Innovation at apple Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Innovation at apple - Coursework Example Evidences suggest that many companies have achieved a strong global presence within a short period of time over the last two decades on the strength of their technology and innovation management. The explosive growth of Apple Inc over the last decade is a good example of how a company can create an insanely loyal customer base and dominate the market. This paper will discuss the current significance of innovation and technology management using normative literature and critically analyse the case study to identify contemporary issues in international technology management and hence to justify the arguments. Innovation and technology management Today, companies give specific focus to innovation and technology in order to enhance fast business growth and to master the intense competitive practices brought about by the globalisation forces. In developed countries, innovation is considered as a key tool to address the challenges raised by the low cost producers from emerging economies. A number of the economic reforms introduced over the last few decades have led to the development of new economic powerhouses like India and China, which maintain strong scientific capabilities. In addition, the emergence of globalisation eliminated cross border trade barriers and enhanced the cross border movement of capital, labour, cultures, and ideas. Even though globalisation promotes international trade, products manufactured internationally need to comply with particular needs of targeted markets. Hence, when a multinational corporation markets its products in technologically developed countries like US, UK, or China, it must be able to meet higher level expectation of consumers. Therefore, many of the today’s organisations have established special departments to foster innovation and technological advancements. Innovation management is a recently developed branch of management that particularly deals with execution of various processes in innovation. Generally innovati on can be of two types; product and organisational innovation. Innovation management addresses a set of tools that assist business managers to work together with a common understanding of different objectives and processes. Management experts claim that innovation management greatly benefits an organisation to timely and effectively respond to external or internal growth opportunities and to use its resources to develop new ideas, products, or processes (Rossini 1978, p.45). It must be noted that the scope of innovation management is not limited to research and development activities. In contrast, it encourages frontline workers to top executives to contribute their creativity to the firms’ growth, especially in the areas of manufacturing and marketing. By practicing effective innovation management tools, management can foster employee creativity and gather combined employee efforts towards the sustainable development of the firm (Clark 1980, pp.23-24). Technology management is another set of management disciplines that defines a clear way for organisations to deal with their technological landscape successfully and hence to obtain a competitive edge over their market rivals. The common concepts employed in the technology management are ‘technology strategy, technology forecasting, technology roadmapping, technology project portfolio, and technology portfolio’

Philip Randolph in civil right movement Essay Example for Free

Philip Randolph in civil right movement Essay Asa Philip Randolph is well known for organizing labor power as well as for leading civil rights movement. 1889 born Randolph was an ardent spokesperson of non violent activism against the American racism which led the improvement of the position of blacks in 20th centaury. He firmly believed that the black progress could be achieved through black working class. He always raised the voice for social justice which paved the way to his political activism. From the college days, he began his mission. When he was in college, he started an employment agency with fellow student Chandler Owen, for those blacks who arrived in New York from South. After graduation, with the influence of W. E. B. Du Bois The Souls of Black Folk, Randolph joined the socialist party and started addressing the crowd about socialism and importance of militant class consciousness. In 1917 he published the first issue of the magazine â€Å"messenger’ which was later termed as one of the most brilliantly edited magazines in the history of American Negro journalism. In 1925, he formed an organization of Brotherhood of sleeping car porters in the wake of refusal of membership of blacks by American Federation Labor . The organization was consisting of those black porters worked for Pullman Company. The Pullman an employer of blacks denied the organization of the blacks in earlier period. There was a case of firing the employees who marched for wage increase and improve working conditions. Randolph as the president of Brotherhood of sleeping car porters laid down a unrelenting and dignified negotiation meetings with Pullman authorities which led the sanction of the first union of black, Brotherhood of sleeping car porters and subsequent wage increase of $2 miilion. Moreover Randolph could achieve a contract of railroad with this particular company in 1937. Randolph moved forward with the motto of complete equality and economic opportunity for blacks’ . He explained his activities as the idea of separatism is harkening to the past and it is undesirable even if it could be realized, because the progess of mankind has been based upon contact and association, upon social, intellectual and cultural contact. (Ebony magazine, 1970)(1) A year after the successful negation with Pullman co. Randolph initiated an action to end the employment discrimination against blacks in the federal government . He put pressure on the President Franklin D. Roosewelt in this matter. Moreover he analyzed the recruitment process of US military for World War II to put an end to racial discrimination. Since all the efforts regarding federal and military hiring turned in vain, he carried out the famous 1941 march to Washington with 50thousand blacks. Consequently Roosevelt issued an order banning discrimination in the defense ministry. Even though the committee established for improving the condition of the blacks, it could not meet the effective means of enacting it. The racial equality had continuously been violated. This pulled Randolph to move ahead with his civil right movement. He founded the League for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience against Military Segregation. He warned the Congressional committee that the black and white youth would be insisted to boycott the military if the condition of racial inequality mitigated. . The march on Washington went on. In 1942, at Detroit conference he called for the strategy and tactics of the people of India with mass civil disobedience and non-cooperation. In 1943, he insisted the delegates to adopt the policy of non-violent good-will direct action. He challenged President Harry Truman to take an effective action in this regard. Finally Truman issued another order to desegregate the military. In 1950’s and 1960’s also Randolph was actively participated in civil rights movement against the racial discrimination. Through march on Washington movement and the civil disobedience movement to end the segregation in military ,Randolph insisted the new generation of civil right activists that the violent protests are no longer a suitable way to attain the goal. It never mobilizes the public pressure. The movement recognized him by referring the chair of the March on Washington in which Martin Luther King Jr. rendered his famous I Have a Dream speech. In 1955, Randolph was elected as a vice president of the AFL-CIO. Asa Philip Randolph was a notable reformer. His vision and commitment is always inspiration for the young generation. Nobody can deny the fact that Randolph’s firm and peaceful strategic ideas are the major factor which ultimately led success of his mission.

Summary and Analysis of The Man of Laws Tale Essay -- The Canterbury

Summary and Analysis of The Man of Law's Tale Fragment II The Words of the Host to the Company and Prologue to the Man of Law's Tale: The host speaks to the rest of the travelers, telling them that they can regain lost property but not lost time. The host suggests that the lawyer tell the next tale, and he agrees to do so, for he does not intend to break his promises. He says that we ought to keep the laws we give to others. He even refers to Chaucer, who works ignorantly and writes poorly, but at the very least does not write filthy tales of incest. The Man of Law tells the company that he will tell a tale by Chaucer called the tale of Cupid's Saints. The lawyer prepares for the tale he will tell about poverty, and does so in a pretentious and formal manner. Analysis In the prologue to the Man of Law's Tale, Chaucer once again plays with the divergence between the actual author and the narrator of each tale with the lawyer's critical reference to Chaucer, as if he were not the actual architect of the tale's words. The lawyer's critique of Chaucer is playful, little more than a sarcastic jibe at Chaucer's own abilities and a critique of Chaucer's contemporaries not meant to be taken seriously. In fact, little that the lawyer says is momentous or significant. Chaucer portrays the lawyer as pompous and formal, addressing the motley crowd as if he were speaking to the court. The Man of Law's Tale, Part One: In Syria there dwelt a company of wealthy traders who made a journey to Rome. After a certain time there, they beheld Constance, the emperor's daughter, who was renowned equally for her goodness and beauty. When the merchants returned to Syria, they reported to the sultan what they had seen; he immediately ... ... Â ­ Constance survives and remains devoted to her faith. She is thus comparable to biblical characters such as Jonah and Job. Her final reward for her steadfast faith comes when she reunites with both her father and her husband upon her final return to Rome. Even in the fate of Maurice is the influence of Christianity felt. He becomes emperor of Rome only when the pope gives his assent. Epilogue to the Man of Law's Tale: The Host praised the Lawyer for his tale, and urged the Parish Priest to tell a tale. The Parson chides the Host for swearing, and he in turn mocks the Parson as a "Jankin" (a contemptuous name for a priest). The Shipman decides that he will tell a tale next. In the fragments that remain of the Canterbury Tales, however, the Shipman's Tale exists later in the manuscripts, in the seventh set of stories. The Wife of Bath's Tale follows instead.

Albert Camus Essay

How Aschenbach and Meursault in Death in Venice and The Stranger respectively, are driven by mind initially then change to being driven by the heart as the result of a key event In both The Stranger and Death in Venice, the characters change as the book progresses. There is mainly one action that sparks this drastic change. In The Stranger, this action is the murder of Raymond’s mistress’ brother, and in Death in Venice this critical moment occurs when Aschenbach has the sudden urge to travel. Aschenbach and Meursault are both characters that move from one extreme to the other. They begin as characters who make decisions based solely on what their mind tells them. As the novel develops, these characters move to the other extreme, which is making decisions based solely on what their heart tells them. This transition from extreme logical thinking to extreme emotional thinking is what leads to the downfall of both Aschenbach and Meursault. As the novel begins, Thomas Mann introduces Aschenbach as a fairly likable German writer. Initially the reader sees Aschenbach as a normal character anyone can relate to. He lives a very stable life, and has never traveled before. Aschenbach is a character who is extremely involved in his work and one who organizes his entire life based on how he can best achieve quality in his work. At this point in the novel Aschenbach makes all his decisions using his mind rather than his heart. While taking a stroll, Aschenbach sees a man with red hair as well as long teeth. It is this man that pushes his mind in to traveling. Aschenbach begins to change as soon as he sets his mind to travel. In his daydream regarding his adventure he envisions a â€Å"†¦ landscape, a tropical swampy region under a vapor-laden sky, damp, luxuriant and uncanny; it was like the portrait of a primitive world of islands morasses and slit-laden rivers† (pg 3, Mann). The symbol of Aschenbach’s departure on this journey is the sign of the beginning of his decline. It is from this point on that Aschenbach transforms from being a normal man who makes logical decisions with is brain, to one that makes decisions with his heart. As Aschenbach’s journey progresses, he notices many men with red hair and long white teeth like the one that inspired him to travel. This shows the constant rapid declining of Aschenbach. His first sight of Tadzio in the hotel marks the beginning of the extreme heart-driven Aschenbach. His description of Tadzio clearly portrays his obsession. â€Å"With astonishment Aschenbach observed that the boy was perfectly beautiful. His face, pale and charmingly secretive with the honey-colored hair curling around it, with its straight-sloping nose, its lovely mouth and its expression of sweet and divine earnestness recalled Greek statues of the noblest period, and, along with its extremely pure perfection of form, it was of such unique personal charm that the onlooker thought he had never come across anything so felicitous either in nature or in art† (pg 20, Mann). Once Aschenbach begins to follow Tadzio’s every step, the reader notices that Aschenbach is becoming more and more indulged in Tadzio’s life rather than his own. â€Å"His head and his heart were drunk, and his steps followed the dictates of that dark god whose pleasure it is to trample man’s reason and dignity underfoot†. Even when Aschenbach learns of an epidemic, he realizes that if he dies along with Tadzio, they will be able to meet in heaven. Aschenbach loses total control of his mind and gives in to Venice, a â€Å"city, half fairy tale and half tourist trap, in whose insalubrious air the arts once rankly and voluptuously blossomed, where composers have been inspired to lulling tones of somniferous eroticism. † Even when given the opportunity to leave Venice and escape cholera, his love for Tadzio weighs him down. Aschenbach then has fantasies about everyone else dying, and him being left alone with Tadzio. Now it can be clearly seen that Aschenbach’s passion is coming directly from the heart, and no thinking is being done on his part. This extreme obsession from Aschenbach’s heart immediately leads to his downfall. He dies in his chair, and it is hours before anyone notices. Albert Camus introduces Meursault as a character people are quite taken aback by.

Blood Promise Chapter Twelve

Being with Lissa left me with more questions than answers, and so without a course of action, I simply continued to stay with the Belikovs for the next few days. I fell into their normal routine, again surprised by how easy it was. I tried hard to make myself useful, doing any chores they'd let me do and even going so far as watching the baby (something I wasn't entirely comfortable with, seeing as guardian training hadn't left much time for after school jobs like babysitting). Yeva eyed me the whole time, never saying anything but always looking like she disapproved. I wasn't sure if she wanted me to go or if that was simply the way she always looked. The others, however, didn't question me at all. They were delighted to have me around and made it obvious in every action. Viktoria was especially happy. â€Å"I wish you could come back to school with us,† Viktoria said wistfully one evening. She and I had been spending a lot of time together. â€Å"When do you go back?† â€Å"Monday, right after Easter.† I felt a little sadness stir in me. Whether I was still here or not, I would miss her. â€Å"Oh, man. I didn't realize it was so soon.† A small silence fell between us; then she gave me a sidelong look. â€Å"Have you thought†¦ well, have you maybe thought about coming back to St. Basil's with us?† I stared. â€Å"St. Basil's? Your school is named after a saint too?† Not all of them were. Adrian had attended an East Coast school called Alder. â€Å"Ours is a human saint,† she said with a grin. â€Å"You could enroll there. You could finish your last year-I'm sure they'd take you.† Of all the crazy options I'd considered on this trip-and believe me, I'd considered a lot of crazy things-that was one that had never crossed my mind. I'd written school off. I was pretty sure there was nothing else I could learn-well, after meeting Sydney and Mark, it had become obvious there were still a few more things. Considering what I wanted to do with my life, however, I didn't think another semester of math and science would do much for me. And as far as guardian training went, mostly all I had left to do w s prepare for the end-of-year trials. I somehow doubted those tests and challenges would even come remotely close to what I'd experienced with Strigoi already. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't think so. I think I'm pretty much done with school. Besides, it'd all be in Russian.† â€Å"They'd translate for you.† A mischievous grin lit her face. â€Å"Besides, kicking and punching transcend language.† Her smile faded to a more thoughtful expression. â€Å"But seriously. If you aren't going to finish school, and you aren't going to be a guardian†¦ well, why don't you stay here? I mean, just in Baia. You could live with us.† â€Å"I'm not going to be a blood whore,† I said immediately. An odd look crossed her face. â€Å"That's not what I meant.† â€Å"I shouldn't have said that. Sorry.† I felt bad about the comment. While I kept hearing rumors about blood whores in town, I'd only seen one or two, and certainly the Belikov women weren't among them. Sonya's pregnancy was something of a mystery, but working in a drugstore didn't seem that sordid. I'd learned a little bit more about Karolina's situation. The father of her children was a Moroi she apparently had a genuine connection with. She hadn't cheapened herself to be with him, and he hadn't used her. After the baby was born, the two of them had decided to part ways, but it had been friendly. Karolina was now apparently dating a guardian who visited whenever he had leave. The few blood whores I had seen around town very much fit my stereotype. Their clothing and makeup screamed easy sex. The bruises on their necks clearly showed that they had no problem with letting their partners drink blood during sex, which was pretty much the sleaziest thing a dhampir could do. Only humans gave blood to Moroi. My race didn't. To allow it-particularly during sexual activities-well, like I said, it was sleazy. The dirtiest of the dirty. â€Å"Mother would love it if you stayed. You could get a job too. Just be part of our family.† â€Å"I can't take Dimitri's place, Viktoria,† I said softly. She reached out and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. â€Å"I know. No one expects you to. We like you for you, Rose. You being here just feels right-there's a reason Dimka chose to be with you. You fit in here.† I tried to imagine the life she described. It sounded†¦ easy. Comfortable. No worries. Just living with a loving family, laughing and hanging out together each night. I could go about my own life, not having to trail someone else all day. I would have sisters. There'd be no fighting-unless it was to defend. I could give up this plan to kill Dimitri-which I knew would kill me too, either physically or spiritually. I could choose the rational path, let him go and accept him as dead. And, yet†¦ if I did that, why not just go back to Montana? Back to Lissa and the Academy? â€Å"I don't know,† I told Viktoria at last. â€Å"I don't know what I'm going to do.† It was just after dinner, and she glanced hesitantly at the clock. â€Å"I don't want to leave you since we don't have much time together, but†¦ I was supposed to meet someone soon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Nikolai?† I teased. She shook her head, and I tried to hide my disappointment. I'd seen him a few times, and he'd grown more and more likeable. It was too bad Viktoria couldn't kindle any feelings for him. Now, though, I wondered if there might be something holding her back-or rather, someone. â€Å"Oh, spill,† I said with a grin. â€Å"Who is he?† She kept her face blank in a fair imitation of Dimitri's. â€Å"A friend,† she said evasively. But I thought I saw a smile in her eyes. â€Å"Someone at school?† â€Å"No.† She sighed. â€Å"And that's the problem. I'm going to miss him so much.† My smile faded. â€Å"I can imagine.† â€Å"Oh.† She looked embarrassed. â€Å"That's stupid of me. My problems†¦ well, they're nothing compared to yours. I mean, I may not see him for a while†¦ but I will see him. But Dimitri's gone. You won't see him ever again.† Well, that might not be entirely true. I didn't tell her that, though. Instead, I just said, â€Å"Yeah.† To my surprise, she gave me a hug. â€Å"I know what love's like. To lose that†¦ I don't know. I don't know what to say. All I can tell you is that we're here for you. All of us, okay? You can't replace Dimitri, but you do feel like a sister.† Her calling me a sister both stunned and warmed me at the same time. She had to go get ready for her date after that. She hurriedly changed clothes and put on makeup-definitely more than a friend, I decided-and headed out the door. I was kind of glad because I didn't want her to see the tears that her words had brought to my eyes. I'd spent my life as an only child. Lissa had been the closest I had to a sister. I'd always thought of Lissa as one; one I'd now lost. To hear Viktoria call me a sister now†¦ well, it stirred something in me. Something that told me I really did have friends and wasn't alone. I headed down to the kitchen after that, and Olena soon joined me. I was rummaging for food. â€Å"Was that Viktoria I heard leave?† she asked. â€Å"Yeah, she went off to see a friend.† To my credit, I kept my expression neutral. No way would I sell Viktoria out. Olena sighed. â€Å"I'd wanted her to run an errand for me in town.† â€Å"I'll do it,† I said eagerly. â€Å"After I grab something to eat.† She gave me a kind smile and patted my cheek. â€Å"You have a good heart, Rose. I can see why Dimka loved you.† It was so amazing, I thought, how accepted my relationship with Dimitri was around here. No one brought up age or teacher-student relationships. As I'd told Sydney, it was like I was his widow or something, and Viktoria's words about me staying replayed in my head. The way Olena looked at me made me feel like I really was her daughter, and once more, I experienced those traitorous feelings about my own mom. She probably would have scoffed at me and Dimitri. She would have called it inappropriate and said I was too young. Or would she have? Maybe I was being too harsh. Seeing me in front of the open cupboard, Olena shook her head reproachfully. â€Å"But you need to eat first.† â€Å"Just a snack,† I assured her. â€Å"Don't go to any trouble.† She ended up slicing me off big pieces of black bread she'd baked earlier that day and put out a tub of butter because she knew I loved to slather up my slices. Karolina had teased me that Americans might be shocked to know what was in this bread, so I never asked any questions. It was somehow sweet and tangy at the same time, and I loved it. Olena sat down across from me and watched me eat. â€Å"This was his favorite when he was little.† â€Å"Dimitri's?† She nodded. â€Å"Whenever he was on break from school, the first thing he'd do is ask for that bread. I practically had to make him his own loaf each time with the way he ate. The girls never ate that much.† â€Å"Guys always seem to eat more.† Admittedly, I could keep up with most of them. â€Å"And he's bigger and taller than most.† â€Å"True,† she mused. â€Å"But I eventually reached a point where I made him start making it himself. I told him if he was going to eat all my food, he'd best know how much work went into it.† I laughed. â€Å"I can't imagine Dimitri baking bread.† And yet, as soon as the words came out, I reconsidered. My immediate associations with Dimitri were always intense and fierce; it was his sexy, battle-god persona that came to mind. Yet, it had been Dimitri's gentleness and thoughtfulness mixed with that deadliness that made him so wonderful. The same hands that wielded stakes with such precision would carefully brush the hair out of my face. The eyes that could astutely spot any danger in the area would regard me wonderingly and worshipfully, like I was the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world. I sighed, consumed by that bittersweet ache in my chest that had become so familiar now. What a stupid thing, getting worked up over a loaf of bread of all things. But that was how it was. I got emotional whenever I thought about Dimitri. Olena's eyes were on me, sweet and compassionate. â€Å"I know,† she said, guessing my thoughts. â€Å"I know exactly how you feel.† â€Å"Does it get easier?† I asked. Unlike Sydney, Olena had an answer. â€Å"Yes. But you'll never be the same.† I didn't know whether to take comfort from those words or not. After I finished eating, she gave me a brief grocery list, and I set off toward downtown, happy to be outside and moving. Inactivity didn't suit me. While in the grocery store, I was surprised to run into Mark. I'd gotten the impression he and Oksana didn't come to town that often. I wouldn't have put it past them to grow their own food and live off the land. He gave me a warm smile. â€Å"I wondered if you were still around.† â€Å"Yeah.† I held up my basket. â€Å"Just doing some shopping for Olena.† â€Å"I'm glad you're still here,† he said. â€Å"You seem more†¦ at peace.† â€Å"Your ring is helping, I think. At least with the peace. It hasn't done much as far as any decision making goes.† He frowned, shifting the milk he held in one arm to the other. â€Å"What decisions?† â€Å"What to do now. Where to go.† â€Å"Why not stay here?† It was eerie, so similar to the conversation I'd had with Viktoria. And my response was equally similar. â€Å"I don't know what I'd do if I stayed here.† â€Å"Get a job. Live with the Belikovs. They love you, you know. You fit right in with their family.† That warm, loved feeling came back, and I again tried to imagine myself just settling down with them, working in a store like this or waiting tables. â€Å"I don't know,† I said. I was a broken record. â€Å"I just don't know if that's right for me.† â€Å"Better than the alternative,† he warned. â€Å"Better than running off with no real purpose, throwing yourself in the face of danger. That's no choice at all.† And yet, it was the reason I'd come to Siberia in the first place. My inner voice scolded me. Dimitri, Rose. Have you forgotten Dimitri? Have you forgotten how you came here to free him, like he would have wanted? Or was that really what he would have wanted? Maybe he would have wanted me to stay safe. I just didn't know, and with no more help from Mason, my choices were even more muddled. Thinking of Mason suddenly reminded me of something I'd totally forgotten. â€Å"When we talked before†¦ well, we talked about what Lissa and Oksana could do. But what about you?† Mark narrowed his eyes. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Have you ever†¦ have you ever run into, um, ghosts?† Several moments passed, and then he exhaled. â€Å"I'd hoped that wouldn't happen to you.† It astonished me then how much relief I felt to know I wasn't alone in my ghostly experiences. Even though I now understood that having died and been to the world of the dead made me a target for spirits, it was still one of the freakiest things about being shadow-kissed. â€Å"Did it happen without you wanting it?† I asked. â€Å"At first. Then I learned to control it.† â€Å"Me too.† I suddenly recalled the barn. â€Å"Actually, that's not entirely true.† Lowering my voice further, I hastily recapped what had happened on my trip here with Sydney. I'd never spoken of it to anyone. â€Å"You must never, ever do that again,† he said sternly. â€Å"But I didn't mean to! It just happened.† â€Å"You panicked. You needed help, and some part of you called out to the spirits around you. Don't do it. It's not right, and it's easy to lose control.† â€Å"I don't even know how I did it.† â€Å"Like I said, lapse of control. Don't ever let your panic get the best of you.† An older woman passed us, a scarf over her head and a basket of vegetables in her arms. I waited until she was gone before asking Mark, â€Å"Why did they fight for me?† â€Å"Because the dead hate Strigoi. The Strigoi are unnatural, neither living nor dead-just existing in some state in between. Just as we sense that evil, so do the ghosts.† â€Å"Seems like they could be a good weapon.† That face, normally easy and open, frowned. â€Å"It's dangerous. People like you and me already walk the edge of darkness and insanity. Openly calling upon the dead only brings us closer to falling over that edge and losing our minds.† He glanced at his watch and sighed. â€Å"Look, I have to go, but I'm serious, Rose. Stay here. Stay out of trouble. Fight Strigoi if they come to you, but don't go seeking them blindly. And definitely leave the ghosts alone.† It was a lot of advice to get in a grocery store, a lot of advice I wasn't sure I could follow. But I thanked him and sent my regards to Oksana before paying and leaving as well. I was heading back toward Olena's neighborhood when I rounded a corner and nearly walked right into Abe. He was dressed in his usual flashy way, wearing that expensive coat and a yellow-gold scarf that matched the gold in his jewelry. His guardians hovered nearby, and he leaned casually against a building's brick wall. â€Å"So this is why you came to Russia. To go to the market like some peasant.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Of course not.† â€Å"Just sightseeing then?† â€Å"No. I'm just being helpful. Stop trying to get information out of me. You're not as smart as you think you are.† â€Å"That's not true,† he said. â€Å"Look, I told you already. I came here to tell the Belikovs the news. So go back and tell whoever you're working for that that's that.† â€Å"And I told you before not to lie to me,† he said. Again, I saw that odd mix of danger and humor. â€Å"You have no idea how patient I've been with you. From anyone else, I would have gotten the information I needed that first night.† â€Å"Lucky me,† I snapped back. â€Å"What now? Are you going to take me down an alley and beat me up until I tell you why I'm here? I'm losing interest in this whole scary-mob-boss routine, you know.† â€Å"And I'm losing patience with you,† he said. There went the humor, and as he stood over me, I couldn't help but uneasily note that he was better built than most Moroi. A lot of Moroi avoided fights, but I wouldn't have been surprised if Abe had roughed up as many people as his bodyguards had. â€Å"And honestly? I don't care why you're here anymore. You just need to leave. Now.† â€Å"Don't threaten me, old man. I'll leave whenever the hell I want.† It was funny, I'd just sworn to Mark that I didn't know if I could stay in Baia, but when pressured by Abe, I just wanted to dig my feet in. â€Å"I don't know what you're trying to keep me from, but I'm not scared of you.† That also wasn't entirely true. â€Å"You should be,† he returned pleasantly. â€Å"I can be a very good friend or a very bad enemy. I can make it worth your while if you leave. We can strike a bargain.† There was an almost excited gleam in his eyes as he spoke. I recalled Sydney describing him manipulating others, and I got the feeling this was what he lived for-negotiating, striking trades to get what he wanted. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I'll leave when I'm ready. And there's nothing you or whoever you're working for can do about it.† Hoping I appeared bold, I turned around. He reached out and grabbed my shoulder, jerking me back, nearly causing me to lose the groceries. I started to lunge forward in attack mode, but his guardians were right there in a flash. I knew I wouldn't get far. â€Å"Your time is up here,† hissed Abe. â€Å"In Baia. In Russia. Go back to the U.S. I'll give you what you need-money, first-class tickets, whatever.† I stepped out of his reach, backing carefully away. â€Å"I don't need your help or your money-God only knows where it comes from.† A group of people turned the corner across the street, laughing and talking, and I stepped back further, certain Abe wouldn't start a scene with witnesses present. It made me feel braver, which was probably stupid on my part. â€Å"And I already told you: I'll go back whenever the hell I want.† Abe's eyes lifted to the other pedestrians, and he too retreated back with his guardians. That chilling smile was on his face. â€Å"And I told you. I can be a very good friend or a very bad enemy. Get out of Baia before you find out which.† He turned around and left, much to my relief. I didn't want him to see just how much fear his words had left on my face. I went to bed early that night, suddenly feeling antisocial. I lay there for a while, flipping through another magazine I couldn't read, and amazingly found myself growing more and more tired. I think the encounters with Mark and Abe had exhausted me. Mark's words about staying had hit too close to home after my earlier conversation with Viktoria. Abe's thinly veiled threats had raised all my defenses, putting me on guard against whoever was working with him to make me leave Russia. At what point, I wondered, would he truly lose patience and stop trying to bargain? I drifted off to sleep and the familiar sense of an Adrian-dream settled around me. It had been a long time since this had happened, and I'd actually thought he'd listened to me when I'd told him to stay away before. Of course, I always told him that. This had been the longest time span to go by without a visit, and as much as I hated to admit it, I'd kind of missed him. The setting he'd chosen this time was a piece of the Academy's property, a woodsy area near a pond. Everything was green and in bloom, and sunlight shone down on us. I suspected Adrian's creation didn't match what Montana's weather was really like right now, but then, he was in control. He could do whatever he wanted. â€Å"Little dhampir,† he said, smiling. â€Å"Long time no see.† â€Å"I thought you were done with me,† I said, sitting down on a large, smooth rock. â€Å"Never done with you,† he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and strolling over to me. â€Å"Although†¦ to tell the truth, I did intend to stay away this time. But, well, I had to make sure you were still alive.† â€Å"Alive and well.† He smiled down at me. The sun glinted off his brown hair, giving it golden-chestnut highlights. â€Å"Good. You seem very well, actually. Your aura's better than I've ever seen it.† His eyes drifted from my face down to where my hands lay in my lap. Frowning, he knelt down and picked up my right hand. â€Å"What's this?† Oksana's ring was on it. Despite the ring's lack of ornamentation, the metal gleamed brightly in the light. The dreams were so strange. Even though Adrian and I weren't together, exactly, the ring had followed me in and kept its power enough that he could sense it. â€Å"A charm. It's infused with spirit.† Like me, this was apparently something he'd never considered. His expression grew eager. â€Å"And it heals, right? It's what's keeping some of the darkness from your aura.† â€Å"Some,† I said, uneasy about his fixation on it. I took it off and slipped it into my pocket. â€Å"It's temporary. I met another spirit user-and a shadowkissed dhampir.† More surprise registered on his face. â€Å"What? Where?† I bit my lip and shook my head. â€Å"Damn it, Rose! This is big. You know how Lissa and I have been looking for other spirit users. Tell me where they are.† â€Å"No. Maybe later. I don't want you guys coming after me.† For all I knew, they were already after me, using Abe as their agent. His green eyes flashed angrily. â€Å"Look, pretend for a moment the world doesn't revolve around you, okay? This is about Lissa and me, about understanding this crazy magic inside of us. If you've got people who can help us, we need to know.† â€Å"Maybe later,† I repeated stonily. â€Å"I'm moving on soon-then I'll tell you.† â€Å"Why are you always so difficult?† â€Å"Because you like me that way.† â€Å"At the moment? Not so much.† It was the kind of joking comment Adrian usually made, but just then, something about it bothered me. For some reason, I got the tiniest, tiniest feeling that I suddenly wasn't as endearing to him as usual. â€Å"Just try being patient,† I told him. â€Å"I'm sure you guys have other stuff to work on. And Lissa seems pretty busy with Avery.† The words slipped out before I could help it, and some of the bitterness and envy I'd felt watching them the other night laced my tone. Adrian raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen, she admits it. You have been spying on Lissa-I knew it.† I looked away. â€Å"I just like to know she's alive too.† As if I could go anywhere in the world and not know that. â€Å"She is. Alive and well, like you. Er†¦ mostly well.† Adrian frowned. â€Å"Sometimes I get this strange vibe off of her. She doesn't seem quite right or her aura will flicker a little. Never lasts long, but I still worry.† Something in Adrian's voice softened. â€Å"Avery worries about her too, so Lissa's in good hands. Avery's pretty amazing.† I gave him a scathing look. â€Å"Amazing? Do you like her or something?† I hadn't forgotten Avery's comment about leaving the door unlocked for him. â€Å"Of course I like her. She's a great person.† â€Å"No, I mean like. Not like.† â€Å"Oh, I see,† he said, rolling his eyes. â€Å"We're dealing with elementary school definitions of ? ®like.'† â€Å"You're not answering the question.† â€Å"Well, like I said, she's a great person. Smart. Outgoing. Beautiful.† Something in the way he said â€Å"beautiful† bugged me. I averted my eyes again, playing with the blue nazar around my neck as I tried to parse my feelings. Adrian figured things out first. â€Å"Are you jealous, little dhampir?† I looked back up at him. â€Å"No. If I was going to be jealous over you, I would have gone crazy a long time ago, considering all the girls you mess around with.† â€Å"Avery's not the kind of girl you mess around with.† Again, I heard that affection in his voice, that dreaminess. It shouldn't have bothered me. I should have been glad he was interested in another girl. After all, I'd been trying to convince him to leave me alone for a very long time. Part of the conditions of him giving me money for this trip had involved me promising to give him a fair shot at dating when-and if-I returned to Montana. If he got together with Avery, it would be one less thing for me to worry about. And honestly, if it had been any other girl except Avery, I probably wouldn't have minded. But somehow, the idea of her enchanting him was just too much. Wasn't it bad enough that I was losing Lissa to her? How was it possible that one girl could so easily take my place? She'd stolen my best friend, and now the guy who'd sworn up and down that I was the one he wanted was seriously considering replacing me. You're being a hypocrite, a stern voice inside of me said. Why should you feel so wronged about someone else coming into their lives? You abandoned them. Lissa and Adrian both. They have every right to move on. I stood up angrily. â€Å"Look, I'm done talking to you tonight. Will you let me out of this dream? I'm not telling you where I am. And I'm not interested in hearing about how wonderful Avery is and how much better than me she is.† â€Å"Avery would never act like a little brat,† he said. â€Å"She wouldn't get so offended that someone actually cares enough to check on her. She wouldn't deny me the chance to learn more about my magic because she was paranoid someone would ruin her crazy attempt to get over her boyfriend's death.† â€Å"Don't talk to me about being a brat,† I shot back. â€Å"You're as selfish and self-centered as usual. It's always about you-even this dream is. You hold me against my will, whether I want it or not, because it amuses you.† â€Å"Fine,† he said, voice cold. â€Å"I'll end this. And I'll end everything between us. I won't be coming back.† â€Å"Good. I hope you mean it this time.† His green eyes were the last thing I saw before I woke up in my own bed. I sat up, gasping. My heart felt like it was breaking, and I almost thought I might cry. Adrian was right-I had been a brat. I'd lashed out at him when it wasn't really deserved. And yet†¦ I hadn't been able to help it. I missed Lissa. I even kind of missed Adrian. And now someone else was taking my place, someone who wouldn't just walk away like I had. I won't be coming back. And for the first time ever, I had a feeling he really wouldn't be.

A Tyrannical Empire essays

A Tyrannical Empire essays The Founding Fathers established our country in the basis of freedom. It is this freedom that separates us from tyranny and what makes up America. The accusation was made in our Declaration of Independence against King George III as a result by the tyranny of Great Britain. Politically, the tyranny of George III had severed ties with America with their ideal of Virtual Representation. Socially, the George III s tyranny acted as an instrument of depriving American residents of their Empire by limiting their basic rights. Economically, his tyranny over America directly caused a downward direction of economic expansion with various wrongful acts and imposing taxes. Thus, these transformations in American colonial society were a result of George III tyrannical usurpations and made up the statement condemning him and his empire of their acts in the Declaration of Independence. The accusation made against George III is politically justified in several ways. Virtual Representation is a complete polar opposite of what the Americans held their belief of politics by. Americans wanted to be represented by their own distinct representative to make their laws. On the other hand, the Britishs idea of absolute sovereignty over America was that even though America did not have representatives in Parliament, they were still represented because America resided in the British Empire. This was viewed as absurd to both sides and while America wanted shared sovereignty and British absolute none had reached a resolution. The reason being is that during the period of salutary neglect, which lasted close to a century, (approx. from 1689-1763) the Americans relied on themselves to run the colonies. It was also an inter-colonial job that created an image of self-identity. These opposing views thus severed ties and Americans led to repel away from the British. This was why such an accusation was made against George III. Moreover, by ...

5 Super Simple Tips for Dealing With a Difficult Boss

5 Super Simple Tips for Dealing With a Difficult Boss There are bad bosses and then there are tough bosses. If your boss is in the second category, they might not be doing anything outwardly wrong or inappropriate- they might even be a good boss, in the end- but they sure do keep you on your toes. Whether it’s micromanaging or outrageously high standards or inaccessibility†¦ a difficult boss is a tough thing to manage. Here are 5 strategies for how to make the best of a challenging situation, things you can do to change the situation from your end, and how it can benefit your career.1. Don’t be too sensitive.The first rule of tough bosses is not to take anything personally. Your boss might have a temper, or a super exacting work ethic, or almost unreasonable standards. Your boss might throw tantrums or demand the impossible. Your boss might be short with you. None of these things should be interpreted as personal affronts.Your boss is human, and dealing with a bunch of things that have nothing to do with you; thatâ₠¬â„¢s in the background of every interaction. But also, a real professional takes the message in the madness (This project not perfect yet? Okay!) and leaves any perceived judgment behind. Let the tone or manner of the delivery be whatever it is; take the information you need and simply do your job. Plus, it doesn’t necessarily matter if your boss likes you.2.  Come up with the solutions yourself.If you have a tough boss, try to get your questions answered elsewhere- same with your problems and small talk. It’s not possible to never need something from your boss, but you could probably drastically cut down on how many interactions you have with her where you’re not making her life easier. Focus on delivering results when you walk into her office. The more you go in there with solutions to her problems, rather than questions about your own†¦ the better.3. Be proactive.If you have access to your boss’s schedule, make a note of what big projects and p riorities she’s working on and stay mindful of them. Help where you can. Be proactive. Keep thinking forward, and help your boss do the same. And instead of waiting to be asked to check in (or for an informal performance review), take the initiative to schedule regular check-ins with your boss and come prepared. Detail what you’ve been working on and the progress you’ve been making. Basically, anticipate your boss’s needs and questions and have answers always at the ready.4. Radiate confidence.Even when you make mistakes. Especially when you make mistakes! Rather than trying to hide or fib your way out of it, take responsibility. Own it. Say â€Å"I screwed up and here is how I’m already working to fix it.† Remind yourself that their anger will fade, that you’re still the smart and capable employee they hired, and give them a bunch of good reasons to forget you ever erred.5. Figure out what’s in it for you.A tough boss can actu ally be a great opportunity. You’ll work that much harder, be that much more on your game. And you’ll probably get lots more done. You’ll also figure out what you are (and aren’t) looking for in your next boss, so you can make a more informed career decision when next you’re on the market. Try to focus on the positive aspects of this challenging situation, and you’ll be able to use this one tough boss to better your whole career.

The Ancient Spartans Had a Murderous Secret Police

The Ancient Spartans Had a Murderous Secret Police If 300 taught us anything, its that the Spartans were a hardy and courageous group. But they werent the nicest to their own people, punishing young people brutally for infractions, and even utilizing the youth as a secret service! Meet the krypteia, a sort of Hitler Youth of Sparta. When a Training Procedure Goes Really,  Really Wrong According to ancient sources, the krypteia were as vicious as they came. Its members were chosen for their discretion and probably their hardiness, intelligence, and resourcefulness. As Plato has Megillus recount in his  Laws,  Spartan youths underwent training, widely prevalent amongst us, in hardy endurance of pain in the form of beatings, but it was the krypteia that was the most brutal of all. That kind of work was a wonderfully severe training. So what was their deal? Apparently, the idea for the krypteia mightve come from the  laws of Lycurgus,  the king of Spartan legalese; his reforms were, according to  Plutarch,  efficacious in producing valour, but defective in producing righteousness.   Writes Plutarch: I certainly cannot ascribe to Lycurgus so abominable a measure as the ‘krypteia,’ judging of his character from his mildness and justice in all other instances. Over time, the krypteia  evolved  from a form of uber-advanced fitness training to a sort-of-secret  guerrilla  force. The group appears to have had some representation in the mainstream Spartan army, as well; in Plutarchs  Cleomenes, a fellow named Damocles is given the title of commander of the secret service contingent. But  Damoteles doesnt get  the greatest rep - he was bribed to betray his own people to  the enemy - and the people he represented seem to have been even worse. The organization of the krypteia seems to have been in direct opposition to the regular hoplites in  the Spartan army, as if the very way it was set up made it different of special. The hoplites were organized, fought in a phalanx, and worked as a team; in contrast, the krypteia fought in secret, went out in  irregular groups and missions, and stayed away from Sparta proper, working and living on  the frontier. The Bad,  the Worst, and the  Really Ugly As Plutarch tells it, the Spartan leaders would periodically send the young men of the krypteia out into the country at large. What for, you might ask? The young soldiers would hide themselves until they came across groups of people called helots.  At night, they came down into the highways and killed every Helot whom they caught. Even during the day, the krypteia massacred  the helots working in the fields. The  Ephors, the leaders of Sparta, made formal declaration of war upon the helots, in order that there might be no impiety in slaying them. Perhaps, as some scholars have theorized, serving in the krypteia allows soldiers to practice stealth and cunning .But what the krypteia did was basically state-sanctioned massacre! Who were the helots? Why did the Spartan magistrates commission their young warriors to kill them? The helots were serfs owned by the Spartan state, basically slaves; the Roman historian Livy claims that they were a race of rustics, who have been feudal vassals even from the earliest times.  The krypteia was a force the government utilized to keep the helots in their place,  according  to Brandon D. Ross.  Aristotle discusses the helots in his  Politics, saying that the mere necessity of policing a serf class is an irksome burden. What freedoms do you give them? How much leeway  should  they get? he asks. The relationship between the Spartans and the helots was fractious at best. Once upon a time, the people of Spartan-ruled Messenia and the helots revolted against the Lacedaemonian lords. They took  advantage of the chaos that ensued after the earthquakes of 464 B.C., but that didnt work, and the Spartans kept up their cruel treatment.   How else did the Spartans torture the helots? Heres our pal Plutarch: For instance, they would force them to drink too much strong wine, and then introduce them into their public messes, to show the young men what a thing drunkenness was. They also ordered them to sing songs and dance dances that were low and ridiculous, but to let the nobler kind alone. The Spartan torture of the Helots wasnt a one-time thing. On one occasion, Livy recounts how, being charged with an intention to desert, they were driven with stripes through all the streets, and put to death. Another time, two thousand helots mysteriously disappeared in a possible act of genocide; then, on a different occasion, a bunch of helots were suppliants at the minor Temple of Poseidon Taenarius, but were seized from that sacred spot. That kind of sacrilege - violating the sanctuary of a temple - was as awful as it got; the right of asylum was a truly valued one. Shame on Sparta!

Finger print as a crime fighting technology Essay

Finger print as a crime fighting technology - Essay Example (Cowger, p56) Fingerprinting has turned out an important and useful biotechnological application as there are several benefits of DNA fingerprinting. It helps the medical scientists in the identification of the organisms causing different diseases. With the help of DNA fingerprinting the paternity of a person could be established so the babies could be identified even if their parents were switched at birth time. Along with that DNA fingerprinting also helps in criminal investigations (Grew, p566). The investigators can take any skin tissue, blood drop or semen from the crime place and then use to decide weather any particular person was present at that place or not. Moreover DNA fingerprinting also helps in the identification of a body when it is decomposed or now available complete due to any incident (Beavan, p98). The use of fingerprinting is getting popular for different purposes due to variety of advantages offered by this technology however there are some negative aspects of t his application as well. There are some technical difficulties associated with DNA fingerprinting for example there is possibility that any error can occurred in the hybridization and probing process. In this way the investigation of a crime or paternity identification could be misguided however there are little chances for errors in this test. The probability determination and population genetics are the other problems related with DNA fingerprinting (Belkum, p122). An important application of the latest technology of fingerprint is its efficient use for fighting against the crime. It has been evolved as an important crime fighting technique as it helps the investigators in finding out the potential suspect of the crime by telling about the people present at the crime scene. There are several developments in the field of fingerprint that have allowed the investigators and crime fighters to refine their efforts in the field of crime fighting and investigation. For instance, the poli ce now commonly use the automated license place recognition camera for finding the stolen vehicles (Scheibert, et al, p1503). There are certain techniques within the fingerprinting technology that allow reaching the suspects in different ways. For instance, the brain fingerprinting technique is also used for meaning the suspect electrical brainwaves. In this method, the police make the suspect wear a headband embedded with electric sensor and the different images are shown to him on the computer screen. It is based upon the belief that the brain reacts in specific manner towards specific type of information and the brain activity and response towards certain pictures of the crime scene could help finding out his involvement in the crime (Cowger, p56). Due to the increased use of fingerprint for the crime prevention it has become a common practice in most of the countries of the world that the people are required to give their fingerprints at several locations like shopping mall, air ports and other public places. It allows maintaining the record of the fingerprints of the people visited at particular place during that time and later these fingerprints could be used to match with the fingerprints found at any crime scenes. These fingerprints also allow sorting out the people involved in any crime committed earlier. In this way, the fingerprinting technology allows fast recognition of the crime suspects. The most important use of fingerprinting te

What effects does the glass ceiling have on womens career development Research Paper

What effects does the glass ceiling have on womens career development in law firms - Research Paper Example It should not be misunderstood by the reader that the glass ceiling is specific to the legal realm. Instead, a more nuanced and broad understanding of the glass ceiling within the legal field does not detract from the glass ceiling as it exists for other industries and professions; rather, it merely helps to underscore the fact that glass ceiling exists within many different professions and specialties. The gender representation within law offices around the country is recognizably skewed. Males outnumber females at a rate of nearly 10:1 in some states. This is is an interesting topic as it is indicative of a more nationwide trend and less culturally dependent and/or bound than the ways that the glass ceiling might be exhibited within other sectors of the economy (Bowling et al., 2006). Examination of such a determinant is necessary and important as it gives key insights into the broad/over-arching definitions of the glass ceiling as is evidenced through a large cross-section of our current society/government. Yet beyond merely a lack of representation within the legal field, the more pertinant issue with regards to the research topic at hand is with regards to the upward mobility that women experience within such a field (Guyot, 2008). Even a cursory level of analysis with Linda one to suspect that since females comprise such a very small percentage of the legal field, they might necessarily be promoted and experience success much the same degree as their male counterparts (Smith & Crittenden, 2012). However, an inherent bias is indicated to exist due to the fact that even though women make up less than 10% of this industry, they are overly represented within the lower positions and number of studies have indicated they are unlikely to be promoted throughout the course of their career; as compared to their male counterparts (Hoobler & Lemmon, 2009). Furthermore, the researcher denotes the existence of a

Motivation of Employees in relation to managment in a organizational Research Paper

Motivation of Employees in relation to managment in a organizational setting - Research Paper Example ..10 New management motivational tools†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.10 ROWE (Result only work environment) program†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.12 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.13 Abstract: Motivation is the fuel to pump up the optimistic thought about the job. It is an inevitable fact which cannot be ignored by any organization. No matter what is the organizational structure of the company, but if the employees are not motivated then the output will fall drastically. However, this paper will focus on the motivational tools to reconstruct the organizational structure of the companies who are dealing with call centers. The management function is vital but all the functions in the Call centers are focused at par with employee satisfactions. This research work is a simple attempt to find out the ultimate motivational and operational loots to encourage the employees to work happily. Introduction: The aim of the paper is to investigate the proper way of practicing the management to achieve the best possible outcome for the call center employees. The recent business scenarios are very much focused on the positive outcomes. However, the present scenario in the business culture is changing and it is changing with the improvisation of the proper blend of traditional organizational behavioral approaches and the modern culture. The work cultures have changed and so the functions of the management must change accordingly to cope up the advanced employee satisfaction. The motivational tools must be explored beyond the traditional ways to satisfy the new age call center employees. Understanding the work culture in call centers: The work culture within a call center is far more different than any other organization. Most important part is the nature of the job. In most of the call centers employees are young and they look for many options to earn more money. However, the most important fact for the people who are in the operations of the call center is to keep the employees energy intact. These breaks are very much important to regain the energy and patience to take the calls again. The weekly party, on floor incentives and many more motivational tools are used to keep the employees minds within the jobs. The training plays a very important role in this scenario. Employees are constantly trained to perform accordingly. The employees in call centers deal with a huge database, and sometimes t hese database are very expensive and not to be disclosed or used or sold to other party. This can be taken as a serious crime. For an example, after the fraud case in Mphasis, the growth rate of the call centers was expected to go down to 30 percent (Jacques, 2006, p. 105). However, the scenario did changed but towards the positive side. Function of the management: Function of the management is one of the most vital factors to practice the best organizational behavior within the organization. However, the functions of

Factors contributing to increase of obesity amongst women population Essay

Factors contributing to increase of obesity amongst women population within the United Kingdom - Essay Example This essay "Factors contributing to increase of obesity amongst women population within the United Kingdom" discusses the problem of the obesity among the women population of the UK. The main factor that is contributing to increase in obesity among women in the UK is poor dietary choices. Women are the leading consumers of foods with high calories and extra carbohydrates that are not utilised by their bodies (Kopelman, Caterson and Dietz, 2010). Eating fast food in restaurants during lunch breaks in the workplace, skipping of breakfast and consuming high-calorie drinks are some unhealthy eating habits that are common amongst women in the United Kingdom (Alters and Schiff, 2013). It is common for women to oversized portions and sweetened beverages that contain high levels of carbohydrates and other nutrients that contribute to accumulation of fat in the body. The second leading factor that is contributing to increase in obesity among women in the UK is sedentary lifestyle. Many women in the UK engage in less physically demanding work due to mechanised transport systems and labour-saving technologies in the workplace. In this case, women rarely engaged in physical fitness activities such as recycling or walking since they are committed in household duties or corporate work (Cappuccio, 2010). Accordingly, most of the women in the UK prefer relaxing in their houses while watching television, browsing the internet and playing computer games thus leading to excessive calories in the body that are stored as fat.

How to Create a New Project for Dicom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

How to Create a New Project for Dicom - Essay Example A button, "Open", next to each project enables the user to view the available files within that project. Opening existing projects will show a list of the available user Dicom projects. Once a project has been opened, all available Dicom files within that project will be listed; the file name and three buttons next to that file. "Download" button will download that Dicom file to the user computer, "Share" button will share that Dicom file with another registered user as shown below and finally "Delete" button will remove the Dicom files from the project. Clicking "Share" button next to the file name will open a dialog box for the file to be shared with another registered user. The correct name must be typed into the dialog box and confirmed. If the file is shared successfully or if there is an error, the user will be notified. Once Dicom files have been successfully uploaded from the local computer, they will be displayed into the canvas in order based on their Dicom file names; the user can then scroll through the images by using the mouse wheel. The user can also change the canvas lightening by holding the right mouse button and moving position on the canvas. There are 5 annotation features the user can add to the canvas; text in which they will be prompted to enter their own, arrow, circle which will be placed into the canvas and freehand drawing onto the canvas, the user can select a colour for their annotation and users can also move the annotations around the canvas adjusting the size or rotation. All the annotations are using a library, "fabric.js" open source library is used for the annotations as they will also later be used to save as a "JSON" file for later loading, adjustments have been made to the original library to fit my system. Saving an annotation to the user’s account; once the user has added their annotations onto the canvas and are happy to save, they will be prompted with a dialog box to enter the annotation name in which it will be saved as, after this, the user will be prompted to enter an existing project in which the annotation will be saved for later use.

How do you plan to keep current or obtain needed competencies for your Essay

How do you plan to keep current or obtain needed competencies for your career responsibilities - Essay Example This requires data entry, update, manipulation, interpretation and security. All of these are the functions of organizing. I have acquired the organizing competencies in my studies of science and management. In order to enhance my organizing competencies, I have been working as a veteran health administrator for quite some time now. In my work, I have to organize the work all the time. I know numerous softwares for data entry and manipulation, and am very good at it. Time management is one of the most important competencies of a public health administrator. Quite often, a public health administrator is required to work in a hurry. It becomes difficult to manage the time. One reason why I have started to work is to learn time management and I think, I have sufficiently achieved that purpose. In the start, I had a lot of difficulties managing the time, but now, I am able to do it very easily. I intend to enhance these skills through working and practicing more.

How to Create a New Project for Dicom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

How to Create a New Project for Dicom - Essay Example A button, "Open", next to each project enables the user to view the available files within that project. Opening existing projects will show a list of the available user Dicom projects. Once a project has been opened, all available Dicom files within that project will be listed; the file name and three buttons next to that file. "Download" button will download that Dicom file to the user computer, "Share" button will share that Dicom file with another registered user as shown below and finally "Delete" button will remove the Dicom files from the project. Clicking "Share" button next to the file name will open a dialog box for the file to be shared with another registered user. The correct name must be typed into the dialog box and confirmed. If the file is shared successfully or if there is an error, the user will be notified. Once Dicom files have been successfully uploaded from the local computer, they will be displayed into the canvas in order based on their Dicom file names; the user can then scroll through the images by using the mouse wheel. The user can also change the canvas lightening by holding the right mouse button and moving position on the canvas. There are 5 annotation features the user can add to the canvas; text in which they will be prompted to enter their own, arrow, circle which will be placed into the canvas and freehand drawing onto the canvas, the user can select a colour for their annotation and users can also move the annotations around the canvas adjusting the size or rotation. All the annotations are using a library, "fabric.js" open source library is used for the annotations as they will also later be used to save as a "JSON" file for later loading, adjustments have been made to the original library to fit my system. Saving an annotation to the user’s account; once the user has added their annotations onto the canvas and are happy to save, they will be prompted with a dialog box to enter the annotation name in which it will be saved as, after this, the user will be prompted to enter an existing project in which the annotation will be saved for later use.

Supply Chain Management and Quality Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Supply Chain Management and Quality - Term Paper Example The market is customer-driven and therefore neither product nor service alone is the significant matters, but, the perceived value to the customer of the entire relationship with an organization is extremely important. Many companies attempt to measure the quality of their product or service from the internal quality assurance to external customer satisfaction and from that to the ‘customer value’ issue (Simchi-Levi, Kaminsky and Simchi-Levi, 2004, p. 187). Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  Generally, ‘Quality’ refers to providing of outstanding goods and services including its attractiveness, perfectness with no manufacturing defects and long term dependability and reliability (Bateman and Snell, 2003, p. 12). When it comes to the Oil and Gas operator, customers demand increased value and high quality when they buy oil or gas. Customers may perceive that these should be easily available or should be using various purposes like household, vehicles and for operating some machines. Customers basically ay not satisfy with its oil and gas if the company fails to deliver such qualities and facilities as well. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  Quality and the concept of Total Quality Management play significant roles in strategic planning and strategic management. Strategy, as detailed above, is an attempt to achieve competitive advantage by being different. It is the application of available resources of the firm to pursue the specific aims of the policy. Strategic thinking and conversion of the vision in to into plans in order to achieve its realization are the very basic two elements involved in ‘strategy’ (Sower, 2010, p. 26). Modern management requires incorporating quality and continuous improvement as strategic objectives of the organization in a way that these strategic objectives will be turned an integral part of the business. To be more specific, the present day management scenario shows that achieving ‘quality’ in all the functional areas that business is related with is critical to the success, because, the market that it operates in is customer-driven and thus ‘quality’ gains a significant role in the objectives of the firm.

Strengths in basketball Essay Example for Free

Strengths in basketball Essay In my Analysis Peace I am going to be analysing Alex combs at basketball. I chose Alex because he is a talented basketball player and I have seen him improve in basketball in various ways since yr7 and I feel I can help him improve even more. Alex has adapted himself into becoming a centre and thats the position I have chosen to help him improve on. I believe with a little bit of direction Alex can make it a far way in basketball. To make it at a professional level in basketball and to be able to become a centre you need to have certain qualities and aspects. You need to have self belief because basketball is a game of trail and error. A great centre is always willing to try over and over again. Above all a great centre needs to be enthusiastic and determined a successful centre generally wants the ball and will do anything to get it. Also a great centre has the ability to change the flow of the game. He also has the ability to change his team mates attitude. A centre needs to be aware of the rules especially the 3 second rule. In the game basketball the centre controls the game he is the heart of the team offensively and defensively the more rebounds he makes the more points your team will score lastly You need to be tough dont worry about contact with other players dont be afraid to use your strength and speed to keep other players from getting the ball. Including those following aspects there are other attributes that affect your performance in basketball such as: Strength: Strength is needed so you are able to compete for rebounds when shots are missed. Having that extra strength gives you the advantage against other players and enables to position yourself. This is done by boxing out (sometimes referred to as blocking out). Boxing out is where you position your self between the basket and another player and push them away by backing into them therefore you have to be close to the basket at all times. Strength is needed so that you can protect the ball after a missed shot. Its important to rebound so that the other team does not get another chance of scoring and offensively you create another opportunity for your team to score. Speed: Speed is need so that you get to the ball before anyone else after a missed shot allowing you to get the rebound. This also means your reaction and movement time needs to be quick. Speed is need so that youre able to intercept dangerous passes also you need speed endurance allowing you to run back and defend. Speed is also need when attacking your opposition mainly fast breaks. Reaction Time: Needs to be fairly quick so youre able to intercept passes you need quick reactions allowing you to get between the passer and receiver. Agility: The ability to change your direction and body position is highly important in basketball. Its useful to help you to get past defenders. Agility is also important allowing you to change direction very quickly enabling you to attack the basket at speed. Its also important to be agile whilst defending it helps you stay with you defender. Basketball is a fast pace game that requires a lot of movement effort and work. Balance: Balance is need so that youre able to stay on your feet which mean you are unlikely to get injured. Its also important because it allows you to perform a successful jump shot or a lay up. Balance is important because if youre being shoved you dont wobble or fall over easily. Stamina: Stamina is important enabling you to run back to defend your basket and to run up and down the court to get hold of rebounds. Stamina gives you the ability to finish a full intense basketball game. Skill: Being ambidextrous having the ability to perform skills with both your left and right hand this a good advantage in basketball because it gives you confidence in your play and gives you various ways of attacking confusing your opponent. Left hand lay up Right hand lay up Section 2 Alexs Strengths Watching Alex Perform In school matches and watching him in practise gave me the chance to analyse him carefully. I have recognized some of his strengths in basketball.

Just :: essays research papers

At the beginning of this semester, we looked at liberty, privacy and freedom of speech. I found this section quite interesting, especially since unlike first semester it applied directly to my life. Freedom of speech was a particularly interesting topic to me, because I couldn't work out my opinion on it. When I thought about the issue in purely philosophical terms, I thought that there should be unrestricted freedom of speech and that censorship should be kept to a minimum. But when I thought about the issue in relation to the real world, I wasn't so sure. This is one of the frustrating things about philosophy - what appears to be philosophically sound in my mind turns out quite differently when applied to the real world. I think it is in finding a balance that the real difficulty lies. Throughout the course of the first essay, I found myself arguing views that I hadn't thought I believed in - and even now I'm not sure if I do. I think sometimes what works philosophically still can 't apply to the real world for considerations that shouldn't have to have a bearing on the issue but do anyway. In the issue of freedom of speech, I found that philosophically hate-speech doesn't cause any significant harm. But when I think about it in the context of the outside world, I firmly believe that it does. This discrepancy is confusing to me. The unit we studied on eyewitness evidence I found to be rather dry - I couldn't really relate to a whole lot of legal stuff. When it was put in the context of the real-life rape victim I found it much more accessible. The essay topic that I chose seemed again rather dull, although it raised interesting side-issues, like the nature of our society. I tried to think why science was regarded as the best way we have to gain knowledge, and came up with a rather depressing view of society - that it was matter oriented, money oriented, concerned with facts and figures, things that were able to be thought of in terms of quantities. And that we tended to ignore the abstract, the indefinable, the unexplainable. This is why I find philosophy occasionally depressing - it forces me to look at the world in which I live, and not like what I see. And yet it is simultaneously liberating because I can see that through studying philosophy, I can look at those other aspects and move beyond what society thinks.

Contemporary Realism Essay -- essays research papers

Adventure stories are one area of genre we find under the heading of contemporary realism. Survival stories are adventures that focus on a person or group of people up against the forces of nature with which they must overcome or become a part. Island of the Blue Dolphins and Defoe's Robinson Crusoe are classic examples of survival novels.. Mystery or detective stories are a form of romance, diversion fiction creating a world which is more exciting, dangerous, and beautiful then we believe our own to be. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Nancy Drew mysteries fall under this heading. Having a sense of humor helps us to be able to laugh at ourselves and the challenges we face. Most successful relationships have humor at a key ingredient. Humorous adventure with its v...

Death and Absurdism in Camus’s The Stranger Essay

In his novel The Stranger1, Albert Camus gives expression to his philosophy of the absurd. The novel is a first-person account of the life of M. Meursault from the time of his mother’s death up to a time evidently just before his execution for the murder of an Arab. The central theme is that the significance of human life is understood only in light of mortality, or the fact of death; and in showing Meursault’s consciousness change through the course of events, Camus shows how facing the possibility of death does have an effect on one’s perception of life. The novel begins with the death of Meursault’s mother. Although he attends the funeral, he does not request to see the body, though he finds it interesting to think about the effects of heat and humidity on the rate of a body’s decay (8). It is evident that he is almost totally unaffected by his mother’s death – nothing changes in his life. In other words, her death has little or no real significance for him. When he hears Salamano, a neighbor, weeping over his lost dog (which has evidently died), Meursault thinks of his mother – but he is unaware of the association his mind has made. In fact, he chooses not to dwell on the matter but goes to sleep instead (50). It is when he is on the beach with Raymond Sintes and M. Masson and they confront two Arabs (who have given Raymond trouble) that Meursault first seems to think about the insignificance of any action – therefore of human existence. He has a gun and it occurs to him that he could shoot or not shoot and that it would come to the same thing (72). The loss of a life would have no significance – no affect on life as a whole; and the universe itself is apparently totally indifferent to everything. Here he implicitly denies the existence of God, and thus denies morality, as well as the â€Å"external† meaning (if it may be so distinguished from the internal or individual existential meaning) of life and death. (This latter, existential meaning is later affirmed, as we shall see. ) Meursault kills one of the Arabs in a moment of confusion, partially out of self-defense, but does not regret it eve though it means going to prison and, ultimately, being executed. He has the fatalistic feeling that â€Å"what’s done is done,† and later explains that he has never regretted anything because he has always been to absorbed by the present moment or by the immediate future to dwell on the past (127). In a sense, Meursault is always aware of the meaninglessness of all endeavors in the face of death: he has no ambition to advance socio-economically; he is indifferent about being friends with Raymond and about marrying Marie; etc. But this awareness is somehow never intense enough to involve self-awareness – that is, he never reflects on the meaning of death for him – until he is in prison awaiting execution. Of course, the â€Å"meaning† of another’s death is quite difference from the â€Å"meaning† of one’s own death. With the former, one no longer sees that person again; with the latter, one’s very consciousness, as far as we know, just ends – blit! – as a television picture ends when the set is switched off. Death marks all things equal, and equally absurd. And death itself is absurd in the sense that reason or the rational mind cannot deal with it: it is a foregone conclusion, yet it remains an unrealized possibility until some indeterminate future time. The â€Å"meaning† of death is not rational but, again, is existential – its implications are to be found not in abstraction but in the actuality of one’s life, the finality of each moment. Before his trial, Meursault passes the time in prison by sleeping, by reading over and over the newspaper story about the (unrelated) murder of a Czech, and by recreating a mental picture of his room at home in complete detail, down to the scratches in the furniture. In this connection, it must be admitted that he is externally very sensitive and aware, despite his lack of self-understanding and emotional response. This is evidence by his detailed descriptions. He is especially sensitive to natural beauty – the beach, the glistening water, the shade, the reed music, swimming, making love to Marie, the evening hour he like so much, etc. He even says that if forced to live in a hollow tree truck, he would be content to watch the sky, passing birds, and clouds (95). After his trial (in which he is sentenced to be executed), he no longer indulges in his memories or passes the time in the frivolous way he was accustomed to spend Sundays at home. At first, he dwells on thoughts of escape. He cannot reconcile the contingency of his sentence (Why guilt? Why sentenced by a French court rather than a Chinese one? Why was the verdict read at eight pm rather than at five? etc. ) with the mechanical certainty of the process that leads inevitably to his death (137). When he gives up trying to find a loophole, he finds his mind ever returning either to the fear that dawn would bring the guards who would lead him to be executed, or to the hope that his appear will be granted. To try to distract himself from these thoughts, he forces himself to study the sky or to listen to the beating of his heart – but the changing light reminds him of the passing of time towards dawn, and he cannot imagine his heart ever stopping. In dwelling on the chance of an appeal, he is forced to consider the possibility of denial and thus of execution; therefore, he must face the fact of his death – whether it comes now or later. One he really, honestly admits death’s inevitability, he allows himself to consider the chance of a successful appeal – of being set free to live perhaps forth more years before dying. Now he begins to see the value of each moment of the life before death. Because of death, nothing matters – except being alive. The meaning, value, significance of life is only seen in light of death, yet most people miss it through the denial of death. The hope of longer life brings Meursault great joy. Perhaps to end the maddening uncertainty and thus intensify his awareness of death’s inevitability (therefore of the actuality of life), or, less likely, as a gesture of hopelessness, Meursault turns down his right to appeal (144). Soon afterwards, the prison chaplain insists on talking to him. Meursault admits his fear but denies despair and has no interest in the chaplain’s belie in an afterlife. He flies into rage, finally, at the chaplain’s persistence, for he realizes that the chaplain has not adequately assessed the human condition (death being the end of life) – or, if he has, the chaplain’s certainties have no meaning for Meursault and have not the real value of, say, a strand of a woman’s hair (151). Meursault, on the other hand, is absolutely certain about his own life and forthcoming death. His rush of anger cleanses him and empties him of hope, thus allowing him finally to open up — completely and for the last time — to the â€Å"benign indifference of the universe† (154). He realizes that he always been happy. The idea of death makes one aware of one’s life, one’s vital being – that which is impermanent and will one day end. When this vitality is appreciate, one feels free – for there is no urgency to perform some act that will cancel the possibility of death, seeing as though there is no such act. In this sense, all human activity is absurd, and the real freedom is to be aware of life in its actually and totally, of its beauty and its pain. ALBERT CAMUS’ THE STRANGER WHAT IF THE PAST HAS NO MEANING AND THE ONLY POINT IN TIME OF OUR LIFE THAT REALLY MATTERS IS THAT POINT WHICH IS HAPPENING AT PRESENT. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, WHEN LIFE IS OVER, THE EXISTENCE IS ALSO OVER; THE HOPE OF SOME SORT OF SALVATION FROM A GOD IS POINTLESS. ALBERT CAMUS ILLUSTRATES THIS EXACT VIEW IN THE STRANGER. CAMUS FEELS THAT ONE EXISTS ONLY IN THE WORLD PHYSICALLY AND THEREFORE THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF MEANING IN ONE’S LIFE IS ALONE REVEALED THROUGH THAT EVENT WHICH HE OR SHE IS EXPERIENCING AT A PARTICULAR MOMENT. THESE THOUGHTS ARE PRESENTED THROUGH MEURSAULT, A MAN DEVOID OF CONCERN FOR SOCIAL CONVENTIONS FOUND IN THE WORLD IN WHICH HE LIVES, AND WHO FINDS HIS LIFE DEPRIVED OF PHYSICAL PLEASURE–WHICH HE DEEMS QUITE IMPORTANT–WHEN UNEXPECTEDLY PUT IN PRISON. THE OPENING LINE OF THE NOVEL SETS THE TONE FOR MEURSAULT’S DISPASSION TOWARDS MOST THINGS. THE NOVEL IS INTRODUCED WITH THE WORDS: â€Å"MAMAN DIED TODAY. OR YESTERDAY MAYBE, I DON’T KNOW† (3). ALTHOUGH THE UNCERTAINTY ORIGINATES WITH AN AMBIGUOUS TELEGRAM, IT SEEMS THAT THE TON†¦ †¦ MIDDLE OF PAPER †¦ †¦ OR THEIR EMOTIONS IN GENERAL. HE DOES NOT FOLLOW ‘CONVENTIONAL’ SOCIAL BELIEFS NOR DOES HE BELIEVE IN GOD, NOR SALVATION. MEURSAULT HOWEVER LOVES HIS LIFE. IT IS A PURE LOVE DERIVED FROM ENJOYING HIS EXISTENCE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, RARELY LOOKING BACK AND NEVER LOOKING FORWARD. HIS LOVE IS NOT DEPENDENT ON DOING WHAT SOCIETY OR SOME RELIGION HAS DEEMED CORRECT, BUT ON WHAT HE FEELS HE WANTS TO DO DESPITE WHAT MOST WOULD CONSIDER COMMON. WORK CITED CAMUS, ALBERT. THE STRANGER. TRANS. MATTHEW WARD. NEW YORK: VINTAGE INTERNATIONAL, 1989. IN ALBERT CAMUS’ â€Å"THE STRANGER† THE â€Å"STORY OF AN ORDINARY MAN WHO GETS DRAWN INTO A SENSELESS MURDER† IS TOLD. TAKING PLACE IN ALGERIA THIS MAN, MEURSAULT, IS CONSTANTLY IN A CLIMATE OF EXTREME WARMTH, AS ARE ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREIN. THE SUN, THE SOURCE OF LIGHT AND THE CAUSE OF THIS WARMTH, IS THUS A VITAL AND NORMAL PART OF HIS LIFE. IT BRINGS WARMTH AND COMFORT YET IT CAN ALSO CAUSE PAIN AND SICKNESS. THROUGHOUT MOST OF HIS LIFE MEURSAULT HAS LIVED WITH THE CONFLICTING FORCES OF THE SUN AND LIGHT, AS A FRIEND AND FOE. HOWEVER IN CHAPTER 6 THESE FORCES BECOME UNBALANCED AND THE SUN BECOMES AN AGGRESSOR CAUSING MEURAULT PHYSICAL PAIN AND JOLTING HIM INTO VIOLENT ACTION. ALTHOUGH THE SUN BECOMES INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE AS THE NOVEL TRANSPIRES, IN THE BEGINNING ITS FORCES WERE BALANCED CAUSING SOME GOOD AND SOME BAD EFFECTS. THE MOST EVIDENCE OF THE SUN AS A FOE IS FOUND DURING MEURSAULT’S MOTHER’S WAKE AND FUNERAL. DURING THE WAKE MEURSAULT IS CONSTANTLY â€Å"BLINDED† BY THE BRIGHT LIGHT. THIS COMBINED WITH â€Å"THE WHITENESS OF THE ROOM† â€Å"[MAKES HIS] EYES HURT. † HOWEVER, THIS SAME LIGHT ALSO CREATES A â€Å"GLARE ON THE WHITE WALLS†¦. MAKING [HIM] DROWSY† AND ALLOWING HIM RESPITE FROM THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS MOTHER’S DEATH. SO, ALL AT ONCE LIGHT WAS GOOD AS WELL AS BAD FOR MEURSAULT. AGAIN, DURING THE FUNERAL â€Å"WITH THE SUN BEARING DOWN† THE HEAT WAS â€Å"INHUMAN AND OPPRESSIVE,† CAUSING MEURSAULT GREAT PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT. YET, IN THE SAME TOKEN, THE HEAT IS ALSO â€Å"MAKING IT HARD FOR [MEURSAULT] TO †¦ THINK STRAIGHT† THEREBY ALLOWING HIM AN ESCAPE FROM HIS MOTHER’S DEATH. NOT ALL OF THE SUN’S EFFECTS HAVE A FLIP SIDE HOWEVER; THROUGHOUT THE NOVEL â€Å"THE SUN [DOES MEURSAULT] A LOT OF GOOD,† BY WARMING HIM AND MAKING HIM FEEL ALIVE. THUS, ALTHOUGH BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SITUATIONS COME FROM THE†¦

Spa – Cr. to the Rightful Owner

This chapter presents the discussion of reviewed related writing of authors that the researchers collected during the course of the study. Material reviewed came from different books, studies and other professional writings from both foreign and local books. Conceptual Literature The worldwide spa industry is worth in the region of US $40 billion and has grown at a phenomenal rate in the past ten years (Haden, 2007). The growth of health food, gyms and the investment in leisure facilities proves that consumers are looking for more than relaxation during a break or holiday; this is unsurprising given time is so precious to contemporary consumers (Lynch, 2002). Harmsworth (2004: p. 173) claims that â€Å"the spa market is one of the fastest growing leisure sectors, where societal trends and aspirations find instant reflection in the developments on both the demand and supply sides. The market is very fragmented, each segment catering for different customer needs, which continuously change in line with social and lifestyle changes. † According to Libosada Jr. C. and Bosangit C. (2007) stated that spa is a resort with mineral or thermal water used for drinking and bathing. The term is derived from the name of a town in Belgium and has been applied to similar resort worldwide. The Kentucky-based International Spa Association (ISPA), an organization which claims to set the standards for the spa industry makes no mention of water in its definition, arguing that â€Å"a spa serves as an educational and cultural institution that promotes and integrates individual wellness, health and fitness as well as social well-being, harmony and balance through wellness, prevention, therapy and rehabilitation of body, mind and soul† (Loverseed, 1998: p. 48). Later, the ISPA offered an all-encompassing, holistic definition, claiming that spas are entities â€Å"devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit† (Mintel, 2005). It is claimed by Jenner and Smith (2000) that visiting spas is one of the earliest forms of tourism. Spas found their beginnings thousands of years ago, when ancient civilisations used them for their healing properties and as an important part of their social structure (Vierville, 2003; Spaa, 2002). The therapeutic use of baths was remarkably long-lived; such popularity was no doubt partly due to the fact that baths were both pleasant and, by the Roman imperial period at least, comparatively freely available (Jackson, 1990). It was after this time that public interest in baths began to peak (Spaa, 2002). Spa tourism has many varied definitions; there is no â€Å"officially† agreed upon definition of what a spa should or should not be – what makes it such? Many believe that the word ‘spa' is an acronym based on the Latin phrase â€Å"sanitas per aquas† – meaning ‘health through water', in fact the Oxford English dictionary’s definition of a spa is from the Latin â€Å"solus per aqua† or â€Å"health by water† defined as â€Å"a place with mineral springs considered to have health-giving properties† (Loverseed, 1998). Thornton and Brutscher (2003) maintain that the word and the concept of spa actually originated from the time of the Roman Empire when battle weary legionnaires tried to find a way to recover from their military wounds and ailments. Therefore suggesting that traditionally, water is not only inexplicably linked to the definition of spas, but that it is the water which defines it. The European Spas Association’s (ESPA) definition of a spa is also dependent upon the water element; they define a spa as „a mineral spring or a place or resort where such a spring is found? (Jenner and Smith, 2000). Unlike the ESPA, the British Spas Federation (BSF) reviewed its definition with regard to widening its membership, which at that time consisted only of the municipal authorities of spa towns. However, the BSF was later replaced by the Spa Business Association (SpaBa) who in turn redefined the spa, returning the centrality of the role of water by defining a spa as â€Å"an establishment providing a minimum of one approved water based treatment using water of known composition. The spa should be staffed by appropriately trained therapists and have minimum standards of furnishings. The water should be enhanced with minerals, either naturally or with an additive† (Mintel, 2005). Others, especially in the USA, hold a far less rigid view of what constitutes a spa. The Kentucky-based International Spa Association (ISPA), an organization which claims to set the standards for the spa industry makes no mention of water in its definition, arguing that â€Å"a spa serves as an educational and cultural institution that promotes and integrates individual wellness, health and fitness as well as social well-being, harmony and balance through wellness, prevention, therapy and rehabilitation of body, mind and soul (Loverseed, 1998: p. 8). Later, the ISPA offered an all-encompassing, holistic definition, claiming that spas are â€Å"devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit† (Mintel, 2005). It is claimed by Jenner and Smith (2000) that visiting spas is one of the earliest forms of tourism. Spas found their beginnings thousands of years ago, when ancient civilisations used them for their healing properties and as an important part of their social structure (Vierville, 2003; Spaa, 2002). The therapeutic use of baths was remarkably long-lived; such popularity was no doubt partly due to the fact that baths were both pleasant and, by the Roman imperial period at least, comparatively freely available (Jackson, 1990). It was after this time that public interest in baths began to peak (Spaa, 2002). By the medieval period, the idea that thermal springs could have medicinal properties was firmly established. But in the 18th and 19th centuries, taking the waters? began being a fashionable pastime for Europe?s upper classes. In fact, the popularity of this habit is what established places in the UK, such as Bath, Brighton and Harrogate, as early tourism destinations (Jenner and Smith, 2000). Today’s spa is an interesting combination of ancient traditions and modern facilities; in recent years, the value of prevention, healthy lifestyles, and relaxation has been embraced by many and the spa is again finding its place in modern society as a place uniquely geared to address these needs (Register, 2005). In one of the major formative tradition for current pattern of health and well-ness spa tourism worldwide, the Roman Empire left behind a long list of spas all over Europe, which they built while they were occupying new territories. With the demise of the Western Roman Empire in 450 AD, so too came the demise of the Roman bath tradition in Europe, although Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East maintained a highly developed bathing culture. This was a result of the influence of the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire and the subsequent Arab conquests and maintained the influence of Roman bathing tradition in those countries (The Spa Association, 2005). The City of bath in England provides an example of the fusion of Roman history with later trends in spa and wellness demand and supply in Europe (White, 2000). After the springs had been abandoned as a bathing resource in 1978 (although not touristically or respect of their mineral waters), the Bath spa project was launched by the City Council in 1997 in order to restore bath to the leading spa town of England, with the expectation that the project would stimulate the revival of spa culture in the UK. The hew spa facilities in Bath are just a short distance from the original Roman bath site and they used natural hot spring water drawn from the same springs that have served visitors for at least the last two thousand years. The new facilities are designed to offer relaxing and extended therapeutic treatments. Although they will not act as a cure for serious illness they will act as a cure for the human spirit, as outline in reference to the conservation statement for the adjacent Roman Baths (Clews, 2000). In countries such as Hungary the change from centuries of thermal bathing culture to modern wellness facilities has been slower than in countries without a history of hot or mineral hot springs. In Budapest the increase use of day spas builds on the ancient way of relieving stress and physical ailments through hot water treatment, and day spas and wellness facilities are now being established in a society that is becoming more conscious of the importance of healthy lifestyle (LaForest, 2004). In Budapest the locals congregate in public thermal baths such as the Szechenvi to relax, swim and take many of the cures and treatment on offer. They are also known for taking the national pastime of playing chess into thermal pools (The age, 2005). And further to the east in Russia the Soviet era thermal baths were an integral part of the national health system. In Europe Austria was one of the first countries to adopt the more recent concept of wellness and to act upon quickly. The country affectively appeals to key tourist target groups by positioning itself to offer wellness treatments that unite the body, spirit, personal desire, culture, and natural resources embodied by the spring (Nahrstedt, 2002). Australia has an unmatched infrastructure when it comes to wellness holidays and health-related tourism, and was ranked number one in the world for quality of life and its healthcare services in the early 2000s (Garalli, 2002). According to Nahrsetedt (2002) Austria boasts an intact natural environment in conjunction with its wellness spas, an association that is also very popular in the Japanese tourist market. In Japan itself though, with literally thousands of geothermal springs and the Japanese preference for authentic and unadulterated hot spring water, wellness centres are not yet developed to quite the same extent, leaving the European style wellness facility as a potential favorite for the Japanese while on holiday. In Japan, in tradition hot springs have been developed into days spas known as kuahausu derived from the German word kurhaus, providing separates bathing areas for men and women with thermal mineral pools at different temperatures, a cold pool area with fountains and waterslides, bowling alleys, gyms, saunas and steam rooms, massage services, restaurants and bars, relaxation rooms, music rooms, and video games (Altman, 2000: 07). But the main bathing attractions are the traditional hot springs called Onsen. Often used by groups of people who enjoy sharing a bath after leaving the world of corporate work behind? As well as families and couples, a trip to an Onsen is classed as the ultimate bonding experience because all are equal once they shed their designer clothes and other status symbols. The captain of Iceland, Reykjavik, has been designated on official spa city by the European Spa Association (Iceland Express, 2006). This seems well deserved a quite logical, because the Icelanders have many facilities where they can take care of their health, well-being and leisure. Several active Volcanoes and high temperature geothermal field provide natural hot springs all over Iceland and most towns have at least one public geothermal swimming pool. The Health and Wellness Spa Industry Having said that, rising customer expectations concerning health and wellness are the foundation in which the modern health and wellness spa industry is building an ever-increasing supply of facilities for the medical and general (wellness) visitor, to the extent that this form of tourism is now worth in excess of 250 billion US dollars per year and attract some 150 billion active spa-goers world-wide (ISPA, 2007). Caution is needed here though, because for example these figures are said to include 19. 1 million Japanese spa-goers. Japanese data (Beppu International Tourism Office, 2007) suggest that there are over 150 million Onsen users alone in that country (Chapter 9). This discrepancy would appear to relate to the varying definitions of wellness and spa use that were discussed earlier, where the Japanese tradition is more about simply bathing in hot water than about the American tradition of beauty spa that underlies the research undertaken by the International Spa Association. As a result of this, many Japanese users may not be counted if the data are concentrating on analyzing the spa experience rather than the totality of health and wellness tourism based on the use of hot and mineral springs. The trend toward indulgence in a relaxing environment, which began after World War II (Foster & Keller, 2008), has thus turned into a global movement but one that is a significant departure from the original concept of health spa that mainly specialized in rehabilitation of recovering from illness and injury. The new emphasis lies in prevention of disease and maintenance of good health more that cure, with high expectations regarding health improvement even if there are no particular health problems. Along with the body, mind and soul are also catered for in many spas in a holistic approach of creating harmony for those in need. This often includes new-age treatments as well as the more traditional water-based therapy. The key element in all such facilities is water. Be it apart of the natural landscape surrounding a facility (ocean, rivers, lake and waterfalls), decoration in the background (pools, fountains) or an active treatment component, water is a very important element in the world of spas and wellness. More and more spas without a natural hot springs are investigating the possibility if tapping into mineral geothermal water resources to enhance their business. The trend towards natural looking environments or setting is also evident in many spa hotels and resorts where swimming pools and thermal bathing facilities are designed and built to looks are natural as possible, with rock pools the most typical and widespread design. The development of these spa and wellness water resources can be divided into two broad types: Hot spring: These are usually well known and general appreciated for their curative value and their therapeutic benefits based on both water temperature and mineral content; Mineral springs: These can be cold or warm water from a nature spring, with curative value based on the type and concentration of minerals in the water. Often, the water can be taken internally too and is bottled and distributed (Cooper, P. nd Cooper, M. , 2009). Current International Trends in Spa and Wellness Tourism The trends of indulging in a relaxing environment has turned into a global movement but one with a significant difference from the original concept of health and natural hot and mineral spring spas, which mainly specialized in rehabilitation. The new emphasis lies in the prevention of disease and in the maintenance of good health instead of cures, with high expectation regarding health improvements even i f there are no specific problems. Mind and soul are usually catered for long with the body in many spas using holistic approach of creating harmony for those in need, including new-age treatments as well as the more traditional rehabilitative therapies. The main center of attention at present appears to be a natural healing method incorporating Asian treatments accompanied by the esthetic appeal of Eastern lifestyles and culture, which are in great demand. Therapies of Asia origin are often combined with European balneotherapy and hydrotherapy as well as sport and fitness facilities to offer diversity of options in order to attract as many customers and client as possible. Nearly all spas cater for aspects with special signature treatments to ensure that there are no missed opportunities (Cooper, P. and Cooper, M. , 2009). Characteristics of Spa Tourists Traditionally it has been women who have primarily used spas. However, a consumer research conducted by ISPA in 2003 determined that 29% of spa tourists around the world are men; this figure rose to 30% in 2004. As men continue to represent a significant proportion of the spa market, more spas are offering special treatments for them and men-only spas continue to open in cities around the world (Grihault, 2007; Mintel, 2005; Messerli and Oyama, 2004). The Baby Boomer generation (45-60 years old) continues to be the core consumer base for the global spa tourism industry. According to Haden (2007) industry analysts have long known that health conscious Baby Boomers have been the main driving force behind the worldwide boom in the spa industry. However, some argue the appeal of the industry reaches a larger age-range; Swarbrooke (2000: p 78-79) claims that most visitors to spa sites are in the social classes A, B and C1 and are between 30 and 65 years of age. Mintel (2005) have a similar view, claiming it is the 25-64 year old market who dominate the customer base for spas; this group tends not to be at the family life stage, and their members are as likely to be male as female. The average age of visitors to spas is currently 49 years (ETC, 2002). Yet Hudson (2003) argues that by 2050, 20 percent of the world’s population will be sixty years or older; and by 2150, this figure will increase to over 30percent. These claims seem dramatic; however it is clear from all the statistics available that the population is aging and that this trend is set to continue. Latest research by International Database, US Census in 2007 confirms these figures and shows the number of people aged over 55 years is projected to reach 2. 6 billion or approximately 27. 7% of the world?s population by 2050. Thus, the number of individuals aged 55 and over is forecast to grow at a rate of about 4% per year over the next 43 years (Haden, 2007). According to a survey carried out by the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB), 70. 8% of those aged over 45 years had been on holiday in 2006, compared to 64. 9% of the general UK population. A Mintel study of US travellers in 2005 revealed that those over 55 years are more inclined to take holidays lasting five days or longer. Maintaining health in retirement has become a top priority. In a 2006 study of US health and fitness clubs in May 2006, Mintel found that those aged over 55 years were far more likely to participate in some form of strenuous exercise five or more times a week than other segments of the population (Haden, 2007). If such predictions are dealt with wisely, the outlook for the industry appears to be positive; it will help to drive tourism’s growth in general and health-related travel in particular. Taking this into consideration, such a shift will clearly have substantial implications for the international health and spa tourism industry. Research Literature Health spas had their origin in Europe and many resorts had name that were associated with spas. The popularity of mineral springs carried over to Northern America and the springs were the location of some of the earlier resort. It is important to differentiate between spa hotels and resort spas. Spas hotels cater only to spa clientele and all guests must participate in the meals, treatment and exercises. On the other hand, resorts spas are amenities that are available to the guest, and charges are made for the various usage of spa (Liguori, S. and Gray, W. ). Administration of spa hotels heavily involves people with a medical background, whereas resort spas are merely operating departments of the resorts. Exercises-oriented facilities are swimming pools, tennis court, handball and racquetball courts, jogging trails, hiking and weight and aerobic training. Spa program include dietary program, massage, herbal wraps, exfoliation, that also therapy, facial and hydrotherapy. Under both scenarios, staffing involves people experienced in the program and administrative personnel. Ways for boosting revenue The method presented in the previous section illustrated the overall contribution of resort spas to resort revenue, in order to offer more insight into how spa managers can increase their spa revenue, the author of this study conducted to an interview with a spa director of one of the leading resorts spa in Southwest Florida. The director state that resorts should first focus on guest experience to increase their sales. In that director’s case, she mentioned that her resort was able to increase the incremental spending from $658 to $985 per night by packaging spa and other activities together. The director also stated that pre-arrival process is a critical component for revenue maximization. She offered a case as an example where she use a system called â€Å"power booking† in which a spa front desk agent was calling guest two to three days to prior to the spa reservation date and providing the opportunity for upgrades and additional bookings base on availability (Rutherford, D. and O’Fallon, M. 2011). According to O’Fallon M. and Rutherford D. (2011) stated that spas are booming such a significant component of the service menu for resorts and full service hotels that their absence, especially in amenity- rich resort environment, is glaring obvious. Within the leisure industries in 2003, revenues related to spas ranked number four behind golf fees and dues ($19. 7 million0, cruise lines revenues ($14. 7 million), and health club revenues ($14. 1 million). At $11. 2 million, spa revenues outpaced amusement park revenues ($10. 3 million), box office receipts ($9. million), and vacation ownership sales ($5. 5 million (Thacker, 2004; Audi and Wright, 2004). In this section, we first examine trends that support a sea change in North Americans’ attitude toward spa demand demographics; we discuss the type of spas currently popular in the industry, development and operational considerations, the components of a spa experience, compensation issues, and trends in the spa industry. Spa demand According to the International SPA Associations research, between 2002 and 2003, 11% of the national population over the age of 16 made one or more spa visits. This statistics shows that in xten Americans visited a spa during that period. Additionally, of these, 41% were visiting spas for the first time, indicating a larger population embracing spa usage. Age demographics show that 145% of clients are between the ages of 16 and 24, and over 50% are in the 24 to 44 age bracket. An emerging national statistics is the number of male visits to spas. 23% of spa visits and 29% of spa goers were men in 2003, trending toward special gender oriented treatments and male- only spas being opened worldwide. Spa selection criteria are determined by a number of factors. An established and known environment for instance, as part of an established resort, club or destination spa often influences the decision, and does atmosphere, quality of treatment, and friendliness of staff. Additionally, among spa goers nine out of ten respondents report they would return for a similar experience. Most spa customers believe they receive good value for their spa dollar. On a 10 point scale, services were given an average of 8 for value; with massage generating 8. 8 on the value such as Canyon Ranch are opening in the day spa market, adding new competitive pressure on the independents. Non-traditional players are also adding product supply. For example, corporations are creating in house spa environments, hospitals are adding wellness as part of their repertoire, and medi-spas, with a primary focus on cosmetic surgery, are adding spa business as an additional profit center. Health club are also trying to capture a piece of the pie by adding spa practices. The rationale in this market is that time-crunched patrons can benefit from the one-stop-shopping approached to fitness and wellness but the health club operator also uses the spa as an enticement to join the fitness centre. As the day and destination spa markets become saturated, it will become imperative for survival that each operator differentiate itself from the competition. The necessity for market segmentation to ensure clear communication with consumers will be a key to success in the maturing spa market. Another component of success will be a branding strategy that the consumer can immediately identify with respect to spa performance and the consumers personal comfort travel (Rutherford & O’Fallon 2011). Health Issues and Spa Demand. Increasingly, spa goers are looking to create prolonged wellness that integrates and renews body, mind and spirit. To that end, Eastern and Western lifestyle issues related to medicine, philosophy, and spiritual are becoming a mainstay of many spa/wellness experiences. To best deliver this, the wellness spa (located at day, destination, or resort environment) supports guest’ needs by creating an experience, not just a series of treatments. All the guest amenities, treatments, and programs must be seamlessly integrated into a personally tailored guest experience. This experience should be targeted toward couples, parents with children, and teenagers. In the early 1990, spa were considered a natural outgrowth of fitness facilities and focused primarily on treatments related to body wellness. As market sophistication evolved, the body mind connection attracted consumer focus. In the beginning of the twenty- first century, spas and marketers are overtly addressing body, mind, and spirit connections in order to respond to emerging market sensibilities (Rutherford & O’Fallon 2011). Spas as an Operating Department. Historically, spa operations were treated by management similarly to other revenue departments, like catering and restaurants. These departments were simply perceived as an amenity needed to attract guest to the hotel. As long as the department broke even, or didn’t lose too much money, their ability to increase occupancy was deemed sufficient justification for their existence. However, in the late 1990’s, hotel spa followed the path of other operating departments and were transformed from support to profit centres. This trend is strong and continues today (Rutherford & O’Fallon 2011). Spa Trends: On site industry trends Anti-aging treatments and products are driving much of spa menu and retail development. This calls for devoting a treatments room to outpatient medical procedures. Programming and spa menu items include sun damage treatments, chemical skin for renewals, and other rejuvenation techniques that build on repeat procedures. Commensurately, spas are developing retail product lines so that clients can take the spa experience home and continue the wellness regime. Global Industry trends Trends in day, destinations and amenity spas influence each other. According to Susan Ellis (2004), president of Spa Finder, a spa marketing company, after the rise of the medical spa and broadening spa participations by men and teens, spa use is expected to become more popular in the future. Spa Finder’s trends to watch for are: those personal elements that make the spa experience special will find their way into the design of personal living spaces in private homes; private, gated living communities will develop around central spa facilities, much like golf and sly-in communities. Managing visitor’s expectation and experience. Visitor’s expectation of a wellness centre or spa will differ greatly according to which country they come from, their language and their experience of wellness facilities generally. For example, the British or Americans would have a very different understanding of what they would expect to find in spa (i. e. luxury, pampering, and beauty) from a Central or Eastern European (i. e. healing waters, physical health checks, and medical treatments). Information provision and marketing is therefore extremely important in managing visitor expectation. In some cultures, nudity in spa is the norm or even a requirement in some areas (e. g. suanas and steam rooms). This is true of Austria, Germany and some spas in CEE and Scandinavia. However, for some visitors (e. g. American, British, Asians, and Southern Europeans) this can be unexpected and even embarrassing. In some cultures (e. g. Finland and Japan) men are separate from women when using sauna or spa facilities. In other cultures, mixed nudity is accepted. Some nationalities are used to doing activities in groups and are not used to enforced silence (e. . Southern European). This can create a certain amount of tension in countries, where spas and wellness centers are seen as quiet, restful, sometimes even spiritual spaces (especially in sauna and steam rooms) Help may also be needed to guide visitors around spas, as it could be their first visit or rituals and traditions may differ from those in their home country. Language may be a barrier where there is little or no translatio n, especially in countries where language can seem completely unfamiliar (e. g. Finland, Japan, and China). Visitors sometimes have problems knowing which entrance to use if there is more than one, which ticket to buy when there are many options, and might not understand the cloakroom system (e. g. in Hungary, where a cloakroom attendant usually has to be approached for a locker and key) or the new technology (e. g. in Austria when the locker system can be operate using a wristband). Knowing just how long to stay in medical, mineral or thermal waters is not clear to the inexperienced. Even if 20min is the recommended time, bathers need to know how long to rest or whether they should go to a cool shower after. Just a small information panel outside a bath, sauna or steam room can be enough to inform visitors, what the recommended length of time should be. (Smith & Puczko 2009). Atmosphere Creating a relaxing, clean, and pleasant environment is a paramount importance for all wellness facilities, but most especially for spas and spa or wellness hotels, which may also need a touch of luxury (spiritual or holistic tourist may accept more basic facilities). The use of design, colour, lightning, and location of furniture, degree of natural light, greenery, views, music or scents can all contribute to creating a harmonious atmosphere. Certainly, most of these qualities are determined during the planning process. The management may face difficulties when the services and/ or the surrounding environment do not support or accompany each other. These mismatches certainly result in sub-optimal satisfaction and consequently lower the optimal revenue level 9 (Puczko & Smith 2009). Spa Tourism Spa tourism is arguably the best known form of wellness tourism and is sometimes treated as being synonymous with wellness tourism. ISPA (2007) defines spa as ‘places devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit’. ISPA also defines the key elements of the spa experience: relax; reflect; revitalize; and rejoice. It is difficult to distinguish between spas and more general forms of wellness (e. g. holistic retreats); however, it also shows clearly the diversity of the spa sector. There are now numerous sub-sectors within spa tourism and it is no longer enough simply to use the label ‘spa’ and assume that tourist will know what to expect. Perceptions differ greatly, for example, tourist in Central and Eastern Europe are very similar with the concept of historic medical spas, whereas other visitors (e. g. from the United States or United Kingdom) with expect something similar to a beauty salon. Spa are now of a highly complex and diverse nature. This diverse nature starts with the name and its likely meanings. Bath, bano, bad, therme/ terme, grotto, spa, kupele, furdo – all mean a thermal water-based spa, in various languages. The translation of the name from the original language often uses the term ‘spa’, but these establishments are not really always spa. Spas may differ widely in terms of what they offer, that is their services or treatment supply, and however, they have one thing in common, which is the aspiration to improve health and well-being. Most spas have some form of water-based treatments; however there is a difference between mineral, thermal, and healing waters: mineral waters; it has at least the set amount of dissolved mineral content which is minimum 500mg/1 or 1000mg/1; thermal waters: natural waters that are at least 30 C or 32 C at source (this can vary country by country); healing waters; the healing affects have to be proven, that is evidence-based. The International Spa Association (ISPA, 2007) has defined the ‘ten domains of SPA’ or segments of the industry as: the waters; food, nourishment, diet, and nutrition; movement, exercise, and fitness; touch, massage, and body work; mind/body/spirit; aesthetics, skin care, natural beauty agents; physical space, climatology, global ecology; social/cultural arts and values, spa culture; management, marketing and operations; time, rhythm, and cycles. Not every spa contains every domain. The rejuvenation of the spa concept has generated several attempts to categorize spas. Since the modern concept of spas were established in the United States, one of the most comprehensive categorizations comes from the International Spa Associations (ISPA, 2007 and the Spafinder Magazine, 2007): club spa; day spa; spa hotel; holistic spa; medical spa; bath; resort spa; sport spa and structured spa.