Unresolved Issues in The Odyssey Essay Example for Free

Unresolved Issues in The Odyssey Essay Homer would never have willingly chosen to end the Odyssey at book 23, line 343. The Odyssey cannot be concluded here because Odysseus has not finished everything he set out to do and the reader is left hanging. At this point in the book Odysseus is still facing the threat of repercussion for his actions. Until Odysseuss rule is secure, the ending is unsatisfying. It is also not possible for the Odyssey to have an entirely happy ending if Odysseus isnt brought together with his father, Laertes, who has mourned him throughout his long absence. One of Odysseuss main incentives for returning home is that he wishes to be reunited with his father, Laertes. Odysseus learns to appreciate the value of home and family even more during his long journey. When speaking of his desire to go back to Ithaca while he is still in Phaiakia, Odysseus asks, Where shall a man find sweetness to surpass his own home and his parents? (book 9 line 34-36). If the book ends before Odysseus has reveals himself to his father, then Odysseuss goal of seeing his family again has not been completely fulfilled. His father is consumed with grief about his missing son. Laertes is not taking care of himself at all; he is sick and emaciated from sleeping on the ground in the mud and not eating. In the hierarchical mindset I dont think you could leave the king (Laertes is still king until he dies) or a father in that condition and not face wrath from the gods. The Greeks had tremendous amounts of respect for elder family members and it doesnt make sense that Odysseus, who is supposed to be extremely generous, would let his father suffer after he returned home- its too cruel. In terms of number of pages the journey home is not really that big or significant, while ousting the suitors and restoring right at home is huge. The focus of the book is on what Odysseus did once he got home to accomplish that goal- rather then how he got to Ithaca itself. Odysseus comes home, and murders the suitors, but that only resolves some of his problems. He still has the families of the suitors to contend with, for there is a very good chance that the Akhaians will not accept Odysseus as king again after he has murdered a good number of the high-ranking men in town. Before the book ends, it is essential that Odysseus make peace with the families of the suitors and reunite with his father, Laertes. If the Odyssey were to end while Odysseuss power was still in question the main goal would not be accomplished, and the book would be incomplete.

Tourism Planning Policies And Infrastructure In Egypt

Tourism Planning Policies And Infrastructure In Egypt Many councils, states or counties as a whole has understood the positive impacts of tourism economically, this sector pours a big share in the countrys economy, if analyzed, planned, chosen. Formulated and implemented strategically. There are many unfortunate countries that have not identified tourism as a sector. For this reason there is no establishment or body to look after and run this sector. Tourists have been travelling for centuries, sometimes just to relax, to have leisure time,underwent recreational activities, for attending conferences and seminars; and to meet friends and relatives. Gradually, the concept became wider when the tourists started taking interest in the history and culture of the destination like Egypt- Pyramids. Having realizedby the authorities that tourists take good interest in their heritage and history, this led the country to maintain their cultural places, events and festivals to exhibit to the tourists. Therefore new trend of cultural tourism emerged. Cultural tourism is a genre of specific interest tourism based on the search for and participation in new and deep cultural experience, whether aesthetic, intellectual, emotional or psychological. (Stebbins 1996) It makes the countries to market its rich and diverse cultural events to its local population and tourists alike. Boarding participation in the arts, increasing opportunities for arts, preserving and promoting cultural resources and investing in communitys quality of life are among the reasons. State arts agencies are key players in supporting and leading cultural tourism initiatives. For this reason successful projects need to undergo with collaboration, assessment, research, marketing and visitor services. This development of successful strategies will link the arts and tourism in communities. Tourism can present both advantages and problems. On the positive side, the preservation of heritage history and culture will attract the number of tourists and bring prosperity. At the same time maintenance of these resources will be ideal for the local population as it will create familiarity and affection with ancient history and forefathers. On the other hand, from the negative perspective the issue of controlling tourism will be challenging. Mass tourism will result in to fulfill the curiosity of the tourists and the cultural amenities will be destroyed. The Great Sphinx of Egypt with Candle Holder Poly Resin Destination Egypt: Egypt is a very well-known destination for cultural tourism. Ever since it was visited by Herodotus during the ancient time, he was surprised to see the vast differences between Egypt and his homeland. This image has been maintained throughout the middle and modern history. The discovery of Pharaonic antiquities long time ago has added a special charm to Egypt, beside its unique religious and cultural monuments. Egypt enjoys various fields of tourism, the most important are, archaeological or cultural tourism as one of the oldest types of tourism in Egypt, where the ancient civilizations are visible to the naked eye, an incarnation of the nation that constructed these civilizations since the dawn of history. Despite the multiple types of tourism and Egypts cultural tourism remains the unrepeated unique and non-competitive component of tourism as Egypt possesses one third of the worlds known monuments. The Great Sphinx at Giza in Egypt Therefore, historically speaking tourism has been a key ingredient in Egypts economy for about the last 200 years. However, over the last generation, tourism has become an essential component of the economy and is now the source of 45% of the countrys annual foreign currency earnings. Impacts of tourism: Until recently, growth in tourism was thought achievable without imposing any negative impact on Egypts cultural heritage resources. It used to be considering as non-consumable industry and a great tool to countrys development strategy. Similarly, it was regarded as a vital element to Egypts economy. But the constant research about the sector revealed that tourism consumes resources of the host nation, not just natural and man-made resources, but cultural ones, too. Cultural resources are finite and have to be managed like any other scarce resource. Positive impactsof tourism: The rise of tourism can lead the local population of Egypt to learn good things from diverse culture. This can open the door to many opportunities. For example Egyptians speaking Arabic, will come in the interaction of Asian, European, American tourists, this can influence them with their language and may lead to learn it. So that they can communicate with the tourists such a desire can make the establishments or centers to offer courses based on the languages. This can further import the native expertise and give many choices to the learners. Worldwide profile: It is the heritage of Egypt that has made it worldwide known destination. Many European and American tourists show their urge to visit the destination and see the pyramids from their eyes. The culture and heritage rich destination Egypt is taught in colleges and other vocational courses. This treasure of heritage and culture has made Egypt very important. Restoration and conservation: The heritage of Egypt is consistently restored and conserve. Conservation department is devoted to the preservation of cultural heritage for the future. It includes examination, documentation, treatment and preventive care of the historic treasure. Since it is being protected by the country for tourists, thereforeit is also greatly used by the local population. The nation knows about their ancient history which is alive in them after centuries through the preservation and maintenance of these objects. Social cohesion: It describes the bond or glue that brings the people of Egypt together in society, particularly in the context of cultural diversity. These cultural heritage and history bring them closer, united and signs their mutuality. Such a practice passes on from one generation to another and Egyptians take pride to be the part of world class ancient history. General development of infrastructure: Access to the cultural heritage site is just not possible for tourists with effective and modern infrastructure. People on holidays, curious for learning and view would like to save their energy to tour around to fulfill their purpose of tourism. This modern means of infrastructure will then are used by the locals and make their life easier too. Not only has this but such advancement queued up the country to earn title of a developed country. Negative impacts of tourism: Mass tourism: The interesting history of the Egypt has led the destination to deal with mass tourism. This form of tourism was unable to responsibly control and had ruined the area of natural beauty. It has also polluted the beaches and destroyed the habitats of wild as roads and hotels are built. Therefore such a loss and damage to such resources and infrastructure had reduced numbers of visitors. The air travel, sources of mass tourism is a major cause of global warming. Culture and tradition sensibility: Large number of tourists has undermined traditional beliefs, values, and customs and in particular risk commercializing the very culture Egyptians is proud of. Many incidents of their insensitivity to local population and tradition have caused great offence, for example the indecent dressing, indecent behavior etc. Reliance on tourism: Mass tourism ruins the environment of the destination. The incidents in past where the Egypt heritage and cultural threats emerged alarmed the local authorities to limit the tourism. It was felt that nature conservation, park management, red sea tourism need to be sustained. These authorities are now playing to implement such measures that will not destroy their treasure of history and also welcome the tourist to view and admire their ancient history. Regardless of the economic benefits tourism brings, it is very significant for the Egyptian tourists board to balance the requirements of locals and facilities tourists need. For example the sightseeing in Luxor, where the valley of the Kings is the site where the Pharoahs underground tombs have been constructed, and tomb of Tutankhamun, Rames III and IV etc. are the most visited sites. These sites in particular suffer from pollution, damage and other negative effects greatly. In short, the civilization of Egypt was in extreme danger, until the government decided to be equipped with some meaningful strategy to deal with the issue. At the same time, the influence of the European tourists industry has really motivated the government to choose the direction where the economical merits of the industry will be enjoyed but not at the risk of losing the traditions, values, monuments and other physical amenities. For this reason, effective destination planning must define the level of acceptable tourism development in Egypt and provide control to maintain that level. Pollution: Mass tourism always hooks up with pollution that is destruction to its environment, physical amenities, natural resources etc. therefore, the pollution controls should be built into all forms of infrastructure. In this regard, educational programmers should assist and invite tourist to respect and understand the local way of life, culture, history and religion. The Egyptian tourism policy should think on these lines that tourists need not to cross border line to negatively influence the local civilization, traditions, values and beliefs. Disney-fication: It means the transformation of something, usually society at large. Luxor is known for its Disney-fication as city officials approved a controversial plan to excavate an ancient processional route and develop it as a key tourist attraction. Buried in soil for centuries, the 2.7 kilometer Avenue of Sphinxes once connected the temples of Luxor and Karnak in what was then ancient city of Thebes. Such crucial impacts of culture and heritage have forced the low income families to lose their homes where water and electricity was cut off past few months ago. Government policies: The development of cultural and heritage sites on the price of influencing the local population living or houses should not be the practice of the ministry tourism in Egypt. Such a project should not be planned and implemented. When there is no source of reliable compensation schemes. The director of Luxor antiques Mansour Boraik believed uncoiling the avenue of Sphinxes was their dream, since it was the longest and biggest religious route ever built in the ancient world. Therefore many houses have demolished already. Regardless of the economic positive impacts that tourism carries, such a move by the government will increase the hostility of the local population against tourists. Reconstruction and restoration of cultural sites: Every year the government of Egypt spends billions of pounds to maintain and reconstruct the ancient architecture and monuments. Such a big budget of economy is invested on these sectors whereas; there is a need to pour handsome investment in other sectors like sports, education, health and industry. Just like many touristic islands and destination, the complete reliance ondevelopment of tourism sector only can cause many disasters and the countrys economy can face a big collapse. Local population belief: Since tourist mingle up with local population from diverse background with different lifestyles, religions, languages, values, beliefs, practices etc. Therefore, it is quite likely that host population will start getting fascinated with unique practices and thus follow them. For example, Egypt is an Islamic country and the local dress code is completely different than European tourists. Local people might get influence from European tourists and start following their dress code. Security measures: Tourism industry brings the people of all beliefs and religions together into the destination. Egypt had recently become a target land for terrorism. People from their home country fly to Egypt to satisfy their thirst of viewing historical places and learn about the ancient history. But unfortunately, destination has become marked by terrorist to kill foreigners. For this reason, new measures of security are needed to be implanted to make sure that just like local people, tourist feel the same safety and security, this might need a heavy budget on security and safety equipment. Failure to achieve the best means of security can spread a very negative reputation all around, which can drastically influence the number of tourists in future. Tourism planning policies and infrastructure: The Egypt tourist authority: The tourism industry being the largest in the Egypt needs to undergo very effective destination planning. The planning should enable the policy makers to understand the linkages between tourism and each of the economic sectors so that optional planning and management strategies can be implemented for the destination. The lucrative economic benefits of tourism are of course not ignorable but at the same time the utilization of natural, man-made, cultural and heritage resources of Egypt should not be misused. In past the policy makers were ignorant about this fact. Since tourism is generating a big share of income for Egypts economy for two centuries. But now is the time to understand the world phenomenon that tourism has increasingly important socioeconomic and cultural impact. So the heritage, nature, and culture have to be protected. Egypt has experienced many red signals that reflect the concern about controlling or limiting tourism. At the end of the 1980s, Egypts government took the decision to develop tourism, when other sources of rent income were in crisis and the government was in danger of being destabilized. Since then, tourism has been a great success story in Egypt and contributes substantially to the economic development of the country. The tremendously increasing tourism revenues have significantly contributed to the stabilization of the political system. Progressive sustainable tourism program is the initiative of ministry of tourism of Egypt to put environmental protection and conservation at the top of Egypts tourism development agenda in current as well as future tourism development plans. Being an undisputed gateway to one of the worlds fastest growing tourism markets, and with 200,000 hotel rooms planed over 15 years, Egypt has realized one of the worlds largest tourism development plans. Associated with this rapid growth are the international popularity of its natural environment and the potential threat of degradation to both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Many conferences have been organized by the Minister of Tourism, Dr.Mamdouh El-Beltaugi, about Egypts Red Sea Sustainable Tourism Initiative. Sustainable tourism which is an effective development philosophy can advance environmental conservation and promote the sustainable use of natural resources, and a catalyst for economic and local community development in Egypt. For example, over 1.2 million tourists visit the Red Sea coast annually, bringing in over $1.2 billion in foreign exchange and generating more than 275,000 jobs. The Red Sea has become one of Egypts premier tourism destinations, based in large part on its unique and fragile marine environment. In recent years, however, tourism development has come increasingly into conflict with protection and conservation of Red Sea resources. To assure that future tourism development in the southern Red Sea preserves the environmental resources that make the area so attractive to tourists, the Egyptian government proposed development of a land use management plan identifying zones for different types and levels of development and preservation. In addition, to counteract tourisms negative effects while still encouraging economic growth, the government proposed a program to protect designated marine and coastal areas through the establishment of nature reserves, and to build the capacity of national and local government agencies, as well as private tourism enterprises, to cope with the many challenges presented by a booming tourism industry. Urban tourism: Primary elements of urban tourism: Cultural Facilities: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Museums and Art Galleries à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Theaters and Cinemas à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Concert Halls à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Convention Centers and other Visitor Attractions Sport Facilities: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Indoor and Outdoor Amusement Facilities: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Night Clubs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Casinos and Bingo Halls à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Organized Events à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Festivals Physical Characteristics: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Historical Street Pattern à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Interesting Buildings à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ancients Monuments and Statues à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Parks and Green Areas à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Waterfronts (Harbor, Canal, River) Socio-Cultural Features: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Liveliness of the Place à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Language à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Local Customs and Costumes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cultural Heritage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Friendliness à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Security Secondary elements of urban tourism: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Accommodation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Catering Facilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Shopping à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Markets Additional elements of urban tourism: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Accessibility à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Transportation and Parking à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Tourist Information(maps, signs, guides) Sinbad Aquapark is a beach front hotel, situated in Hurghada, Egypt. It isjust fifteen minutes from HurghadaAirport; this well-featured resort hotel includes a water park and extensive sporting facilities. Sindbad Club Aqua Park and Resort has 685 guestrooms. http://www.wayfaring.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Sindbad-hotel-2.jpg Room features Air conditioning, Bathroom with shower, Minibar, Room safe, Satellite TV, Small lounge, Telephone, Television, Windows that open Writing desk. http://www.wayfaring.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Sindbad-hotel-agua-park.jpg Facilities at the hotel include various bars and restaurants, large swimming pool with Jacuzzi, childrens swimming pool, aqua park with water slides and wave pool, childrens club, tennis, billiards, bowling. http://www.wayfaring.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/aqua-park-Sindbad-hotel.jpg Wellness centre with Jacuzzi, sauna, massage, medical centre, cosmetics studio and hairdresser and full entertainment programmed for adults and children. Emerging Issues: There are number of distinctive features tend to characterize Egypts urban tourism destinations, some of which could represent focal points of remedy. Such features include: The Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza in Egypt Privatization: There is a great shift from Public sectors development to the privatized in Egypt to maintain and offer visitors an exciting experience. Hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, transportation etc are becoming privatized which is creating a leakage in the economy. The earnings of public sector are equally distributed into the establishment of new services and sector nationally because it is meant to be spending likely. But on the contrary, privatized firms businesses benefit the individuals and specific family for what the countries remain under developed. Convention Centers and Exhibitions: There are significant numbers of visitors to Egypt whose primary purpose of visit is not leisure-related. As convention Centers and Exhibitions are often regarded as one of the staples of urban tourism thus at the destination of Egypt, up to forty percent of those staying overnight have come for this type of business tourism. Convention Centers and Exhibitions are perceived to be strong growth sectors in which the visitor spends an above average amount and which operate for most of the years in the Egypt. Employment, publicity, image improvement, and urban regeneration are benefits that generally justify the big financial investment for those centers. Besides these advantages, it is important to remember that the conference business cannot be separated from the rest of the tourism industry particularly because most participants are also seeking urban amenities in an exciting environment. Infrastructure: Substantial existing attractions and infrastructure generally developed for non-tourism purposes in Egypt. This has made the city life very congested and of course polluted. The Egyptian Tourism Authority needs to realize the importance of green tourism to be environmental friendly. Hotels have been established like the woods in a forest which also lead to noise pollution and air pollution. Attractions: A large number, variety and scale of primary and secondary attractions have been developed which is most of the time tourists have occupied, this lead to a jealousy and frustration in host population towards tourists. The more the disputes will take place the negative impacts will emerge which mainly will ruin the publicity of the destination. Example SINDBAD HOTEL. Development: Local residents are significant, often majority, users of attractions and infrastructure. These attractions utilize money, man power, land and other resources which can be used to undergo projects like Golf, school hospital bank orleisure Centre etc. In short, the approach of the government to spend on urban tourism can turn out to be a threat in future. Distribution of the resources: Tourism is just one of many economic activities in the city, with implications for the awareness and perceived importance of tourism issues by business, government and residents. The competition for resources within cities like Luxor, Alexanderia, and Cairo also has implications for the provision of visitor services, and the cost and availability of land and labor. Strategic planning of the destination: The involvement of a multiplicity of public and commercial organizations with varying levels of interest in tourism, which has implications for the complexity of planning and policy-making processes, day-to-day operational management, and the coherence of marketing activity. At the same time, many things have not changed. The Egyptians remain a very hospitable people who truly seem to love sharing their glorious past with visitors. They are a warm people who, meeting a foreign visitor for the first time, still have a habit of inviting them home to dinner, which is usually made into a feast of sorts. So as we head into the middle of the first decade of the 21st Century, we find an Egypt that is more than ever ready to accept modern western tourists, perhaps as never before. New and sometimes very luxurious hotels are springing up everywhere to accommodate them, and younger, savvier tour operators are planning wonderful and exciting ways to entertain and engage tourists. Egypt is a land of enchantment and mystery, and now is the best time ever to experience the Mother of the World Mass tourism VS Sustainable tourism:http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQpcTdij9YrlMdAj3PoyDm7LgA0EFTXAA6JA55EuW4wgTamGtxt=1 The term mass tourism is problematic to define with any precision and they claim that the term refers to the production, structure and organization of tourism akin to an industrial process whereby economies of scale are sought to meet market needs. Poon (1993) defines mass tourism as a large-scale phenomenon, packaging and selling standardized leisure services at fixed prices to a mass clientele. Further to this Fayos-Solà   (1996) went as far to suggest that the operational model of mass tourism no longer suffices to achieve competitiveness in tourism enterprises and regions and he proposed that a new paradigm, the New Age of Tourism (NAT), is gathering strength owing to its ability to face to prevailing circumstances. There are probably a hundred reasons why people visit Egypt. These days, perhaps the bulk of tourists actually come from various European countries for an inexpensive beach vacation, quite often in large groups by chartered airlines. For them, it is simply the least expensive means of taking a warm, beach vacation in a nice resort along the Red Sea coast of Egypt or in the Sinai. Many of these vacations are arranged by large European operations that use mass tourism to arrange considerable hotel space at very inexpensive rates. More lucrative to the Egyptians, and certainly a major source of tourism to Egypt, are the classical tourists, who come to Egypt specifically to visit the ancient monuments. Beach goers may also arrange classical tours as extensions of their holidays, but normal classical tourists will usually follow a much defined route, from Cairo along the Nile Valley down to Aswan, though they may also opt for various extensions, including a brief visit to one of the beaches. Sustainable tourism in Egypt: Egypt national tourist strategic planhttp://www.mga-ai.it/images/480/Egypt2_480.jpg After the disastrous effects of Mass Tourism Egypt is looking into the possibilities for diversifying its tourism opportunities throughout the country. The main target for expanding the tourism sector is nature-based tourism. The coral reefs and rich marine life in South Sinai and the Red Sea coast have made these two areas among the premier scuba diving destinations in the world. Many beach resorts are now in operation and there are still hundreds to be constructed. However, previous tourism development in Egypt has resulted in a series of negative environmental impacts. The ambitious development plans to receive 16 million tourists by 2017 should take into consideration sustainability concepts. The government and developers have significant roles to play in adopting and implementing environmentally sound policies and practices to avoid the degradation of the natural heritage of Egypt for the sake of the current as well as future generations. Egypt in 21st Century plan is prepared by the cabinet of the Egyptian Government in 1997,and it lays out the long-term national development plan in the beginning century. Tourismwas positioned as one of major leading industries in the strategy.Following are the tourism development strategies in the 21th century: To increase the number of visitor arrivals to 27 million by the year 2017 To extend length of stay from 7 days in 1997 to 9 days by the year 2017, and to increase total bed nightsfrom 26 million in 1997 to 230 million by 2017 To raise the accommodation capacity to 618 thousand rooms by the year 2017 To focus on tourism development projects in South Egypt To formulate integrated development programs for new tourist areas To establish new tourist camp sites for safaris in the middle of Sinai and in Wadi El Gemal of Red Sea To preserve the ancient Egyptian civilization To supply new sites for tourism development with all the required facilities like in the Red Sea, Sinai, theNew Valley, Luxor and Aswan. The impact of tourism on the Egyptian society is significant. Direct economic benefits of tourisminclude generation of employment, increase of foreign exchange earnings, incomegeneration and contribution to government revenues These benefits are the main source of income to strengthen the other sectors of Egypt greatly. Tourism also provides indirectimpacts on the economic sectors, such as agriculture, fisheries, handicraft manufacturingand construction, which supply the goods and services for tourism sector. Furthermore, the improvement of transportation and other infrastructure facilities andservices encourage the economic and culture development of the community in theregional area. Conclusion: The Egyptian national tourism sector marketing strategy emphasizes on quality, and aimsto foster and encourage high-quality tourism services at competitive prices. Since 1982,Egypt has developed a new strategy aiming to increase the number of tourists visitingEgypt. The plan was, and still is, to boost tourism demand by attracting visitors beyondthe main tourism incoming markets, namely visitors from the European Community, USA, Canada and the Arab countries and target new potential markets. Thepredominant new markets Egypt must aim to attract are: Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, EasternEurope, and Southern and Latin America. Up till now the Egyptian tourism sector has notachieved the desired travel movement from Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia and Malaysia. Egypt Scandinavia and Eastern Europe countries such as Poland, Czech Republic, Romania and Russia, they only yielded a total of 600 000 tourists compared to 3 274 377 tourists from both western and southern Europe (Papadopoulos, 2003). The main customers are the Germans followed by Italians, Russians, English, French and Saudi Arabians. Egypt mustpromoted through advertising campaigns in the mass media, participation and attendance in various exhibitions and the continuous renewal of advertising material. Egyptian organizations need to participate in all major international events, while tourist planners have developed for the demanding tourist, cultural and athletic activities reinforcing Egypt as a tourist destination and attracting people interested in these events. There is also a great need to protect Egypts unique desert and its environment and heritage resources. Sustainable development and preservation ofEgypts natural resources should be the pillars of the Egyptian tourism plans. The primary concern is to protect the environment by limiting tourism projects in natural reserves. Generally, tourism properties, hard buildings, are only allowed in 12.5% of the land. In recognition of the countrys potential for tourism, high standards of tourism services quality are strictly enforced and green marketing orientation need to be adopted within all tourism marketing activities. The budget allocated to promote Egypt as a macro-tourist destination abroad is about $50 million a year. Almost 90% of the promotion budget is spent on promotion campaigns through direct media such as the press, TV, billboards, movie and public transport advertisements. The remaining 10% goes to the international network of tourist offices. The Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA) must focus its promotion activities on the European tourist market, which is considered the main market segment, as it provides about 65% of the inbound tourists coming to Egypt. ETA promotion policies should also take into consideration the changes that took place in Europe, as there are ten countries that have recently joined the European Union and they are mainly from the Eastern bloc. The ETAhas to look closely at these new potential tourist markets. The Arab tourist market constitutes the second major region sending tourists to Egypt, about 16% of the total number of travelers, and there is a need to design a new strategy that offers the Arab tourist markets requirements. Egypt has to highlight its focus of marketing campaign to attract not only culturaltourists, but also to highlight the Red Sea Resorts, with their beaches, diving activitiesand the environmental tourism facilities, taking the sustainability requirements intoconsideration (El-Khadem, 2004; Ministry of Tourism, 2004).

Islamic Concept Of Charity And Social Security Religion Essay

Islamic Concept Of Charity And Social Security Religion Essay This paper deals with the Islamic concept of charity and the formation of moral economy. Charity in Islam has different forms (zakat, sadqah and donation). It forms the social security system for the vulnerable class. It purifies the legally earned money and determines the close connection of the worship of the God. The crux of the charity is to form a moral economy which regulates the behaviour of Muslims in economic and social affairs. The moral economy is based on the fairness, sense of responsibility and purity in worship welfare and social security of the people. 1. Introduction The contemporary debate of the charity has been long in the literature (Melvin 2009, Ferrari and Khan 2010, Shirazi 1996, Scott 1987 and Waldron 1986). Specifically, the religious zeal and zest revolves around the notion of charity (Iwobi 2009). Islamic concept of charity is not exception for that debate of social welfare and the security (Scott 1987). It emphasizes on the moral values and the contribution to the neglected segment o f the society. However, Islamic concept of charity and social security has never been debated in the light of the moral economy. This paper is intended to give a comparative view about the different notions of the Islamic charity (zakat, sadqah and donation). The concept of charity, in general, is not new because every religion of the world preached that charity. However, the focus of this paper is to highlight the forms of charity in Islam, their differences and their impact on the multiculturalism and the formation of the moral economy. The definition of charity in Islamic tradition differs and it is context specific. However, its aim and goals remain the same. The Quran states: And be steadfast in your prayer and pay charity; whatever good you send forth for your future, you shall find it with Allah, for Allah is well aware of what you do (Al-Quran: Al-Baqara 2:110). Similarly, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: No wealth (of a servant of Allah) is decreased because of charity (Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2247). Charity is the fifth pillar of Islam and its reward will be given in the after world. The charity is not reciprocity for this world, but the world after. The Quran declare the five basic concept of the zakat. These concepts included: infaq (spending benevolently), ihsan (kindness), zakah (purification), sadqah (charitable deed) and khayrat (good deeds). However, Islam does not force anyone to give charity. It is obligatory in the form of zakat and voluntary in the shape of sadqah (charity) and donation. 2. Basic concepts of charity in Islam Islamic charity has three basic concepts: zakat, sadaqah and donation. 2.1 Zakat (alms giving) The zakat (Ø ²Ãƒâ„¢Ã†â€™ÃƒËœÃƒËœÃ‚ ©Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½) is extracted from the word zaka to be pure that denotes purification. The Quran highlights to the purification of wealth and states: Of their wealth take alms to purify and sanctify them (Al-Quran, Al-Tawbah 9:103). The zakat is obligation on a Muslim. It is moral duty of a Muslim to pay zakat at the rate of 2.5% per year. A Muslim cannot deny the zakat. The Quran lists recipients of Zakat: Zakat is for the poor and the needy and those who are employed to administer and collect it, and for those whose hearts are to be won over, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage, and for those who are overburdened with debts and for every struggle in Gods cause, and for the wayfarers: this is a duty ordained by God, and God is the All-Knowing, the Wise. (Al-Quran 9:60). The zakat is given individually to the relatives, neighbors and vulnerable communities. It is also administered collectively: Muslim charity organization, some of the Muslim states regulates the departments which are responsible of the charity (for instance Ministry of Religious Affairs, Zakat and Ushr in Pakistan) and Muslim associations. Nevertheless, zakat is mandatory to every Muslim (who can pay), but it is willful to pay individually or collectively. 2.2 Sadaqah (charity) The word sadaqah (Ø µÃƒËœÃ‚ ¯Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ÃƒËœÃ‚ ©Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½) is derived from the Arabic root sadaqah which means to be truthful and hence sadaqah implies engaging in any virtuous and moral act in order to earn happiness of God. The sadaqah has certain principals which a Muslim must follow. One, sadaqah is given in the name of God. Second, the money or the donation should be from the legal sources. Islam discourages the illegitimate (stolen or unethically gained) money or resources. Third, surplus money (beyond the need of a person) is the money of God and Muslims are custodian of it. Therefore, they should spend and return the money to the needy, poor and spend on the ways of God. The Quran outlines the charity: Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by day, in secret and in public, have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Al-Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:274). The Quran further highlights: And spend something (in charity) out of the substance which We have bestowed on you, before Death should come to any of you and he should say, O my Lord! Why didst Thou not give me respite for a little while? I should then have given (largely) in charity, and I should have been one of the doers of good. But to no soul will Allah grant respite when the time appointed (for it) has come; and Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. (Al-Quran, Al-Munafiqun 63: 10-11). Further, the Quran states: And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive. We feed you for the sake of Allah alone: no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks. (Al-Quran, Al Insà ¢n 76:8-9). In another statement, the Quran states: For those who give in Charity, men and women, and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward (Al-Quran, Al Hadà ®d 57:18). Sadaqah is important for a number of purposes. It reduces the sins and increases the virtue of a Muslim. It compensates for shortcoming in any negligence in the payment of zakat. For instance, if a person forgets to pay zakat in the past or was guilty to pay the zakat, the sadaqah reduces the burden of the past. Sadaqah give a sense of protection not only the giver but also to the receiver of falling victim of disaster. God pleasure is received through the sadaqah. It is pleasure of the giver of the charity. The person feels happiness and fulfills his/ her obligation to the betterment of the humanity. Model of Islamic Charity Sadqah and donation: Volunteer charity No specification of rate or time Depends upon the capacity of an individual capacity Zakat: Obligatory charity Wealth: (income, earnings and savings) at the rate of 2.5% per anum Agriculture product: Crops (around 10%). Islamic Tresury (Fund): Bait-ul-Mal Spending: Needy, poor (orphans, widows), employees to administer and collect zakat, for those whose hearts are to be won over, captive (prisoners), in debts and scholars, and for the wayfarers. Social Security: Marginalized persons, communities Fig 1.1 Fig 1.1 indicates that Islamic notion of charity is mainly based on the zakat, sadaqah and donation. These donations are collected at the Islamic funds. The fund is used to look after the marginalized community. This welfare is a form of social security. Everything related to the Islamic charity is based on the moral economy. The notion of moral economy is main crux of the charity. 2.3 Donation Third term which is often used is the donation. The donation refers to give money, gift or compensate the person, organization who is in need. A donation is typical a charity and it serves the purpose of humanity. Different words are used for the donation: khairat (Ø ®Ãƒâ€ºÃ…’Ø ± Ø Ø ª) or attya (Ø ¹ÃƒËœÃ‚ ·Ãƒâ€ºÃ…’Û ). These words denote the charity collectively and individually. Islam appreciates the donation to the cause of the humanity. It is normally given at the time of disaster, emergency, people in need, to save a human being, construct an educational institution and to feed the hungry people. 3. Difference between zakat, sadaqah and donation Zakat, sadaqah and donations are different kinds of charities in Islamic ideology. Zakat is the obligatory annual alms-giving which is determined on the basis of the value of ones own wealth. It is calculated 2.5% as per Islamic traditions in an year. The zakat is calculated at the beginning of the Islamic month Ramadan. According to the Islamic scholars, the zakat must be collected from the Muslims. This principal does not apply to the non- Muslims living in a Muslim state. It is mandatory and has strict verdict to pay the zakat, however, without any penalty for it. Zakat is responsibility of the only person who owns wealth. It is liable on the individual and the family. However, the sadaqah is a charity that is given beside the zakat contribution over the surplus wealth. It is volunteer act and without any percentage. Sadaqah is not specified as only monetary terms (feeding the poor and the needy), but also given support to the orphans, widows in the form of advising or counseling. It also includes the volunteer activities for the befit of the community at larger: teaching to the poor, giving sense of good faith and advising them to excel on the right path, the path of God. Similarly, some of the Islamic scholars believe that to form charity organization, construct educational institutions (mosque, school, college, universities) and construction of well (to clean water supply to the community) are the different forms of sadaqah. It can be given on the name of any relative (parents or children), if a person wishes to do so. Nevertheless, the sadaqah is volunteer act of the person and depend upon the capacity and surplus wealth of the person. On the other hand, the donation is neither time specific nor it is mandatory or obligatory. It is volunteer activity of a person. It significantly differs from the zakat, but close to the sadaqah. Nevertheless, these three types of the charity contribute to the welfare of the humanity altogether. 4. Comparative view of charity: Development of moral economy Islamic notion of charity (in its different forms) generates a moral economy. This is the economy which is based on the good faith and welfare of the humanity. In line with Bollig (1998) and Thompsons (1971, 1993) notion of moral economy. Islamic charity gives the following notion of charity. 4.1 Islamic charity: Moral injection Benthall (1999) highlights the Quranic injection of charity. According to Benthall the Islamic system of almsgiving (zakat) is more organized than other societies. For him, the zakat is closely associated with the prayers and the worship of God, therefore, the Muslim are morally obliged to pay the zakat to the poor, to the needy as per Islamic conception. He argued that Zakat can be distributed in poor, needy, orphans, widows, divorcees, prisoners and their families, unemployed and homeless people, students, those who cannot afford to marry. It is also for the disasters victims and those in need of free medicine or dignified funerals of a person who need it (Benthall 1999:31). Therefore, the Islamic charity is a moral injection to work for the betterment of the humanity. 4.2 Zakat: Powerful instrument to poverty eradication Zakat denotes growth, extension and purification and it is a donation on wealth and agriculture product. The zakat is collected as per nature of the wealth. It is collected to fulfill the tire needs of the marginalized segment of the society. The zakat is fundamental creed of Islam: It obligatory act of worship (Mohammad 1991). According to Mohammad (1996), the zakat is a system that has potential to eradicate poverty and inequalities (1991:1119). The zakat system is well organized system for the development of a country but it can be more organized for poverty eradication and for the maintenance of a society like Pakistan (Mohammad 1991). Similarly, a survey was conducted in 1990/91 of the household Integrated Economic Survey in Pakistan and findings revealed that the zakat and usher were the significant to contribute the lives of the people (Shirazi 1996). According to the survey, 39000 zakat committees were working with 250 thousand volunteers (Shirazi 1996:166). The zakat contribution on 1981/1982 from 845.85 million Pakistani rupees to 4655.9 million in 1993/94 (Shirazi 1996:170). The money was spending to substance allowance for poor (708.622 million), rehabilitation (245.669 million Pakistani rupees) and 1738234 people benefited from the zakat contribution (Shirazi 1996:185). However, the latest figures on the issue are not available. The development of the Islamic charity and its faire distribution could lead to alleviate and then eradicate poverty in the Muslim countries. However, the institution either do not exist or unable to deliver the services effectively. At some places, this institution was suppressed due to the fear of the dominance and power politics. Nevertheless, the Islamic charity has potential to contribute to the welfare of the humanity. 4.3 Charity: Road towards the social justice According to Bremer (2004:1) the development of any society local resources are necessary. Islamic societies developed over a range of charity organizations to in order to address the needs of the needy and poor. These organizations are zakat boards, wakf (endowment) and diverse local structures reflecting the richness of Islamic culture from Dakar to Davao (Ibid). For her, a strong civil society is now widely recognized as an important pillar supporting democratic institutions in the West (Bremer 2004:2). The strength of the civil society leads towards the development of the democratic institutions. According to her, foreign aid and a government is not enough for development in Muslim societies. Bremer outlines that in recent years USAID has funded the creation of an NGO service center that provides technical assistance and training to civil society organizations, and has granted financial support directly to NGOs ranging from business associations to community development groups (B remer 2004:3). For her, this development contribution can be significantly increased with the assistance of Islamic charity in Muslim societies. Ultimately, this charity leads towards the establishment of the social justice system (Bremer 2004). The whole notion of charity revolves around the notion of social justice in the Muslim world. The charity is the strong instrument to bring in the social justice. It helps the marginalized population within the society and tries to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich. 4.4 Charity: Funding for free education According to Blanchard (2007) religious school work as a charity organization in Muslim countries. They are source of providing education to the vulnerable groups, especially to the madrasas (religious schools). Madrasas offer a free education, room, and board to their students, and thus they appeal to impoverished families and individuals. On the whole these religious schools are supported by private donations from Muslim believers through a process of alms-giving known in Arabic as zakat. The practice of zakatone of the five pillars of the Islamic faithprescribed that a fixed proportion of ones income be given to specified charitable causes, and traditionally a portion of zakat has endowed religious education (2007:4). Blanchard (2007) provides information that in Pakistan Madrasas are being observed by the government regarding their finance sources after 9/11 attack in the United States. He reveals that the madrasas are contributing to provide the education to the poorest. He found that madrasas are registered in Pakistan and their financial assistance is observed by the Government of Pakistan since August 2006 (Blanchard 2007:5). Nonetheless, the charity could fill the gap of the education. 4.5 Charity: Belief and health seeking behaviour A study highlights the importance of the sadaqah in health seeking behaviour in Pakistan (see Midway, Tabasco, Hani, and Khan 2010). This study revealed those patients who strongly belief and practice sadaqah (charity) feel better and believe that they can recover their health after giving charity to the poor. According to this research, almost 85% of the respondent thought and gave charity. The study reveals that the sadaqah is usually giving in the form of money (85.2%) clothes (49.2%) and sacrificing an animal (65.5%). Almost 92% of the respondents relate the belief and practice of sadaqah giving in the hope of recovery from illness. Nevertheless, charity gives internal strength to the patients and they believe that they can have better health recovery after giving the charity. 4.6 Islamic charity is universal or specific notion of welfare: There are two views about the Islamic charity. One, it is localized notion of welfare and limited to the only Muslims and the Muslim societies. The Muslims are contributors as well as consumer of the charity. This perspective is under criticism among a large segment of the Muslim scholars (see Benthall 1999). However, the second point of view is that Islamic charity is universal and every human being without border, creed and dogma can benefit from the charity. However, the charity contribution is applied only on Muslims. The Muslim contributes to the charity and gives equal importance to the whole human being in order to disburse the charity (Benthall 1999). However, they do not impose on the non- Muslims. Nevertheless, only Muslims are contributor of the Islamic charity. However, it is equally important to give the charity to the non-Muslims. There is no specification of creed or dogma in the Islamic charity (except zakat). The zakat is limited to the Muslim societies. The donation are without any religious affiliation or association. 5. Discussion There is wide spread opportunity to get resources in order to feed the marginalized segment of the society, as per the notion of Islamic charity, then why the Muslim countries are dependent upon foreign aid is a question which is often raised. In fact, there are two major reasons of the dependency of the Muslim societies on the foreign aid and remain in the vicious cycle of poverty and under development. 5.1 Collapse of the charity institution: Change in the charity institutions Muslim countries depend upon the foreign aid because they were unable to maintain their institutions. Such institutions were collapsed during the colonization or soon after (Bremer 2004). In the eyes of the colonial masters, the Muslim charity institutions were the symbol of Muslim legacy and they were a source of the rise of the Muslim power. Therefore, it was necessary to abolish such institution from the Muslims societies (Bremer 2004). Especially, the zakat institution was under strong scrutiny during the colonial era because it was believed that this institution supports the freedom struggle. The colonial powers developed the institution of welfare instead of the zakat institution. However, this welfare institution, developed by the colonial powers, was perceived as not ones own. It was considered as a symbol to get money, but without any legacy (Bremer 2004). It was just perceived as the symbol of the colony and soon after become the source to collect the money by hook or by crook. People wanted to get benefited from the social welfare but not were ready to pay it back. Therefore, it was not much institutionalized as the zakat was spread during the Muslim era in the Middle East and in the Muslim countries before the 19th century. However, the Islamic charity institutions are believed as part of the worship of the God. Therefore, there were rare cases of the unfairness or corruption. They have strong check and balance to maintain the charity among the Muslim charity organizations. Nonetheless, the change in the charity institution brought mistrust and unfairness in the charity. Many of the Muslims societies became the prey of it and remain in the vicious cycle of poverty and under development. 5.2 Collapse of morality: Change to develop a new morality based on materialism Islam appreciates the giving hands (charity giver) and discourages the charity recipient. According to Islam, giving hand is better than the receiving hand. However, current scenario does not reflect the basic ideology of the charity of Islam. Despite of the fact that the zakat remain as an institution among the Muslim societies at individual level. However, it was not developed at the state level after the colonial era. It was perceived that state is in the hands of someone else (colonial masters or their local representatives) and there was not any institutionalized method of the zakat collection and its distribution. This mistrust or non-confidence led to collapse the real notion of the moral economy among the Muslims. In Islamic morality, there are two sets of rights and obligation for a Muslim: the rights to worship God and the right to serve the humanity. In Islam, the right of God may be put aside by the God, if He wants to do so. However, the right to serve the humanity cannot be neglected until unless the fellow human beings do not forgive it. It is exclusive related with the people and their rights. They (people, especially poor and the needy) have to forgive their rights to the fellow Muslims. So the Islamic moral values exclusive emphasize on the welfare and social security of the humanity and the marginalized group of the society. However, the collapse of the Islamic morality of charity is dominated phenomenon in the current era. It does contradict on the basic philosophy of the Islam that spends everything to the humanity which is surplus. However, the materialism and greed for wealth is dominant in the current culture of the Muslim societies. It is depicted in the life style and in the emerging value system. Consequently, it is affecting the basic notion of the Islamic charity and changing the moral economy of the Muslim in the contemporary era. 7. Conclusion Islamic concept of charity is much associated with the Muslim societies. It forms a moral economy and moral value systems (give charity and worship to the God). It also strengthens the notion of close social networking of the Muslims. However, it does not neglect the humanity at large. It gives a due share to provide the help to the people of the world. The charity is given to the needy, poor, scholars, charity organizations and welfare of the society at large. However, criticism to retain the Muslim charity among Muslim is not exclusive from the discussion of the charity. Dominant point of view, however, is in favour of the humanity rather than the welfare of the any specific community. Islamic charity begins from the individual level. It creates the space for the state. However, it does not exclusive involve the state to regulate the charity. The charity in Islam is equally important to the worship of God. Islam emphasize the worship of God (right to obey the God) and the service for the humanity (the rights of the poor and the needy). The charity is the right of the fellow human beings who are in need and it cannot be neglected as per Islamic moral economy. The Islamic charity is grounded in the concept of the moral economy.

Computer Network Security Alternatives :: Computer Network Security Essays

Computer Network Security Alternatives Computer network security and integrity is a large concern among all types and sizes of companies. The options for solving security risks are as varied as the companies themselves. However, it is possible to break down the methods for dealing with security risks into three major categories. Companies have the option to: 1. Select best of breed products for their various security needs and assemble the products together to form their own customized solutions. 2. Purchase a security suite that contains security products that will address their various security needs. 3. Outsource security to another company rather than handle it internally. This paper will summarize primary research conducted by Kang-hun Lee, Yonghoon Choi, Mike Loveridge, Tom Gonzales and David Linford over a three month period to determine market trends in the security software industry. A survey instrument was prepared to capture the following data. 1. What do companies consider threats to their network environment? 2. What preferences do they have regarding specific security services? 3. What sort of security option do they prefer when choosing between: best of breed, suites or outsourcing. Findings and analysis Once the data were collected, we were able to organize and analyze the results. This section will both specify the analytical procedures we used as well as report on the findings. There are three (will be more when other sections get put in) primary types of analysis that we performed. 1. Find the security software preference 2. Segment the market based on preferred security options Finding the security software preference We analyzed the preference data from two perspectives. First of all, we took the data as a whole in order to describe the overall market. Overall Market The first type of analysis that we performed consisted of finding the percentage of respondents that preferred each of the three security options. The results of this analysis are summarized on chart 1. We found at this point that most of the people who took the survey overwhelmingly preferred a security suite approach. Most of those who preferred best of breed indicated that if a suite could provide a best of breed package, then they would prefer a suite.

A Quantitative and Qualitative Look at Southwest Airlines and British Airways :: Airlines Marketplace Aviation Benchmarking

A Quantitative and Qualitative Look at Southwest Airlines and British Airways In today's competitive marketplace, all firms are seeking ways to improve their overall performance. One such method of improvement, recently adopted by many firms, is benchmarking. Benchmarking is a technique used to evaluate internal business processes. "In this analysis, managers determine the firm's critical processes and outputs, baseline those processes, then compare the performance of each process against a standard outside the industry" (Bounds, Yorks, Adams, & Ranney 1994). To effectively improve a business process to world-class quality, managers must find a firm that is recognized as a global leader, not just the industry standard. Successful benchmarking requires tailor-made solutions, not just blind copying of another organization. Measurement and interpretation of data collected is the key to creating business process solutions. "Benchmarking's real role has to be seen in the context of the organization that is continuously implementing improvement" (Bendell, Boulter, & Goodstadt 1998). Organizations implementing the benchmarking process are continuously looking to improve, and planning improvement. Improvements can be made by looking at the firm both internally and externally. Internal improvements are implemented by analyzing processes and setting targets for performance. However, output performance measures are not able to help management understand why a practice is effective. This understanding is a result of personal interpretation of the process. Organizations must look to other firms for ideas to borrow from global leaders, regardless of the scope of the necessary improvement. Equally important as data collection is the actual implementation of the newly acquired business practice. The most important aspect of benchmarking is to enable companies to employ the best business practices. This fundamental theory cannot be overstated. Global competition is growing due to the technological boom. The expansion of the Internet and digital communication has forced once domestic firms to consider foreign competitors. To remain ahead, companies are realizing they must match or exceed the business practices of the best in the world. "The only way that we can drive our organizations to excellence is to ensure that we keep our eyes on our competitors and world best practice in all aspects of business" (Bendell, Boulter, & Goodstadt 1998). Benchmarking should not be considered simply a tool of management, but rather an integral part of the business strategy of a firm. When implementing benchmarking, management must consider the overall issues of performance and process re-engineering. A Quantitative and Qualitative Look at Southwest Airlines and British Airways :: Airlines Marketplace Aviation Benchmarking A Quantitative and Qualitative Look at Southwest Airlines and British Airways In today's competitive marketplace, all firms are seeking ways to improve their overall performance. One such method of improvement, recently adopted by many firms, is benchmarking. Benchmarking is a technique used to evaluate internal business processes. "In this analysis, managers determine the firm's critical processes and outputs, baseline those processes, then compare the performance of each process against a standard outside the industry" (Bounds, Yorks, Adams, & Ranney 1994). To effectively improve a business process to world-class quality, managers must find a firm that is recognized as a global leader, not just the industry standard. Successful benchmarking requires tailor-made solutions, not just blind copying of another organization. Measurement and interpretation of data collected is the key to creating business process solutions. "Benchmarking's real role has to be seen in the context of the organization that is continuously implementing improvement" (Bendell, Boulter, & Goodstadt 1998). Organizations implementing the benchmarking process are continuously looking to improve, and planning improvement. Improvements can be made by looking at the firm both internally and externally. Internal improvements are implemented by analyzing processes and setting targets for performance. However, output performance measures are not able to help management understand why a practice is effective. This understanding is a result of personal interpretation of the process. Organizations must look to other firms for ideas to borrow from global leaders, regardless of the scope of the necessary improvement. Equally important as data collection is the actual implementation of the newly acquired business practice. The most important aspect of benchmarking is to enable companies to employ the best business practices. This fundamental theory cannot be overstated. Global competition is growing due to the technological boom. The expansion of the Internet and digital communication has forced once domestic firms to consider foreign competitors. To remain ahead, companies are realizing they must match or exceed the business practices of the best in the world. "The only way that we can drive our organizations to excellence is to ensure that we keep our eyes on our competitors and world best practice in all aspects of business" (Bendell, Boulter, & Goodstadt 1998). Benchmarking should not be considered simply a tool of management, but rather an integral part of the business strategy of a firm. When implementing benchmarking, management must consider the overall issues of performance and process re-engineering.

Organizational Metaphors Essay

The two metaphors that I am about to describe to you are machines and organisms. I am also going to note what each metaphor suggests about how humans and their behavior are perceived in the organization. I will also let you know the similarities and differences in the two metaphors. Also conclude on how the ability to switch between metaphors might enhance effective leadership and organizational behavior. The machines one tends to think of inputs and outputs, standardization, productivity, measurement, and control. The organization tends to want the workers to just perform the mechanics of the job. They want them to not think about what to do, just perform with manpower. They just wanted them to be the energy to propel the organizational machine. The jobs they were required to perform were more simplified so that the workers were cheap and easy to train, supervise, and replace. This helped them to interchange workers as they needed at any given time. The human behavior perceived in this machines metaphor was they were just there to do their job and they had no input in what was being done. This metaphor showed me how an organization can perceive a worker in their job functions. Some organizations make their employees feel that they are just a body there doing the work that needs to be done. The organism metaphor is a living system existing in a wider environment depending on the workers various needs. There is no one best way to design or manage an organization. The flow of information between different parts of the systems and its environment is the key to the organization’s success. It is important to maximize the fit between individual, team and organizational needs. This metaphor represents the organization as an ‘open system’. Organizations are seen as sets of interrelated sub-systems designed to balance the requirements of the environment with internal needs of groups and individuals. This metaphor informed me how a worker can be perceived as an organism in a system. They can learn and adapt to different things in the job functions. As far as the similarities in organisms and machines, they both want their businesses to be profitable. The differences are organisms are more receptive to environmental feedback than machines. Machines tend to be more efficient and do things in an orderly way. Machines can only be replaced or repaired; they cannot develop. In knowing what one’s employees are as far as the metaphors of the organization, you will then be able to adapt to each set of employees in their job functions. If one would know what metaphor they pertain to, one will know how to lead them in the right direction in advancement in their job performance. Let’s say one would have an employee that doesn’t have as much self-esteem as the other employee, you would have to handle them more carefully than with the employee that has more self-esteem. You would just need to motivate and encourage them in a positive way so that they know they can achieve anything that comes up. Organizational metaphors can determine how we think about organizations and affect how we work and make decisions. Morgan (2006) has explored and developed the art of reading organizations and letting us comprehend the conflict and complexity of the organization. If managed in ways that link strategic thinking, active executive search, and careful organizational development, leadership transitions can advance the purposefulness of the organization. Leaders take their roles on boundaries, thus regulating the flow of uncertainty from a fast changing wider environment such that their units have focus and a calmer context within which to do work. We must see that organizations exist in the socioeconomic environment the way fish exist in the ocean, and the way we exist in the physical environment. In knowing the similarities and differences in each metaphor, the manager of the organization will be able to use the organism in the area that it is needed the most and also use the machine in the area where it is needed the most. The organism can adapt to different environments and the machine can perform repetitively the same functions. The metaphors are most valuable in the organization once you train and coach ones employees, you will know which metaphor is best used within the organization.

Effect of Electronic Media in Public Essay

People’s life is becoming more convenient and colorful compared with the past years because of the growing popularity of electronic media, which are media that use electronics or electromechanical energy for the end-user (audience) to access the content. The user of electronic media, such as the internet, 3G mobile phone were increasing rapidly in China within the past years. In the year of 1987, Chinese people sent their first email to Germany in an institute located in Beijing. In 2000, the number of internet users was 225, 000, 00 and this figure reached to 513,000,000 by the end of December, 2011. Besides, Chinese mobile phone users have exceeded one billion by the end of 2011. Why these electronic media increase so fast? Because it is the age of information and technology today. Xiaoping Deng (1988) pointed out that Science and technology constitute the primary productive force. Electronic media devices have found their way into all parts of modern life. For example, a person who has something urgent to inform to his family, of course he would choose to use e-mail instead of writing letter, for its more convenient and fast and can be read at any time or anywhere by the receiver. The other electronic media, like telephone, telegraph, which are all quicker and safer than the traditional way to communicate. Besides, books and newspapers cost people a lot (money, time, etc.) since these traditional media published frequently and updated slower than the electronic media, such as the internet. The electronic media affect people’s life greatly because of their convenience and safety. It also provides people with a public platform to express the true thoughts from their inner world. However, we should know that there are always two sides to everything, and it is without exception for electronic media. Excessive using of electronic media may lead people to indulge in the virtual world. For instance, children are addicted to net games so the phenomenon of absenteeism in school appeared which is a rare  phenomenon in the past years. Moreover, since the early 1960s, research evidence has been showing that violence in television, movies, video games, cell phones, and on the Internet increases the risk of violent behavior. In conclusion, People should know how to use these advanced and modern media in a reasonable way, for these new electronic media could result in a serious of problem during their lifetime if they are used improperly by the people. References 1.The 29th China Internet Development Statistics Report(2012).{online].Available from: http://www.cnnic.cn/research/bgxz/tjbg/201201/t20120116_23668.html 2.Wikipedia.{online].Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_media 3.L. Rowell Huesmann. (2007). The Impact of Electronic Media Violence: Scientific Theory and Research.