed. Matthew C. Roudane. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Williams, Tennessee. Conversations with Tennessee Williams, ed. Albert Devlin. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1986. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. New York: New Directions Publishing, 1995. Essay on Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie -- Glass Menagerie essays Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie Symbolism plays an integral part in Williams’s play, The Glass Menagerie. Examples of the use of symbolism include the fire escape, as an escape from the family, the phonograph, as an escape from reality, the unicorn, as a symbol for Laura's uniqueness and the father’s photograph, representing something different to each character. Through regonition of these symbols, a greater understanding of the play’s theme is achieved. Throughout the play, Tom Wingfield was torn by a responsibility he felt for his mother and sister and the need to be his own man. He used the fire escape most in the play. He went outside to stand on it when he smoked, to escape the nagging from his mother, and to make his final independence from his family. Tom didn't like being responsible for his mother and sister, working day-in and day-out at a job he hated. He wanted to escape down those stairs and never come back. In scene V Tom speaks to the audience about what he observes from the fire escape, Paradise Dance Hall. The dance hall to him was what he wanted, everyone was living exciting lives "hot swing music and liquor, dance halls, bars and movies, and sex that hung in the gloom..." Tom longed to live a more exciting life. In the final scene Tom says "I descended the steps of this fire escape for a last time and followed, from then on, in my father's footsteps, attempting to find in motion what was lost in space." Tom wanted to be free and to him the fire escape was the exit into freedom. Movies were also an important part of Tom's life. He went to the movies when he and his mother argued or when he felt he needed some excitement. In scene IV Amanda asks "Why do you go to the movies so much, Tom?" and... ...nger; anger that he's abandon them and is doing what he wants. The symbols used in the play are a means of escape. For Tom it's the movies and the fire escape, for Laura it's the Victrola and her glass and for the father, it's his picture. He's escaped from the responsibility of raising and paying for their family. Works Cited and Consulted Beattie, Elisabeth L. "The Glass Menagerie." Masterplots, ed. Frank M. Magill. Revised Second Ed. Vol. 5. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1996. Bigsby, C. W. E. "Entering the Glass Menagerie." The Cambridge Companion to Tennessee Williams, ed. Matthew C. Roudane. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Williams, Tennessee. Conversations with Tennessee Williams, ed. Albert Devlin. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1986. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. New York: New Directions Publishing, 1995.

AdoLf HitLer :: essays research papers

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau, Austria, a small town across the Inn River from Germany. Right after the birth of Adolf, his father, Alois Hitler, moved their family to Linz, Austria. Hitler was a good student at first while attending school in Luniz, but as he went to high school he became a very poor student.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1907, Adolf went to Vienna Austria, in an effort to fulfill one of his dreams, and that dream was to become an artist, his attempt to become an artist ended when he failed the entrance exam to get into the Academy of Fine Arts. When Adolf’s mother died he continued to live in Vienna. Adolf decided to try to take the entrance exam again a year later and he fail it again. At this time Hitler was very troubled disappointed (Keesee 10). Hitler started to live in cheep apartment rooms, and sometimes even on park benches, and often had to get his meals from charity kitchens. During Adolf’s time he spent in Vienna, he learned to hate non-Germans. Hitler was a German-speaking Austrian and considered himself German. Hitler ridiculed the Austrian government for recognizing Bowers 2 eight different languages and believed that no government could last if they treated all ethnic groups the same (20). In 1913 Hitler went to Munich, Germany and when World War I began in 1914, he volunteered to be in the German army. When World War I ended Hitler was hospitalized and recovering from temporary blindness which was probably caused by a poison gas attack (30).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The country was now bankrupted because of the funding of the war, and millions of people were unemployed. In 1920, Hitler joined the National Socialist German Workers Party, which were known as the Nazis. The Nazis called for all Germans, even Germans that were in other countries, so they could unite into one nation. They wanted the treaty of Versailles to be cancelled. Hitler moved up to the leader of the Nazi party and built up his membership quickly, mostly because of his powerful speaking ability (Lutzer 8).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hitler organized am army for the Nazi party and called them the Storm Troopers which were also known as â€Å"Brown Shirts†. They were usually called upon to fight groups that were tying to break up the Nazi rallies (25).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bowers 3 On November 9, 1923, Hitler led more than 2,000 Storm Troopers on a march to seize the Bavarian government. AdoLf HitLer :: essays research papers Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau, Austria, a small town across the Inn River from Germany. Right after the birth of Adolf, his father, Alois Hitler, moved their family to Linz, Austria. Hitler was a good student at first while attending school in Luniz, but as he went to high school he became a very poor student.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1907, Adolf went to Vienna Austria, in an effort to fulfill one of his dreams, and that dream was to become an artist, his attempt to become an artist ended when he failed the entrance exam to get into the Academy of Fine Arts. When Adolf’s mother died he continued to live in Vienna. Adolf decided to try to take the entrance exam again a year later and he fail it again. At this time Hitler was very troubled disappointed (Keesee 10). Hitler started to live in cheep apartment rooms, and sometimes even on park benches, and often had to get his meals from charity kitchens. During Adolf’s time he spent in Vienna, he learned to hate non-Germans. Hitler was a German-speaking Austrian and considered himself German. Hitler ridiculed the Austrian government for recognizing Bowers 2 eight different languages and believed that no government could last if they treated all ethnic groups the same (20). In 1913 Hitler went to Munich, Germany and when World War I began in 1914, he volunteered to be in the German army. When World War I ended Hitler was hospitalized and recovering from temporary blindness which was probably caused by a poison gas attack (30).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The country was now bankrupted because of the funding of the war, and millions of people were unemployed. In 1920, Hitler joined the National Socialist German Workers Party, which were known as the Nazis. The Nazis called for all Germans, even Germans that were in other countries, so they could unite into one nation. They wanted the treaty of Versailles to be cancelled. Hitler moved up to the leader of the Nazi party and built up his membership quickly, mostly because of his powerful speaking ability (Lutzer 8).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hitler organized am army for the Nazi party and called them the Storm Troopers which were also known as â€Å"Brown Shirts†. They were usually called upon to fight groups that were tying to break up the Nazi rallies (25).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bowers 3 On November 9, 1923, Hitler led more than 2,000 Storm Troopers on a march to seize the Bavarian government.

Mcbride Financial Services Marketing Plan Essay

The firm will specialize in conventional, FHA, and VA loans for home purchasing and refinancing. The company intends to expand its operations into Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. † (McBride Financial Services website, 2003) According to their intranet site, McBride’s target market is: 1. Professionals purchasing either a primary or secondary residence. 2. Retirees purchasing a primary or secondary residence. 3. Families and/or individuals purchasing recreational properties. This document will review McBride Financial Services’ existing marketing approach and offer suggestions for focusing market research and what types of media to use. Additionally a review will be made of McBride’s target market and how the existing strategy relates to the marketing principles of the 4Ps and SIVA. Target Market McBride’s target market is professionals and retirees purchasing a primary of secondary residence as well as individuals or families looking to purchase recreational properties. They service the following states: Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and North and South Dakota. In addition, McBride is focusing on using state of the art technology in order to be able to offer their low cost mortgage services which means that the target market must also be willing and able to conduct are large portion of the mortgage application transaction using electronic means, i. e. Internet and email. Media types McBride’s current marketing plan, as listed on their intranet site, includes the use of the following media types: localized TV ads, newspapers, radio and realtors in addition to informational handouts available at airports and major tourist attractions. McBride’s annual advertising budget is $80,000. Given that McBride utilizes technology to reduce the cost of the mortgage application process, it is surprising that the existing marketing plan does not include an online advertising strategy. 4Ps The 4Ps are product, price, promotion and place. McBride’s product is low cost conventional, FHA and VA mortgages. The price for a credit report, the mortgage application, an inspection and appraisal is fixed at $1,500. Promotions are created through the above mentioned media types of TV, radio, newspapers and realtors and through informational handouts at the airports and at tourist attractions. The placement for the application process is via McBride’s website. Marketing Strategy The SIVA marketing methodology is defined as solution, information, value and access. According to Dev and Schultz (2005) this approach to marketing starts with understanding the market and the customers based on true and deep customer insights and then identify and clarify what customer’s value. Market research needs to be focused on identifying customer’s core wants and needs from a mortgage lender so that targeted value propositions can be created. McBride needs to adjust or change their services to align with the marketing research results. Additionally, McBride needs to focus on gaining insight from existing customers as to how to improve their services as well as potentially tapping that customer base for referral, perhaps by creating an incentive for existing customer’s to bring in new clients. Put another way, the market research should investigate McBride’s target market of professionals, retirees, individuals and families to create a solution (S) based on what those customer’s value. That solution can in turn be used to create multiple targeted value propositions (I) highlighting how McBride’s services address the needs and wants of their customers. McBride then delivers on the value proposition as determined by customer needs and wants gained in the research (V). The value is measured through both market research on potential customers and through feedback loops from existing customer’s so that solutions can continually evolve to better meet the needs of the target markets.

Difficult Emotion Process

My friend and her boyfriend broke up months ago and I also got affected with the break-up because I’ve also become friends with the ex-boyfriend. My friend has started to see other guys and the ex-boyfriend is seeing other girls too. The thing is, the ex-boyfriend, although he is dating with other girls, isn’t over my friend yet and he is using me as his bridge to his ex-girlfriend. That is fine with me. My role would be to update the ex-boyfriend with how the girl is doing.As a friend, I had become a confidante of the girl and she would tell me all so I know that the girl is really over her ex-boyfriend and has started to like the guy he met in one of her Chemistry class. Then, being a friend of the ex-boyfriend, I have learned that he constantly thinks of my friend and still hoping that they could come to reconciliation and eventually get back together. I thought that the ex-boyfriend should know that there won’t be a second chance between them. I have already given him the idea and then, he wanted me to tell everything about what I know of his ex and the current of his ex.I did and this made him confront the ex-girlfriend. Now, my friend is upset at me. Part of me felt guilty and the other makes me think that I shouldn’t for I am just being a friend to both of them. 2. I’ve thought about our friendship and I felt horrible of how it is right now. I felt it’s shouldn’t how friendships should end and I’ve thought friendships shouldn’t be ruined like that. Being in the same school, we can avoid passing each other but we can’t avoid seeing each other. On our free time, I asked her if she wanted to talk and she said yes.Maybe, she felt the same as I did and maybe, she also wanted to talk about it. I think she misses me too! I told her that I regret not having to explain to her right away and that we ended not talking to each other. I explained to her that I felt guilty about having to disclose h er dating with another guy to her ex-boyfriend, but, I think as a friend to her ex, I should help him move on and by telling him about her new guy this would make him think. I also told her that I think she should also tell this to his ex so the ex could start moving on.I said that when she got upset, I also felt the same towards her because I couldn’t understand why she would feel like that and I couldn’t sleep thinking of what she is thinking about me. I said that I also had second thoughts of telling it all to the ex. I also told her that I felt I do not deserve the cold treatment I’ve been receiving from her for days because I think I did the right thing to help the ex and that will not do her any harm and that there is no point of keeping the dating in secret from her ex.And if she felt that I’m not supposed to befriend the ex, it isn’t right. I told her that I wanted to get things back the way it was before all those things happened. 3. Iâ₠¬â„¢ve had confrontations before and every time it is so difficult to go through. I watched her reactions and I saw that she is also saddened. She was listening intently. When it came to the part where I told her of how I do not deserve her kind of treatment, she covered her face and started to cry, but she kept on listening. I think I did all the talking at our conversation.She was so quiet. It was really awkward. I thought, at that moment, I was hurting her. Just to end the silence, I asked her if she wanted to buy a soda. She turned to me and said she missed me. I don’t know if things between us is really okay right now, but maybe it would. I hope it would. Maybe later we could try fixing things. I think what’s important is that we start talking to each other again. Later, I would try to talk her through trusting each other again. 4. The skill was useful, although I wasn’t perfectly sure if I followed it all.But it reminded me of many points that would help m e and it did help me. The timing was perfect, I wasn’t telling any non-sense that could have hurt her more. I think it helped me make my friend understand how I felt. I was so cautious with my words and because I know her well, I know which words could hurt her and which won’t and how I should tell her. I just know how she would take things based on how it is being delivered to her. I didn’t get much response from her at that time, but, later, she’ll talk.

Cell Phone Abuse

Cell Phone Abuse At the present day, with the development of IT and information industry, cell phone gradually plays an indispensable role in our daily life. Nonetheless, for the benefit of our concentration, health and social interaction around us, more attention should be paid to negative impact on the overuse of cell phone. According to a study of two hundred students at Sanford University revealed that 34 percent rated themselves as addicted to their phones, while 32 percent worried they someday would be addicted.As a matter of fact, a vast majority of people suffer from the same problems. It is not uncommon that when they get ready for the day, their cell phones go with them everywhere. Despite the convenience and efficiency cell phones bring them, they fail to take into account the fact that too much addition to phones contributes directly to be unable to concentrate well on daily affairs. For instance, on account of depending on constant contact and instant information, when e ven having classes, a great many students cannot help checking the message or email on phones surreptitiously.Furthermore, when working, driving, just hanging out with friends or doing whatever, to be honest, we are bound to be extremely attached to our phones with enjoying the pleasurable feelings from the act of texting or receiving messages. When it comes to my relationship with cell phone, exaggeratingly speaking, it seems that if I am not called, texted, or commented on my blog, my soul will be lost; hence, it prevents me from focusing on doing my assignments or having a sound sleep. Apparently, excessively obsessed with cell phone distract us from noticing what important happen around us and getting things well done.Admit it, no one can deny the basic fact that cell phone not only provides us with a huge amount of information and various of applications, but also enables us to contact our friends and family immediately and conveniently. However, we tend to live under the illus ion that cell phone can get us more associated with the people and the community nearby, without awareness of the hidden fact that it has crept into every aspect of daily life, ironically weakening the basic human communication.For one thing, with the increase of cell phone use, face-to-face conversations in relationships are unwittingly unpopular with most of us; instead, we prefer to convey our affections by text messaging and cell phone conversations. It is showed by a Verizon Wireless survey that for the Augusta area there are close to 50 percent of its customers send and receive more than 100 text messages a week. † Moreover, Rick Pukis, an associate professor of communication at Augusta State University, says that texting may affect the way we interact with each other.Actually, as we all know, sometimes when we send the smile expressions in the messages, it is not exactly what we do on our faces. Worse still, in order to save time or just feel cool, we usually brief the words such as replacing â€Å"are† with â€Å"r†, which may makes us run the risk of losing the ability to communicate completely and intelligently. On the other hand, spending too much time on calling up or texting the friends we already knew decreases the chance of developing friendships with strangers, cutting off new conversations and potential friends in the public.As a consequence, without doubt, cell phone builds a wall between the community and us, exerting a detrimental influence on our social interaction. But at the same time, cell phone benefits us a lot, too. On the one hand, mobiles make it convenient for people to keep in touch with each other at anytime anywhere. With phones in hand, even though being abroad, we still can immediately share our daily life with friends by uploading images on face book. In this way, friends will feel closer to us and be able to express their affections to us as they like.In the abundant sunshine of friends and our family th rough the phones, our life will be more colorful and powerful. Additionally, under the pressure of working or studying, one of the ideal ways to relax and refresh ourselves is to do some recreation. For example, we can release the stress and adjust the mood by playing some funny games and listening to music, which help us have a better state to continue our next tasks. Therefore, to some degree, smart phones increasingly play a significant role in our life.