Employee Training Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employee Training - Term Paper Example Some of the main force that influence a company’s training and developments are: ‘economic cycle, globalization, additional emphasis on intangible assets and human capital, focus on link to business strategy, changing demographics and delivery of work force, talent management, customer service and quality management, new technology, high-performance work systems’ (Noe, 2010, p. 10). Influence of Technology on Employee Training: As it has been just seen, that one of the forces that can influence training and development of employees in an organization is new technology. The discussion, here, is about the influence of technology on employee training and development. A look around us will show how people are getting trained on/off-jobs by computers, i-pods, i-pads; and through internet. Therefore the impact of technology is mainly on delivery of training programs. Methods of training employees also have gone through many changes due to the advancement of technology. But use of technology also follow the same basic principles of learning as the traditional methods do . for example, technologies like multimedia, interactive software etc. ‘appeal to multiple senses and allow employees to pace themselves, receive feedback and reinforcement, and find information from experts on as need basis’ (Noe, 2010, p. 337). ... Training could be delivered anywhere: at office or at home, a distant location or at hometown. Technology has given freedom to the employees of choosing when or where they receive training. They can access their training materials on need basis. A simulation of work environment at the learning environment can make employees better equipped for their job. Keeping training records, documentations and other formalities involved in employee training and development could be taken care of by computers. This will cut a lot of paperwork and official activities. Employee’s progress in the training could be better monitored (Noe, 2010, p. 297). Influence of Technology on Learning Environment: The traditional classroom learning environment is linear and not as dynamic as the technology learning process. In the traditional learning process the instructors gives information to the learners; and practice and use of the information is done after the instruction process is finished. This lea rning environment includes only the trainers and the trainees, not the experts or the resources. The learners are passive and the instructors are active members. There is a one way communication from the trainer to trainees. The learners have to wait for the instruction to end to access the resource materials and the experts that is beyond their course material. The communication among the learners happens only outside the training environment. But in a technology based learning environment the training process is dynamic and multidirectional. Here, the learner plays an active role; and the instructor plays minor role. In this learning environment the resource matter and experts are also included. Internet has made a technology based learning environment possible. Internet

Classification of Japan Essay Example for Free

Classification of Japan Essay Nowadays, in Japan, the number of traveler from abroad is increasing, although there was a big earthquake in Fukushima in Japan. When you come to Japan, there are three places you have to visit then: Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. If you visit these places, you would see Japanese culture, food, and historical building. First of all, I think most traveler is coming to Tokyo at first. Tokyo is one of the biggest cities if comparing by other countries. Tokyo is also central of Fashion in the world. You can see unique fashion’s people. In Tokyo, there are a lot of good towns, such as Shibuya, Harajyuku, and Asakusa. The course to explore the city of the Harajuku and Shibuya are two youthful and energetic cities. There is Takeshita Street, which is excursion from raw always stop by school trip in Japan, and there are many sights to be able to touch Koen-dori fashion trend, not boring the young. It is also fun to see the young people come and go. Next, in the attractive atmosphere of old-fashioned streets are left, there are many venerable in Asakusa, which is always crowded with many tourists. Raimon, a large lantern of Senso-ji Temple has become a landmark of the town. Asakusa is also an exciting city because they have various events, such as Asakusa Samba Carnival (May 8), and Sumida River Fireworks Festival (July). Second, when you visit to Kyoto, you can visit a lot of temples, and there are a lot of world heritage sites. Kiyomizu Temple is one of the world heritage sites. Every year, a lot of people, who is traveler from abroad, and student for school trip have visited there. You can see beautiful view from Kiyomizu temple. It is also difference from each season. When it is spring season, you can see a lot of blossom tree. When it is fall season, there are a lot of autumn leaves, which shows nice color. You can enjoy by just walkin around the city because the streets has not changed since many years ago, so you can see Streets of old-fashioned. You can walk the city as seeing history. I mean, there are lot of historical buildings remained since many years ago, so you can see the way people who is from many years ago have been making as history in Kyoto. Last of all, especially people, who live in America, I think they have to visit Hiroshima because you can see A-bomb dorm. There is also Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which is telling the history of the war since then. You can learn a lot of things and have a lot of feeling when you go. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum has continued to appeal the wishes of the Hiroshima seek the realization of lasting world peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons. Divided into main building and East Wing, in the East Wing has photo panel exhibit clarity of exposure before and after exposure was based on historical facts, History of Hiroshima, the video, due to model. In the main building, we have the materials exhibit convey the devastation of the bombing. In addition, the Peace Memorial Park with a museum,and in the spring season, is known as cherry blossoms. In conclusion, Japan is smaller than United States very much; however, there are values to visit. I mean, if you can came to Japan, you can not only enjoy eating delicious, going to sightseeing, and going to theme park, but you can learn a lot of things because in Japan a lot of historical building remain as world heritage sites now, such as Kiyomzu temple and A-bomb Dorm. Also, you would enjoy wherever you visit in Japan because people live there is kind, and every city has very good things, such as food, historical building, special events, and theme park.

From Hacking to Cyber Terrorism Essay -- Computers Software Hackers Es

From Hacking to Cyber Terrorism Introduction Information technology (IT) is evolving everyday and our day-to-day life is becoming more and more dependent on it. In this twenty first century, we cannot imagine ourselves without emails, online banking systems and health care systems and without World Wide Web. In other words, evolution of IT has given a modern, technologically advanced and convenient life to the society. But, over the time we are also observing explosive growth in the darker side of the IT - regarding hacking and cyber crimes. Activities like unauthorized computer intrusion, denial of service (DOS), stealing computer passwords and secure data; causing damage to computer systems and databases and causing damage to individuals/society are not very rare these days. As we go further on this paper, we will see different aspects of hacking, from harmless (simply looking around thru web) to dangerously harmful (cyber-terrorism). Irrespective of harmless or harmful, we need to understand is it ethical and how does it impact the global world. This paper is intended to discuss the ethical issues and moral values involved with this darker side of information technology. This paper also includes discussion on the good side of hacking and how hacking can lead to serious cyber crimes and causes harm to world community. What is a computer hacker? The definition of the computer hacker can be described as follows, 1. In programming, a computing enthusiast. The term is normally applied to people who take a delight in experimenting with system hardware (the electronics), software (computer programs) and communication systems (telephone lines, computer networks etc). 1 2. In data (information... ...Security† - Dorothy Denning and Frank Drake, From Chapter 2, Computers, Ethics and Social values by Johnson and Nissenbaum. 5. â€Å"Computer Security and computer crimes† From Chapter 7, Case Studies in Information and computer ethics by Richard Spinello 6. Hacker Crackdown - By Bruce Sterling http://www.lysator.liu.se/etexts/hacker/ 7. Computer Hacking and Ethics by Brian Harvey http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~bh/hackers.html 8. Hacking: Ethical Issues of the Internet Revolution http://blacksun.box.sk/tutorials.php/id/155 9. Cyber-terrorism http://www-cs.etsu-tn.edu/gotterbarn/stdntppr/ 10. â€Å"Frameworks of ethical analysis â€Å" From Chapter 2, Case Studies in information and computer ethics by Richard Spinello 11. Soren Kierkegaard http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kierkegaard 12. Are hackers terrorists? http://zdnet.com.com/2102-11-528326.html

Reasons of The Unjustified Crusades Essay

During the middle ages, there have been multiple crusades that happened all over the Middle East. The Crusades were missions led by nobles. All of these crusades were meant to liberate and conquer Jerusalem or also called â€Å"The Holy City†. The first crusade out of the four main crusades came out as a success. The first crusade did conquer Jerusalem at first until it was taken back from them. The other three main crusades ended up as a failure, but the most embarrassing crusade was the fourth for the Christian crusaders fought, attacked and killed other Christians, then stole and looted from the city of Constantinople. Christians believed that they were justified because they thought they were protecting other Christians from the Muslim Turks who were attacking Christian property and being tortured. And, the Crusaders did what the pope said which was believed to be close to Gods words. Christian Pilgrims once were allowed to Jerusalem for a toll but they were robbed, killed , beaten, etc. There were reports of violent attacks on the Christian pilgrims. The Muslims in the other had their own reason that made more sense that the Crusade was unjustified. They’re a vast range of factors on whether the Crusades were justifies or not justified. For the Christians the Crusades is to be justified because of several reasons. The real purpose of the Crusades was to conquer Jerusalem. â€Å"The first crusade was the most successful in that it actually accomplished what it set out to do-conquer Jerusalem†, (Capture) said an unknown witness of the Crusade. It was the most successful crusade. It became a convincing idea to the Roman Catholics. Once the Muslims took over Jerusalem, the Christians thought that the holy land was filled with Turks and Arabs. So, the Pope said it God’s will to go on a Crusade against the Muslims. â€Å"All who die by the way, whether by land or by the sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested,†(Urban II). Pope Urban II himself during the Council at Clermont said this. This encouraged the Europeans to go the Crusades. Before the first Crusade, Al Hakim, an Egyptian ruler, â€Å"ordered  the destruction of the holy sepulcher†. (Al-Hakim-Wikipedia). The Egyptian ruler, Al hakim ordered the destruction of the holy sepulcher which when done, it threatened the Christians and its a property to the Christians which this relates to why the Crusades were launched. The Pope also commanded the Christians to liberate Jerusalem and to kill the vile race so, these points could be argued that the Christian Crusades were justified. Now looking at the Muslim perspective, Muslims believed that the Crusades were not justified at all due to certain factors. One of it is that there were knights in Spain and Italy who ‘took the cross’ and killed Muslims rather than traveling to the holy lands. The pope directly said to the knight that the to kill the Muslim served a high purpose just as regaining control over Jerusalem. â€Å"The clearest sign possible sign of this lies in Urban’s own actions at the very start of the crusading movement: knights who ‘took the cross’ in Spain and Italy were encouraged to fight the Muslims of those areas rather than traveling to the holy lands†(Muslims). The fact that some Knights went to Italy and Spain were encouraged to fight the Muslims proves that the Knights were violent rather than focusing on liberating the ‘holy lands’. Secondly, during the first crusade, there were â€Å"thousands of peasants† and they all had a â€Å"desire to escape their squalid condition† meanwhile, those who were not peasants were mostly the youngest males of the family. They would go because they were â€Å"looking for land and a position in society†. (Textbook page 182 paragraphs 6). This is undeniable evidence that the Knights were on pursuit for personal gain rather than a religious war. The injustice of the crusades is also fed by the fact that the Crusaders who also killed other Christians who were considered to be ‘foreigners’ in the holy lands. This became a major weak point when the Crusaders invaded the holy lands. By all this, the Crusades were totally unjustified because of the Crusades who were focused on gaining personal needs. The reason of why the Crusades were mostly not justified outweighs the reasons of how they were justified. But there are some examples that the Christians have the right to go on the Crusades. The reason is that the Christians showed restraint for many years when their pilgrims were harassed and threatened by the Muslims. Another example of why the Christians could  be said that their acts are justified is because they followed the pope’s orders, which is a bit of a lame excuse comparing to the Muslims side of un-justification. But the Muslims have a stronger argument. Beha-ed-Din a member of Saladin’s court claims that King Richard broke his truce. â€Å"King broke his promises to them and made open display of what he had till now kept hidden in his heart, by carrying out intended to do after he had received the money and the Frank prisoners. It is thus that people of his nation ultimately admitted†, (Slaughter) said Beha-ed-Din. This proved that the Christian leader were untrustworthy. By weighing these two arguments, the Muslim side appears to make more sense. This eventually leads to the decision of the Crusades to be justified. Overall, this is important because we need to know history of the Crusades. Some connections is peasants relating to poor families because, they both join the military in search for a better life or a sense of adventure. Americans could say they are preventing another attack like 9/11 and likewise to the Christian Crusaders. Although, some could argue that the Americans act of violence and the death of many innocent Muslims can be blamed on the US military. Plus, the crusades is also mainly based one’s bias in some cases, A Christian guy would say that the Crusades was justified whereas a Muslim would say the Crusades were totally not justified. Meanwhile, a Hindu for example would say neither side is justified. There is no exact proof of whether the Christians or the Muslims were right. In time the real facts seem to fade and modern historians came up with theories that would fill in the gaps for the war that raged nearly a millennia ago.

Impact of External and Internal Factors on the Four Functions of Management

Impact of External and Internal Factors on the Four Functions of Management External and internal factors such as globalization, technology, innovation, diversity and ethics can greatly impact the four functions of management. Functions such as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling can be influenced by these different internal and external factors since organizations need to ensure that they are addressed properly for business success. In addition, knowing the external and internal factors help organizations in identifying the business risks that exist in the environment in which they operate.This paper will focus on United Way, a non-profit community-based organization that was initially found in communities, large and small, across the United States. Globalization Globalization has invoked extensive debate over its impact and credibility, giving rise to a number of perspectives. Indeed increased globalization has prompted remarkable economic growth around the world. It has led to job opportunities in making the products that are exchanged with different countries. This has produced specialization and comparative advantage.The power of foreign competition has encouraged domestic industries to innovate and it has allowed resources to flow to their highest use as well. Further, globalization is the process that increased the link and interdependence of the world markets and businesses. It is a route of interaction and integration of the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process motivated by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. The volume of world trade has increased due to globalization.Consequently, more jobs are being available to people and consumers all over the world are enjoying a wider selection of products made from different countries. Today, United Way does not only serve in strengthening families, helping children and youth, and building stronger communities locally. Aside from its 1 300 local organizations in America, it has also 3000 organizations in 47 countries. Due to globalization, United Way is able to tap not only the local communities but the international communities as well.The organization is able to help other nations through United Way International. As of 2008, United Way International started new United Ways in some parts of India, Brazil, Peru, France, Argentina and Johannesburg, South East Asia, Latin America and South Africa. (United Way International, 2008). United Way raises sources through donations to be able to help people in need in different countries. Globalization has indeed impacted the four functions of United Way management since the organization now needs to consider developing the budget and business plans for a global organization.United Way’s Founding Committee discusses challenges of what may come up during this process. The committee chooses members that will oversee the board and hires the director and the first manag ement team who will spearhead during the changes due to globalization. Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling an organization that serves a bigger area need to implement changes in its conventional way of doing things to ensure that the same quality services are provided in all the countries that it serves. Technology Technology impacts management and business decisions on multiple levels.During the December 1999 Conference of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, Executive Director Roni Posner states: Technology is the backbone of management and organizational effectiveness. It equips people with data and information that can be then synthesized into learning and knowledge; and, this knowledge is what gives organizations more powerful voices in, and greater impact on, community change–the ultimate goal of nonprofit capacity building. (Osten, 2001, para. 1). The United Way implements technological plans to remain competitive with fundraising and accounting, volunteer management and community services.To improve management of accounting and fundraising practices, nearly 200 United Way organizations are opting to use Sage Software’s MIP Fund Accounting application (Sage Software, 2005). MIP Fund Accounting is designed to ease reporting and transaction management for nonprofits. With this system, chart of accounts are easily created with transaction tracking capabilities. Reports are generated within the program and reporting cycles are significantly shortened by hours or even days. MIP Fund Accounting is user-friendly and easy-to-learn, with grouped tasks according to accounting functions (â€Å"Sage MIP fund accounting,† n. . ). In addition to incorporating technology to manage multiple account funds, United Way is developing new technologies to garner donor contributions. Donations are the economic capital United Way relies on to provide quality services in their respective communities. Thus, United Way must be creative in its pur suits to compete with other nonprofits for this income stream. One viable solution was the creation of the United eWay Consortium. The consortium, founded by Phoenix’s Valley of the Sun United Way, allows participating United Way agencies to create customized Web sites for online pledging.This system eliminates the use of paper pledges and makes donation tracking effortless for both United Way organizations and gifting firms (Wallace, 2001). Cash donations are not the only gifts needed by United Way to meet its organizational goals. Human resource donations or volunteers are a significant portion of the United Way workforce. Technology was again utilized by the nonprofit to meet managerial needs. A local United Way agency in Indiana launched an online matchmaking site to connect volunteers with giving opportunities.Volunteer Solutions is a medium used by area helping agencies to post their volunteer openings on the site. Potential volunteers register on the site and search fo r possible positions by their zip code, area of interest or agency name. When a match is found, volunteers are then notified. During the first week of its inception, Volunteer Solutions matched approximately 40 volunteers to local nonprofits (Davis, 2003). Not only does the United Way use technology to enhance business operations, the nonprofit also employs technology to better serve its constituents. United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta and its partners†¦piloted an electronic benefits calculator, a tool that streamlines the eligibility and enrollment process for federal, state and community benefits† (United Way of America, n. d. , pg. 11). Over a two-year period, awards for benefits increased by $453,000. Technology is an essential tool used by United Way to increase efficiency and allocation of resources, generate donor contributions and expand community services. Without the use of technology, United Way and its benefactors would not reap the benefits of its continued s uccess as a dominant nonprofit organization.Innovation Innovation is important for an organization to succeed in its endeavor. For a non-profit organization like United Way, innovation is significant in order to find more ways to help and serve communities in need better. Innovation can greatly impact the four functions of management since innovation needs to be considered in all functions of management to improve and advance the ways and means of United Way in serving people. Diversity Diversity is â€Å"variety of something, such as opinion, race, color, style and or gender† (â€Å"Diversity,† 2008, n. . ) In order for a company or organization to be diverse it needs to value diversity by respecting and appreciating all aspects of an individual, including race, gender, religion, skin color, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical abilities, age, parental status to name a few. That is what The United Way of America stands on and strives for. United Way is built up of all different walks of life and in order for the non-profit organization to be able to strive everyone must be able to get along and work well with each other.To make sure the organization stays diverse, United Way of America has formed a Diversity Cabinet to eliminate discrimination. United Way is made up of all types of individuals from every walk of life to form their cabinets, their volunteers and their customers. United Way’s Core Value statement is â€Å"Diversity and Inclusion are core values for United Way. We aspire every segment of the community in every aspect of our work and to demonstrate our commitment to and accountability for an inclusive environment in which differences are recognized, respected, valued and celebrated† (United Way, 2008, n. . ). United Way also feels that its inclusive and diverse organization gives the organization the opportunity to actively live and achieve its mission and values to attract, develop and return mor e diverse talent. It also helps the organization to grow and broaden its base of support from volunteers, donors and other stakeholders. Diversity also helps the United Way to model, facilitate and lead the collaborative efforts needed to make changes in community conditions. It is also a way to become innovative and develop better solutions leading to better performance and results.In addition, diversity enhances the organization’s reputation and brand in the philanthropic community and global market place (Live United, 2008, n. p. ). United Way does not care if an individual is someone who wants to be a volunteer or one of the organization  boards/committees or someone who needs the help. United Way is here to help. Ethics Code of Ethics in any organization is extremely important. Code of ethics deals with organizational values and principles and behaviors on what is and is not acceptable.It helps to ensure people are treated equally and justly in all matters. United Way does have Code of ethics and it may differ according to each location. However all communities in which the organization is located is governed by the overall America Code of ethics that United Way has set forth (â€Å"United Way of America Code of Ethics Guide, 2004). United Way code of ethics was created and discussed amongst the employees and volunteers and believe these codes will help the organization through the work that is encompassed each day.United Way code of ethics is based on core values which are: integrity, impact, volunteerism, inclusiveness and catalytic leadership In addition, the organization believes that the staff will be able to make great decisions that are legal and binding when ethical codes are set forth. Code of Ethics from United Way Association (UWA) (United Way of America Code, 2004) also ensures personal and professional integrity. UWA is motivated in performance to meet the mission. In addition, UWA believes communication is a powerful source when us ed effectively. Equal Opportunity is another important factor governed under the Code of Ethics.UWA believes conflict of interest could degrade the organization and should refrain from personal gain to include gifts that does not relate to the mission. To include, UWA no one should be family affiliated or dating within the organization because it is believed that it affects the appearance of impartiality. Confidentiality and privacy is believed to be handled at a professional level in the UWA organization by respecting the privacy rights of individuals and to make sure information is not disclosed. United Way is committed to the highest ethical standards. It has an obligation to everyone to act ethically at all times.United Way believes that its continued success comes from everyone affiliated with the organization who lives by the code of ethics. United Way came up with their code of ethics by collaborating with their employees, volunteers and anyone else with interest (United Way of America Code, 2004). Holding an organization to a high ethical standard will always set the organization apart from other organizations. The United Way is such a highly reputable organization due to the implementation of its code of ethics. Delegation in Managing the Impacts of External and Internal FactorsManagers can use delegation to manage the impact that the factors have on the four functions of management by ensuring that the process of delegation is done well. One person can not run the show all on his/her own. Delegation plays a huge role in getting the job done successfully. In order to make this happen there must be a clear plan of action. All parties have to be informed as to what duties they are responsible for and how those duties must be carried out. There must be clarity that supports how the responsibilities will be completed and if support from other team members is needed for that completion.These things must be  discussed in the planning and or organization s tages. There has to be contingency plans and structure to any project in which a manager is delegating responsibilities. Delegation of responsibilities, projects, duties or tasks can be a double-edged sword. In order for a manager to manage effectively it has to be used with finesse. The parties that a manager delegates tasks should be responsible and trustworthy. While it is not always possible to do so, it is important to implement accountability to each team responsible for every task.Delegation will only work if the manager who is delegating also does his/her job properly. Follow-up and constructive feedback is important for the delegation process to be effective. Conclusion The external and internal factors can indeed impact the four functions of management. As observed in the United Way organization, globalization, technology, innovation, diversity and ethics can affect planning, organizing, leading, and controlling of its organization. While globalization has helped United Wa y in serving other countries in need it has also impacted the four functions of management. Considerations now need to be done in a larger scale.The four functions of management have to be done in a global scale with the same standards as the organization has locally. Technology impacts the four functions of management on multiple levels. Proper planning on what technology to use, organizing the people who needs to spearhead the use of new technologies, leading and controlling the people who will be involved in the use of different technologies need to be considered. If these are not done, the effectiveness of the technologies that the organization uses may not be fully maximized. Innovation impacts the four functions of management since innovation needs to be considered in ll functions of management to improve and advance the ways and means of United Way in serving people. Diversity can also impact the functions of management since most organizations like United Way has diverse emp loyees that can affect the decisions that are involved in planning, organizing, leading, and controlling of its organization. Ethics can also impact the four functions of management since an organization cannot create good credibility without acceptable code of ethics. Thus, it is essential that internal and external factors are considered when using the four functions of management.References Davis, A. M. (2003, August 18). Technology connects volunteers: local United Way launches online matchmaking service. Indianapolis Business Journal, 24(23), 3, 60. Retrieved September 14, 2008, from Gale PowerSearch database. Diversity. (2008). In Encarta World English Dictionary Online. Retrieved September 14, 2008 from Live United: United Way: Diversity and inclusion. (2008). Retrieved September 14, 2008 from Osten, M. (2001, May). Technology and nonprofit management: Themes from the conference of the alliance for nonprofit management. Nonprofit Online News.Retrieved September 14, 2008, from http://news. gilbert. org/features/featureReader$3842? print-friendly=true Sage MIP fund accounting. (n. d. ) In Sage Software. Retrieved September, 14, 2008, from http://www. sagenonprofit. com/products/fundaccount/ Sage Software continues to attract United Way organizations. (2005, August-September). The National Public Accountant, 4(4), 19. Retrieved September 14, 2008, from Gale PowerSearch database. United Way International. 2008. Official website of United Way International. Retrieved September 14, 2008 from http://uwint. org/devfinal/ United Way of America. n. d. ). Goals for the common good: The United Way challenge to America. Retrieved September 14, 2008, from http://www. liveunited. org/goals/upload/UW_Common_Good. pdf United Way of America Code of Ethics Guide. (2004). In United Way. Retrieved September 14, 2008 from United Way: United Way of Greater Los Angeles: Creating Pathways Out of Poverty. (2008). In United Way Los Angeles. Retrieved September 14, 2008 from Walla ce, N. (2001, April 5). Technology: New online option for United Ways. Chronicle of Philanthropy, 13(12), 36. Retrieved September 13, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.

NATO From Creation to Current Status

NATO From Creation to Current Status Abstract The paper discusses NATO which is a major military alliance among European States, the US and Canada. It highlights the historical context, which led to the formation of NATO. The history of the alliance is broken down into three major phases: the Cold War era, the Post Cold War, and the Post 9/11.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on NATO: From Creation to Current Status specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The paper reviews how NATO reinvented itself following the collapse of the Soviet Union and embarked on a successful enlargement process. The various issues that have faced the organization since its creation are discussed and its future estimated. The paper concludes by noting that NATO is a relevant security apparatus today and still serves as the best instrument for combating the security threats of the 21st century. Introduction The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is rightfully regarded as the world s most powerful military alliance. The organization was founded in 1949 with the primary objective of protecting Western Europe and the US from Soviet aggression. The alliance was able to successfully achieve this goal and additionally ensure that no military rivalries emerge in the region. Following the end of the Cold War, the Soviet threat was neutralized and the alliance had to reinvent itself in order to remain relevant. It did this by expanding its role and increasing its membership. This paper will set out to provide a detailed research of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with focus given to the creation and purpose of this alliance. A review of how the organization has expanded over the years and the role it has played will be provided to demonstrate that NATO is still a valid security apparatus in world today. Origins of NATO A significant outcome of the World War II was the emergence of the United States of America and the Soviet Union as the two world super powers. While these countries had fought as allies in the war, their political differences pitted them against each other in the postwar years. There was concern that the Soviet Union would make use of her considerable power to influence politics in Europe (Trachtenberg, 1999). The weakened postwar Europe would not be able to resist this Soviet threat. The US proposed to help bolster West Europe’s military capability by the formation of an alliance. NATO, therefore, began as a mutual defense pact among ten Western European countries, the US and Canada.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These twelve countries signed the Washington Treaty on April 4, 1949 in which they committed themselves to a mutual defense pact (Cornish, 2004). The treaty bound the member states and an attack on any member was to evoke a response from all members. NATOs history can be divided into three distinct phases: the Cold War period, the decade following the end of the Cold War, and the current phase, which began with the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11, 2011. Cold War Era At the time of NATO’s formation, the Western Europe was a divided region still struggling to recover from the devastating effects of the just ended the World War II. While a Western European defense organization would have been preferred, the participation of the US was seen as crucial since it was the only country with enough military might to counter the USSR. Trachtenberg (1999) observes that this alliance was a long-term American commitment to Western Europe’s security. Over time, this treaty turned into an organization with a political council and regular meetings being held by the allied foreign and defense ministers. This transformation into a full-fledged organization increased the influence and strength of the Treaty. In its early years of existence, NATOs role was primarily to p revent an attack against the territory of its member countries by the formidable Soviet Union and her allies. Seroka (2007) best articulates this point by documenting that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was originally designed to deal with a primary threat from international communism on the European continent. West Germany joined NATO in 1955 and this strengthened the capability of the alliance in Europe since Germany had the manpower necessary to resist a conventional invasion by Soviet forces. This move precipitated the formation of the Warsaw Pact by the Soviet Union and her East European allies. The alliances nuclear capability provided by the United States, which served as deterrence, was the main tool used to prevent an attack from the Soviet Union. However, NATO also adopted a strategy of flexible response and envisaged the use of conventional warfare before engaging in a nuclear confrontation. Even so, Minuto-Rizzo (2007) reiterates that nuclear weapons were at the core of the alliances strategy and nuclear deterrence was the principle means of preventing a Soviet led attack on any of the member states. Since both sides (East and West Europe) knew the cost of a nuclear confrontation, the use of force to advance political aims was effectively excluded in the Cold War Europe.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on NATO: From Creation to Current Status specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Post – Cold War Period The end of the Cold War in 1989 was significant for NATO. Many political analysts forecasted that the alliance could be disbanded safely since the main aggressor in Europe had dissipated. In addition to this, the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, which had been an alliance of East European nations formed to counter NATO, had already occurred. However, this did not happen since NATO member states did not want to get rid of the alliance because of the numerous advantages they were enjoying because of their cooperation. Minuto-Rizzo (2007) observes that the transatlantic framework that allowed all countries -big and small- to make their voices heard, to seek common solutions, and to train their forces together was too precious an asset to be squandered (p.3). Many member countries of the former Warsaw Pact also expressed interest in joining NATO in order to enjoy the advantages of the permanent transatlantic framework for consultation and cooperation. NATO, therefore, had to reorient itself to embrace the newly emerging democracies in Central and Eastern Europe. NATO was able to develop new strategic concepts to incorporate new members and reorganize its military structures following the disappearance of the existential threat provided by the Soviet Union (Noetzel Schreer, 2009). It adopted a policy of partnership and opened its doors for new members from Central and Eastern Europe. The alliance also began to engage Russia: a move that was seen as integr al to realizing the goals of an undivided Europe. The creation of the Permanent Joint Council (PJC) in 1997 is the most visible indication of an attempt to formalize the relationship between NATO and Russia. Labarre (2001) affirms that the PJC gave Russia a voice in NATO for the first time in history. The post Cold War era also saw NATO for the first time in its history engaging in military action outside the territory of its member countries. This engagement came about because of the conflicts in the Balkans. NATO provided military support at the request of the United Nations and helped to pacify the Balkans. The alliance engaged in the deployment of peacekeeping forces in the region to sustain peace. Post 9/11 Era The third major phase in NATOs existence came about following the September 11 terrorist attacks. On September12, 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which instructs that, An attack against one is an attack against all. Minuto-Rizzo (2007) observes tha t 9/11 made it clear to NATO allies that their major threats no longer emanated from Europe, as had been the case during the Cold War. The new threats came from outside the continent in the form of international terrorism, failing states, and the threat of weapons of mass destruction.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The realities of 9/11 demonstrated to NATO the weakness of the traditional geographical approach to security that had been utilized for decades. This security approach had been effective when the potential threat emanated from the Soviet Union. International terrorism could not be countered using the same strategy and NATO had to be prepared to engage enemy forces at their source. NATO Transformation Originally, a regional security pact designed to protect Western Europe from a Soviet threat, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has reinvented and transformed itself into an international security force with missions to combat international terrorism, prevent weapons proliferations, and provide for Europes security (Seroka, p.25). The last decade has seen a significant enhancement of NATOs military capabilities. The NATO Heads of State and Government summit in Prague, 2002, articulated the need for radical changes in the alliance’s military command structure. This military t ransformation begun with the establishment of one strategic command based in Europe to oversee all aspects of NATOs operations. Another strategic command base was established in the US to advance the military aspects of transformation. While NATO no longer faces the threat that led to its formation (the Soviet Union) it has continued to grow in the years following the collapse of the USSR. International terrorism has been the most significant issue addressed by NATO. Despite the fact that international terrorism does not present a strategic threat to NATO countries, it presents a real danger to security in the event that such elements could gain access to weapons of mass destruction. A significant change in NATOs strategic doctrine following the end of the Cold War has been a loss of influence by the United States. American dominance within NATO has been a reality since the beginning of the alliance. Noetzel and Schreer (2009) observe that the US set the terms of NATOs formation and the country continued to play a leading role in its institutional development. This has changed and member states of the alliance today are more vocal about their opposition to the US policies. This is evident from the stance taken by Germany and France concerning the war in Iraq. NATOs role has also expanded to include global interventionism. Wolff (2009) states that this radical change means that the alliance can be called upon to use its resources to maintain peace treaties or engage in combat to overthrow a government or hunt down terrorists. NATO Enlargement NATO has also pursued an aggressive policy of expansion over the last two decades. Enlargement serves the double purpose of strengthening European ties while at the same time broadening NATOs influence in the world. Enlargement of NATO is made possible by Article 10 of the Washington Treaty which allows for the admission of new members. According to Article 10, â€Å"any decision to invite a country to join the Alliance i s taken by the North Atlantic Council, NATOs principal decision-making body, on the basis of consensus among all Allies† (NATO, 2012). NATO membership has increased to 28 countries mostly because of the open door policy to European countries. Bosnia and Herzegovina are engaged in the Membership Action Plan, which is a precursor to attaining full membership, and can be expected to join the organization in the near future. NATOs expansion process has been very successful and it has achieved remarkable outcomes. Seroka (2007) suggests that the expansion has not jeopardized relations with Russia, nor led to the remilitarization of the continent or increased tensions between member states on the European continent. On the contrary, NATOs enlargement has led to modernization, standardization and increased the democratic control within the individual armed forces of its member states. The large-scale enlargement efforts of post Cold War NATO have turned the organization into an inclu sive European-wide organization committed to democracy and positioned to eliminate, almost entirely, the possibility of inter-state conflict within Europe. However, Russia has reacted angrily to NATOs post Cold War expansions that have been viewed as deliberate actions to increase the Western sphere of influence at Moscow’s expense (Goldgeier, 2009). Noetzel and Schreer (2009) note that article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which limits new members to European territory places an important limitation on NATOs expansion (p.217). Because of this statute, the organization has been unable to accommodate willing partners from other continents. Seroka (2007) reveals that some of the allies led by the US hope to amend this in order to include members from all over the world and therefore guarantee NATO world-wide influence. These advocates see alliance with non-European democracies as crucial in a globalizing world. However, most members are concerned that such an expansion might dilute the alliances transatlantic character. NATO Issues Despite its significant successes, NATO has had some issues in the course of its existence. In its early years, the most serious crisis for NATO came in the form of Frances threat to withdraw from the Alliance. In March 1966, French President Charles de Gaulle announced that French forces would be withdrawn from the integrated military command of the NATO (Trachtenberg, 1999). This withdrawal was in retaliation to what was seen by Paris as an ever-growing dominance by the US within the organization (Noetzel Schreer, 2009). However, the ever-present threat of a Soviet attack prompted NATO members to resolve their conflicts and continue working together for a common defense. The internal cohesion of NATO has also been affected by the establishment of another security player in Europe. The European Defense and Security Policy (EDSP), which was created in 1999, undermined and threatened the future cohesion of NATO. While the ES DP was supposed to be complementary to NATOs capabilities, its objectives which are to provide military assistance to the EU states have undermined the importance of the Atlantic alliance. In response to the attractiveness of the ESDP, this body was incorporated into the larger framework of the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Some observers see the ESDP as a move by European nations to create a competing security apparatus and therefore re-nationalize their security by diminishing the US role in European security and defense affairs (Noetzel Schreer, 2009). The reactions by NATO following 9/11 were also divisive to its political cohesion. Following 9/11, the US pursued a more assertive stance on how NATO should be utilized to counter the new threats. To begin with, the US declared war on terrorism; a call that was supported by her NATO allies. While all the allies offered to support the US in its fight against international terrorism, the US admin istration chose not to give NATO a large role in the combat operation against the Taliban. Most European allies saw this as an indication that the US did not perceive the alliance to be of primary value in its efforts to shape the changing global security order (Noetzel Schreer, 2009). Another cause of contention in NATO was the US-led war against Iraq in 2003. From the onset, major European allies such as Germany and France opposed the war. However, the US went ahead and waged this controversial war. The political and military campaign against Saddam Hussein highlighted significant divisions between the US and some of her European allies. Cornish (2004) documents that those deep divisions almost led to the collapse of NATO. The Bush administration, which had called on the war against Saddam, was accused of using NATO as an instrument of US foreign policy. This is because the US expected uncritical political and military support for the invasion of Iraq from its allies. The allianc e also suffers from a lack of commitment by all the members to consign troops to dangerous missions. This is evident from the war in Afghanistan where the US maintains the largest contingent. Most NATO countries have been unable to achieve the political support needed to send their troops to fight the Taliban. Goldgeier (2009) states that this reality has led to a two-tiered alliance comprising of those who are willing to fight, and those who are not. The recent years have seen an increase in divergence of interests within the organization. This has led some commentators to predict that the alliance is on the path to disintegration and, ultimately, its failure (Noetzel Schreer, 2009). This bleak reality is not the only possible future of NATO and provided the key challenges that the alliance faces are addressed, the future of the alliance is guaranteed. Discussion and Conclusion NATO remains to be a unique and invaluable alliance that continues to function as a reliable tool for mu ltilateral military cooperation. The alliance is today engaged on several continents, under different capacities. This underscores the transformation that NATO has undergone since its formation in 1948. While some commentators argued that NATO had outlived its usefulness following the disappearance of the Soviet threat to Western Europe, the alliance has flourished and played a useful role in the past 2 decades. Most notably, it has countered ethnic abuses in the former Yugoslavia and is involved in efforts to counter Islamic terrorists in Afghanistan. This paper is set out to discuss NATOs progress from its formation to today. It began by providing the historical context that made NATO necessary. It then articulated the three distinctive phases in NATOs history, which are the Cold War era, the Post Cold War, and the Post 9/11. The paper has revealed how the changes in the security environment have obliged NATO to transform itself and engage actively well beyond the territories of i ts members. NATO has evolved from the defensive entity, it was and it finds itself increasingly acting as a proactive risk manager. This alliance of transatlantic countries originally built to counter Soviet attack still presents the best instrument for combating the threats of the 21st century. References Cornish, P. (2004). NATO: the practice and politics of transformation. International Affairs, 80(1), 63-74. Goldgeier, J. (2009). NATOs future: facing old divisions and new threats. Harvard International Review, 23(2), 48-51. Labarre, F. (2001). NATO-Russia relations and NATO enlargement in the Baltic Sea Region. Baltic Defense Review, 6(1), 46-69. Minuto-Rizzo, A. (2007). NATO’s Transformation and New Partnerships: The Mediterranean. Mediterranean Quarterly, 18(3), 1-13. NATO (2012). NATO enlargement. Retrieved from https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_49212.htm. Noetzel, T., Schreer, B. (2009). Does a multi-tier NATO matter? The Atlantic alliance and the process o f strategic change. International Affairs, 85(2), 211–226. Seroka, J. (2007). Security considerations in the Western Balkans: NATOs evolution and expansion. East European Quarterly, 41(1), 25-38. Trachtenberg, M. (1999). A Constructed Peace: The Making of the European Settlement 1945-1963. Princeton University Press, 1999. Wolff, A. T. (2009). The structural and political crisis of NATO transformation. Journal of Transatlantic Studies, 7(4), 476492.

Assonance Definition and Examples

Assonance Definition and Examples Assonance is the repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in neighboring words (as in fish and chips and bad man). Adjective: assonant. Assonance is a method of achieving emphasis and cohesion in a short stretch of text. Assonance is closely associated with internal rhyme. However, assonance differs from rhyme in that rhyme usually involves both vowel and consonant sounds. EtymologyFrom the Latin, sound Examples of Assonance If I bleat when I speak its because I just got . . . fleeced.(Al Swearengen in Deadwood, 2004)A heart no bigger than an orange seed has ceased to beat.(James Salter, Am Strande von Tanger. Collected Stories. Pan Macmillan, 2013)It beats . . . as it sweeps . . . as it cleans!(advertising slogan for Hoover vacuum cleaners, 1950s)Those images that yetFresh images beget,That dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea.(W.B. Yeats, Byzantium)He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness and distance.(Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818)He diagnosed Camillas difficulty as indigestion, and locked himself in his cabin.(William Gaddis, The Recognitions. Harcourt Brace Company, 1955)Soft language issued from their spitless lips as they swished in low circles round and round the field, winding hither and thither through the weeds, dragging their long tails amid the rattling canisters.(James Joyce, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, 1916)The spider skins lie on their sides, translucent a nd ragged, their legs drying in knots.(Annie Dillard, Holy the Firm, 1977) Flash with a rash gimme my cash flickin my ashRunnin with my money, son, go out with a blast.(Busta Rhymes, Gimme Some More, 1998)The law may not change the heart, but it can restrain the heartless.(Martin Luther King, Jr., address to the National Press Club on July 19, 1962)But at supper that evening when I asked him to  pass the damn ham, please, Uncle Jack pointed at me. See me afterwards, young lady, he said.(Harper Lee,  To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960)Do not go gentle into that good night,Old age should burn and rave at close of day;Rage, rage, against the dying of the light. . . .Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sightBlind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,Rage, rage against the dying of the light.(Dylan Thomas, Do not go gentle into that good night)The setting sun was licking the hard bright machine like some great invisible beast on its knees.(John Hawkes, Death, Sleep, and the Traveler, 1974)I must confess that in my quest I felt depressed and restless.(T hin Lizzy, With Love) I call her a ghastly girl because she was a ghastly girl. . . . A droopy, soupy, sentimental exhibit, with melting eyes and a cooing voice and the most extraordinary views on such things as stars and rabbits.(P.G. Wodehouse, The Code of the Woosters, 1938)In the over-mastering loneliness of that moment, his whole life seemed to him nothing but vanity.(Robert Penn Warren, Night Rider, 1939)A lanky, six-foot, pale boy with an active Adams apple, ogling Lo and her orange-brown bare midriff, which I kissed five minutes later, Jack.(Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita, 1955)Strips of tinfoil winking like people(Sylvia Plath, The Bee Meeting)The moon, like a flowerIn heavens high bower,With silent delight,Sits and smiles on the night.(William Blake, Night. Songs of Innocence, 1789) Observations Assonance, (or medial rime) is the agreement in the vowel sounds of two or more words, when the consonant sounds preceding and following these vowels do not agree. Thus, strike and grind, hat and man, rime with each other according to the laws of assonance.(J.W. Bright, Elements of English Versification, 1910)Beware of excessive assonance. Any assonance that draws attention to itself is excessive.(John Earle, A Simple Grammar of English, 1898)The terms alliteration, assonance, and rhyme identify kinds of recurring sound that in practice are often freely mixed together. . . . It may not be easy or useful to decide where one stops and another starts.(Tom McArthur, The Oxford Companion to the English Language, 1992)Rhyme, alliteration, assonance, and consonance combined often produce tongue-twisting linguistics. Big Punishers Twinz includes this couplet . . .: Dead in the middle of little Italy / Little did we know that we riddled a middle man who didnt know diddly. . . . Keying in on a single sound, he runs a staggering series of rhyme variations (middle, little, riddled, middle, diddly), which he further builds upon with consonance (d) and assonance (i) and alliteration (d and l). This is what happens when a poet is in complete control of his rhymes.(Adam Bradley, Book of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip Hop. BasicCivitas, 2009) Pronunciation: ASS-a-nins Also Known As: medial rhyme (or rime), inexact rhyme

30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know

30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know 30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know 30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know By Michael Probably youve never studied Conversational Viking, let alone claimed to speak it. But the language of the Vikings, Old Norse, has influenced the development of English more than any other language besides French and Latin. The Swedes, Norwegians, Icelanders, and Danes all spoke Old Norse in those days, usually called the Danish tongue. In the 11th century, Old Norse was the most widely spoken European language, ranging west with Leif Ericksons colony of Vinland in modern-day Canada, east with the Viking settlers on the Volga River in modern-day Russia, and south with warriors battling in modern-day Spain, Italy and North Africa. Four centuries after the Anglo-Saxons began emigrating from northern Europe, Danish Vikings began raiding Britain and had begun settling down by the year 876, plowing the land. The 14 shires dominated by Danish law in northern and eastern England were called the Danelaw. In 1016, King Canute the Great became ruler of all England, even before he became king of his native Denmark. Danish kings ruled England almost until William the Conquerer sailed from Normandy, France and became the first Norman king of England in 1066. When he did, more Norse words entered English. What did William the Conquerer have to do with the Vikings? Because Normandy means land of the north men, colonized by people such as Williams ancestor Rollo, whose real name was Hrà ³lfr. See a pattern? Today Old Norse words are most common in the Yorkshire dialect, but the Danelaw included the East Midlands, York, Essex, Cambridge, Suffolk, Norfolk, Northampton, Huntingdon, Bedford, Hertford, Middlesex and Buckingham. Old Norse words used in modern English When it comes to English words for which we are indebted to Old Norse, lets start with they, their and them. Its true. If it werent for the Vikings, we might still be using the Old English words hà ®e, heora and him instead. Or maybe not when him and them mean the same thing in a language, you know its time for a change. In fact, English received many really, really common words from Old Norse, such as give, take, get, and both. And sale, cake, egg, husband, fellow, sister, root, rag, loose, raise, rugged, odd, plough, freckle, call, flat, hale, ugly, and lake. Another Old English word that was quickly replaced was the very short word à ¦, which meant law. Today we use a longer and less ambiguously-spelled Old Norse word: law. Many English words that begin with sk or sc came from Old Norse, such as skin, sky, score, scant, scrub, scathe, and skill. Old Norse words that feature two-letter blends and a high consonant-to-vowel ratio just sound Viking to me, especially if you pronounce both letters as the Vikings originally did: knife, snare, snub, wrong, bread, dwell, bask, dream, steak, stammer, and especially thwart. Old Norse words that meant something slightly different English word, with original Old Norse meaning anger trouble, affliction, which can make a person angry bait snack, food eaten at work. Now means food used to catch fish, wild animals, and susceptible people. bask similar to the Old Norse word meaning â€Å"to bathe† berserk either from bear-shirt (frenzied warriors wearing a bearskin shirt) or bare-shirt (frenzied warriors wearing no shirt) blunder to shut one’s eyes; to stumble about blindly bulk partition; cargo, as in the nautical term bulkhead crawl to claw. Crawling up a steep slope may require clawing. dirt excrement. Appropriately so. gang any group of men, as in modern Danish, not necessarily dangerous gawk to heed, as in paying too much attention gift dowry, a kind of wedding gift. In modern Danish, gift means wedding. haggle to chop. It amuses me to imagine how this word came to mean vigorous bargaining. hap, happy chance, good luck, fate. Apparently the Vikings didnt believe that happiness is a choice. lake to play, which is what many people do at a lake. A famous Danish toy manufacturer is called Lego. litmus from the Old Norse words litr (dye) and mosi (moss), used as a chemical test for acidity and alkalinity. muck cow dung. An English dairy farmer may say he needs to muck out, or clean, his barn. muggy drizzle, mist. Today it means severely humid. rive to scratch, plow, tear. A poet might write about his heart being riven in two. scathe to hurt, injure. Only the opposite word, unscathed, is common. Gang members never say, You come near me, Im gonna scathe you. seem to conform. Think about that for a while. skill distinction. If you are skilled, you might earn distinction. sleuth trail. The sleuth is always on the trail for clues. snub to curse. When youre snubbed or ignored, you might feel cursed. sprint to jump up, one of the keys to winning in a sprint. stain to paint. Not the same thing at your paint store. stammer to hinder; to dam up, as in a flow of words steak to fry. Could the Vikings have introduced chicken fried steak to the American South? No. thrift prosperity. If you have thrift, perhaps prosperity will follow. thwart across, which has kept a similar meaning for sailors window wind-eye or in Old Norse, vindauga. A treasure of a word. Old English words that meant something different before the Vikings bread In Old English, bread meant â€Å"bit, piece, morsel† but in Old Norse, bread meant bread. We get our word loaf from the Old English word for bread which it replaced. die Before the Vikings, die meant starve dream Before the Vikings, dream meant â€Å"joy, mirth, noisy merriment, even music. dwell Before the Vikings, dwell meant both â€Å"go astray and tarry. Im still trying to figure that one out. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times10 Techniques for More Precise WritingHow to Send Tactful Emails from a Technical Support Desk

Figurative Language Versus Literal Language Essay

Figurative Language Versus Literal Language - Essay Example On the other hand, literal language is the complete opposite of figurative language because it means exactly what it says; what is spoken should always be taken as pure fact. Many people often get confused about figurative language and what it actually refers to. This is why it is so important to understand what the language is referring to and what the intended meaning is. In this paper, the ten most common forms of figurative language will be discussed. They are as follows: (1) idiom; (2) analogy; (3) metaphor; (4) simile; (5) cliche; (6) amphiboly; (7) flame word; (8) hyperbole; (9) euphemism; and (10) colloquialism. The first type of figurative language, idiom, is a phrase that is made up of unrelated words that only make sense when used together. Idioms evolve over time as people get comfortable saying them. An example of an idiom would be ‘a slip of the tongue.’ Of course, it is impossible for a tongue to actually slip, but the idiom is referring to a misspoken wor d or phrase. Idioms only make sense when the listener understands all the parts of the phrase individually and then is able to put them together to get the intended meaning. People who are in the process of learning a new language often don’t understand idioms because they simply don’t have the vocabulary to do so. ...The third type of figurative language, metaphor, is different from analogy because it makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things. The purpose of a metaphor is to show or express emotion where simple language would not suffice. An example of a metaphor would be ‘his house is a fortress.’ It is very unlikely that someone’s house would be a fortress, but what the metaphor is trying to explain is that the house is impressive. A metaphor is often used in poetry to describe something in a beautiful way. If someone took a metaphor literally, then they might have a hard time believing it. The next type of figurative language, simil e, is very similar to a metaphor except it uses the word as or like when making a comparison between two unrelated things. A simile is also often used in poetry. An example of a simile would be ‘the boy runs as fast as a cheetah.’ The phrase does not actually claim that the boy can run the same speed of a cheetah, only that he runs so fast that it seems like he does. There are very few misunderstandings over a simile because it does not make a direct comparison and so cannot be taken literally. The fifth type of figurative language, cliche, is a common phrase that has been used so much that it has lost its original meaning. Cliches are used in everyday speech and eventually become part of a language. An example of a cliche would be ‘time will tell.’ The time cannot actually tell anything since it has no form of communication except to give the time. Just like an idiom, a cliche would be hard for someone who is learning a new language to comprehend.  Ã‚  

2222 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

2222 - Essay Example In order for Anna to fit into the English society she had to adopt an English name. Jing used Vivian because it was a requirement in her English department. However, her choice of name sounded like her second name in Chinese. According to her, this was a form of identity and she contrasted Anna who thought that by using English names all your academic needs will be catered for. According to Jing she wanted to associate with her culture and this did not prevent her from being a senior member of the society by the time she was in her third year in Campus (Wenhao Diao 212). 4. I find Vivian’s strategy more superior than Anna’s. This is because Vivian only used her English name in class but outside the class she resumed her natural identity. For this reason, it is evident that studying different language must not transform our identity. It is important that we respect our culture and backgrounds and not be influenced by western

The Christian Paradox Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Christian Paradox - Essay Example At the same time, three quarters of American believe that one of the teachings of the Bible is: "God helps those who help themselves". An anti-Christian statement said by Benjamin Franklin. What Jesus actually said was "Love your neighbor as yourself". This is one of the most important principles of the Bible's teachings. How could something as clear as this ideal of selfless love and care for the others, become the opposite at the core of people's beliefs While we are among the richest nations in the earth, we rank among the last countries in giving aid to the poor countries. We provide 15 cents each per day to the official development assistance to poor countries. Yet the point is, as McKibben says, not that America ranks bad in these categories; "it's that the overwhelmingly Christian American nation trails badly in all these categories, categories to which Jesus paid particular attention". What Jesus Christ meant by loving our neighbors was to help the poor, the sick, the naked and hungry; not our suburban fellows. This wisdom didn't apparently became very popular at the suburban mega-churches, where you can buy lattes and listen to self-centered sermons such as "how to discipline your children, how to reach your professional goals, how to invest your money, how to reduce your debt" (McKibben, 2005). When did faith become a marketing product for consumers Chris... Let's forget about Jesus focus on others, and make best-sellers filled with self-improvement, self-esteem, self-obsessed advice. Bill McKibben is an environmental writer. He is surprised to see yet another example of the Christian paradox in our environmental policies. Countries where religion is not so important, such as Norway and Sweden, actually are more concerned about a healthy atmosphere than us. In these places they have taken much more measures to protect their environment; like cutting back on their carbon emissions, using public transport, living in smaller places, etc. Instead, the U.S.A., one of the countries that produces the most carbon emissions1, is not signed up at the Kyoto Protocol. Would it be better if we abandoned our so-called Christianity The author wonders if in the "absence of the magical answers of religion, people might just get around to solving their problems and strengthening their communities in more straightforward ways". Yet, it seems like this nation will stay a "Christian nation, but what kind of Christian nation"(McKibben, 2005). Examples like Alabama's governor's failed attempt to change the tax rate or the Colorado jury who condemned someone to death based on the "eye for an eye" philosophy, illustrate once more, the abyss that exists between Jesus' will and the actual politics. In the words of McKibben: "they undercut Jesus, muffle his hard words, deaden his call, and in the end silence him. In fact, the soft-focus consumer gospel of the suburban megachurches is a perfect match for emergent conservative economic notions about personal responsibility instead of collective action".(McKibben, 2005). Can we really blame only the religious leaders for our counter-biblical behavior We are

General Electric fianancial accounting analysis Research Paper

General Electric fianancial accounting analysis - Research Paper Example Section II: Financial Statements and Financial Ratios As a decision maker, we need to know about the company's financial strength when we have to make any investment in the company, or we have to know how the company is faring in terms of liquidity or how the company can reward to its shareholders or for that matter how the company is currently performing compared to the previous years. One can make a good estimate for any firm by studying their financial statements, financial ratios and when they are compared with industry averages, it can give a good understanding where the company stands in the marketplace. For any company we can study following financial statements which can give us most of the information necessary to make our decisions whether that pertains to investment, employment or as a supplier to safeguard our receivables etc. 1. Profit and Loss or Income Statement 2. Cash Flow Statement 3. Balance Sheet Profit and Loss Statement gives us the information how the company f ared during the given financial year. When compared with previous years’ profit and loss figure, we can quickly find whether the company has made any progress or not. If the company is going downside then that also can be found from the income statement. When these figures are compared with the industry average, it can be found how the company is doing against its competitors. Cash Flow Statement is a measure of company’s liquidity strength. It may be that the company is showing profit in their income statement but still its cash flow may be not healthy or even sometimes negative. Obviously, such companies will have difficulty in paying back its debt when due. Cash flow rich companies reward its shareholders liberally and increasing dividend declared is a sign of the good cash flow generated by the company. Balance Sheet is an indication of the company’s status at given point. Usually, it shows its financial status at the end of the financial year. This financia l statement displays a cumulative strength of the company year after year. All the accumulated reserve from so many years of operation can be seen through this statement. We can come to the conclusion quickly by finding or knowing the financial ratios depending upon what kind of the decisions we want to take regarding the company. It would be worthwhile to look into some of the financial data and the ratios of the General Electric Co. Important Financial Ratios (Based on latest balance sheet for the year ended 12/31/2010) Asset Turnover is a good measure of the utilization of company’s assets in making the sales in a competitive market. It is an indication of how efficiently resources are made use of. Asset Turnover = Sales/Average Total Assets (Drake, Pamela) = 150,211/751,216 =0.20% This does not augur well with GE, when compared with the industry average as it comes to first 20th percentile. (GE, Financials) Similarly, when GE's profitability ratios are calculated, they ar e found to be as follows. Return on Assets= 1.28% On comparing with industry average,

Five Challenges for the Future of Media-Effects Essay

Five Challenges for the Future of Media-Effects - Essay Example Through the research of Peter and Valkenburg, it is vivid that the effect of media on individuals is evident. But at this point, they both have managed to show that these effects show a slight or major difference when compared to other disciplines. â€Å"Five Challenges for the Future of  Media-Effects  Research† shows that the changes in cognition, emotional and behavioral attitude of individuals attributable to the media effects are different from other social and behavioral sciences. They have presented a number of figures and statistics that point out this difference. They have gathered the results of different experiments performed by different experts to show the deviations. These surveys of different experiments helped them to construct their argument that will further be strengthened by the drawbacks and solutions. They completely agree with the fact that the media effects are inevitable and they affect every individual. But the impact of this effect depends on age, gender and taste that is often overlooked while experimenting or collecting data. The authors then present five major challenges that need not be overlooked while carrying out an experiment that determines the effect of a certain act on individuals. They travel from micro level to macro keeping in mind the minute details that shall not be overlooked. The first challenge is the Improvement of Media Exposure Measures that includes the risk of self-reported  data in which an individual might feel uncomfortable while revealing intimate information due to public pressure so this will give an opinion shaped by social pressure, not by the personal opinion which will affect the results. To avoid this we should divide the genres and then ask the willing and able candidates to provide information. This will help in collecting pure opinions. The second challenge is More Attention to Conditional Media Effects.  

What are the main features of Charismatic Leadership Essay

What are the main features of Charismatic Leadership - Essay Example They manifest such powers that are thought to rise above the rational and normal. They are believed to have magical or oracular qualities that are based on ability to foresee events. They emerge from ordinary population, announce themselves as saviour and people consider them valid. Leader may prove his legitimacy by demonstrating his extraordinary experience, predicting future or by putting forward his unique vision, prophecy or inspiration. Such proves makes his charisma unquestionable and win devoted believers for him (Morrison 2006, p.365).Max Weber defined charismatic leadership as: â€Å"Rests on devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual person, and of the normative pattern or order revealed or ordained by him† (cited in Kronman 1983, p.47). ‘There is authority of the extraordinary and personal gift of grace (charisma), the absolutely personal devotion and personal confidence in revelation, heroism, or other qualities of individual leadership. This is ‘charismatic’ domination, as exercised by the prophet or-in the field of politics-by the elected war lord, the plebiscitarian ruler, the great demagogue, or the political party leader’(cited in Gerth, Mills & Turner 1991, p.79). ‘There are, however, some characteristics that make an NRM more visible and, thereby, significant as an NRM. One may find, for example, the first generation enthusiasms, the unambiguous clarity and certainty in the belief system, the urgency of the message, the commitment of life-style, perhaps a charismatic leadership, and, possibly strong Them/Us and/or Before/After distinctions-all of which are, of course, liable to undergo significant change within a single generation’. Charismatic leaders have the capability to create social revolutions. They become change agents as they confront and transform traditionally accepted ideas and beliefs, they

Five Challenges for the Future of Media-Effects Essay

Five Challenges for the Future of Media-Effects - Essay Example Through the research of Peter and Valkenburg, it is vivid that the effect of media on individuals is evident. But at this point, they both have managed to show that these effects show a slight or major difference when compared to other disciplines. â€Å"Five Challenges for the Future of  Media-Effects  Research† shows that the changes in cognition, emotional and behavioral attitude of individuals attributable to the media effects are different from other social and behavioral sciences. They have presented a number of figures and statistics that point out this difference. They have gathered the results of different experiments performed by different experts to show the deviations. These surveys of different experiments helped them to construct their argument that will further be strengthened by the drawbacks and solutions. They completely agree with the fact that the media effects are inevitable and they affect every individual. But the impact of this effect depends on age, gender and taste that is often overlooked while experimenting or collecting data. The authors then present five major challenges that need not be overlooked while carrying out an experiment that determines the effect of a certain act on individuals. They travel from micro level to macro keeping in mind the minute details that shall not be overlooked. The first challenge is the Improvement of Media Exposure Measures that includes the risk of self-reported  data in which an individual might feel uncomfortable while revealing intimate information due to public pressure so this will give an opinion shaped by social pressure, not by the personal opinion which will affect the results. To avoid this we should divide the genres and then ask the willing and able candidates to provide information. This will help in collecting pure opinions. The second challenge is More Attention to Conditional Media Effects.  

Description of IT Methodology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Description of IT Methodology - Coursework Example Quantitative research explores and describes facts quantitatively while qualitative research explores facts in a more qualitative manner. For the present research project, both qualitative and quantitative approaches have been employed. The data was evaluated using a quantitative approach and the attributes of the data were evaluated through a qualitative approach. The qualitative approach has also been used to scrutinize the various approaches to data mining. As per the requirements of this project, qualitative research was conducted in accordance with the objectives. This research was carried out to formulate the questions to be asked by the subjects. The subjects were the medical personnel of Abu Dhabi police hospital. The questions were based on diabetes and they were planned so as to enable the gathering of appropriate data for fulfilling the objectives of the present project. Qualitative research was carried out using books, the web, and other sources. The questions asked and t he answers obtained for the questions have been listed in appendix 1 at the end of the document. The data set obtained after analyzing the answers given by the medical staff was collected through data mining. The data was then examined. This is the quantitative aspect of the research project. Qualitative and quantitative research methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. The utility of each method depends on the objectives of the research. 2.2. Qualitative and Quantitative Research Advantages and disadvantages of qualitative research The major advantage of qualitative research is that the analysis is credible and it requires thoughtful processing of the data to derive a comprehensive conclusion from it. The disadvantage of this kind of research is that it is based only a limited amount of information and that the conclusions derived from the data may vary depending the individual’s ideas and thought process. Advantages and disadvantages of quantitative research The major advantage of quantitative research is that it is cheaper. The data for the research can be acquired easily and compared with other research. The disadvantage of quantitative research is that some types of data may not be easy to get or the data obtained could be incomplete in some aspects. In this research project, it was difficult to obtain medical data due to concerns related to privacy. The quantitative research was based on the data obtained from the hospitals in the UAE. Sequential Language was used to alter the acquired data. This step was required in order to test the objectives of this project. Despite the difficulty in obtaining medical data, the entire project is based on collected data. Review of literature and creation of data file A literature review was carried out before carrying out further research. All kinds of publications including journals, books, textbooks, and online sources that detailed information on data mining were intensively reviewed. Aspects of data mining and their methods were studied and applied to information on diabetes. A data spreadsheet by the name Diabetes.arff was designed keeping the information on diabetes in view. The quality of the acquired data was examined and data mining algorithms then applied to the file containing the collected data. Data processing The data on diabetes obtained from various sources along with information obtained from the

The Total Tourist Experience Essay Example for Free

The Total Tourist Experience Essay The travel and tourism industry is made up of six different components, they are: * Travel Agents * Tour Operators * Transportation * Accommodation and Catering * Tourist development and Promotion * Tourist Attractions Should a tourist decide to take a holiday, he/she is likely to visit a travel agent to inquire about various holidays on offer and prices available. Travel agents are agents for tour operators; they sell package holidays, products and services on behalf of the tour operator and are paid a commission or fee by the tour operator. Travel agents offer products and services such as; travel insurance, flights, car-hire, ferry crossings, train tickets, advice etc. There are two types of travel agents; they are the Retail Travel Agent and the Business Travel Agent. The larger Business Travel Agents are members of the Guild of Business Travel Agents (GBTA) and make up over 80% of business travel arrangements through travel agencies. Leading GBTA Business Travel Agents are, American Express Europe Ltd, Britannic Travel Ltd, Carlson Wagonlits, Hogg Robinson Travel Ltd, Portman Travel Ltd and Seaforth Travel Ltd. The Business Travel Agents concentrate on the sale of travel related products to business clients and are sometimes located in an office within the organisation, for which they provide travel arrangements (in-house). Business travel involves getting the client to the appropriate destination for business meetings and related duties. The Retail Travel Agents belong to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). The role of the Retail Travel Agent is to provide a location, where tourists who are seeking information about travel plans will go. The Retail Travel Agents sell arrange of leisure and recreation travel products and services to outgoing, incoming and domestic tourists. They act as a link between customers and tour operators; they are in constant contact with airlines and car hire companies. Contact is maintained over the phone, through the post and the computer systems in place e.g. Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, and World Span. Many Retail Travel Agents advise customers, suggest possible holidays, answer questions, make bookings and help customers with travel problems. They also sell ancillary products and services e.g. travel insurance, foreign currency, travellers cheques etc. There are four main leading travel agents, they are; Lunn Poly Ltd, Going Places, The Thomas Cook Group and Carlson Worldchoice. Between them, they sell over 60% of inclusive tours in the UK and account for 1/3 of the total number of high street travel agency branches in the UK. A tourist is most likely to choose a holiday that is an inclusive deal e.g. flights and accommodation. These deals have been designed and compiled by a tour operator. Tour operators provide a wide range of products and services for domestic, outgoing and incoming tourists. They arrange transport, accommodation and leisure activities to make up the holiday package. Holiday packages are usually sold through travel agents. Due to customer demand, tour operators offer flexible options for their customers e.g. flight only and multi-centred holidays. Tour operators usually belong to ABTA or the Association of International Tour Operators (AITO). Tour operators can specialise e.g. selling to the mass market, which means they offer tours to the general public and cater for all their needs and outbound tour operators who organise package holidays abroad. Examples of tour operators are; Thomson Holidays Ltd and Airtours plc. There are specialist long haul operators e.g. Kuoni Travel Ltd. Travel Scene specialise in city breaks while Crystal and Ski Bound specialise in winter sports. Tour operators publicise their products through their own direct marketing e.g. Thomson Holidays Ltd own Portland Direct and Airtours plc own Direct Holidays. Thomson Holidays Ltd also encourages direct bookings from their brochures or packages, which are advertised and sold through travel agents. A tourist who is going on holiday can choose from a variety of different transportation methods, they include cars, trains, planes or boats. Transportation means providing travel to and from a destination, travelling around a destination or it can be the main feature of a tourists trip. Transport can be divided into four different categories, they are: * Air- scheduled flights, charter flights or air taxis * Water- ferries, cruise ships, hover crafts or river boats * Road- cars, motorbikes, coaches or buses * Rail- trains, tubes or trams The transport networks are the air, water and land routes, which various forms of transport travel along. Each network has starting and ending points, which are known as termini. Air travel has scheduled flights, which operate regularly according to published schedules or timetables e.g. Virgin Atlantic Airways fly five times a week to New York and three times a week to South Africa. Charter flights only operate when they are hired for a particular purpose. Tourists tend to take scheduled flights, as they are affordable, faster and convenient. Charter flights are expensive and need to be organised through companies. Tourists often have a choice of transport routes when deciding how to travel to their destinations, these include; sea- (ferries and cruises), which tend to be slow but flexible as tourists can take their cars on the channel crossings. Road- (motorways, auto-bahns, major trunk roads and the channel tunnel) this is a flexible means of transport. Finally, rail- (high speed lines and scenic railways) this is a quick means of transport to a destination. The choice of transport and type of route taken is based on four factors; cost, convenience and availability, journey time and services provided by the transport carrier. There is a variety of accommodation available for a tourist. It can range from five star hotel accommodations through to basic bed and breakfasts. The type of accommodation chosen by a tourist is usually dependent on his/her budget. Whilst on holiday a tourist will have a wide variety of catering facilities to choose from. He/she will choose a restaurant or takeaway that serves the food of his/her choice. Accommodation and catering are organisations, which provide tourists with places to stay and to eat. In the UK there are many single outlets and multinational operators. Catering services operate separately from accommodation in some cases. Restaurants, pubs, fast-food outlets and cafes provide arrange of choices from quick snacks to haute cuisines. Some restaurants offer fixed priced menus or a la carte menus, where customers pay for separate items. Pubs are popular as they provide cooked meals, hot snacks, salads and sandwiches with alcohol. Fast-food outlets are convenient and offer items such as hamburgers, pizzas, pasta and baked potatoes. Examples of fast-food outlets are Mc Donalds and KFC. Tourists who are travelling either by plane or train e.g. Eurostar, are often offered catering, which is prepared and packaged meals. Accommodation can be divided into serviced or self-catering. Full serviced means it includes meals and house keeping. Examples of places that offer serviced accommodation is hotels, motels, guest houses or lodges. Serviced accommodation can be divided in a number of ways including the number of bedrooms, small- (ten rooms or less), medium- (eleven-fifty rooms) and large- (more than fifty rooms). Serviced establishments are awarded a rating, which indicates the range of facilities provided. The National Tourist Boards (NTBs) for England, Scotland and Wales have developed the Crown Classification System for hotels, guesthouses, bed and breakfasts and farmhouses. The number of crowns awarded represents the range of facilities and services provided. Self-catering accommodation means tourists are provided with accommodation but have to provide their own food, this type of accommodation is usually cheaper as fewer services are provided. Examples of self-catering are, apartments, camping sites, timeshare and chalets. The tourist board inspectors check both serviced and self-catering accommodations and each of the establishments are graded for quality e.g. Travel Lodge is for budget accommodation while grand hotels e.g. The Ritz and The Hilton are classed as five star accommodations. Tourist development and promotion are the support services of the industry and will work together to provide a tourist with an informative and interesting holiday experience. Tourist development and promotion comprises of tourism support, promotion services, Tourist Information Centres (TICs) and guiding services. Many local authorities have specific departments to support and develop tourism in different areas. This support includes marketing the area with the aid of brochures, distributing accommodation and entertainment guides and attending travel exhibitions to promote their areas. NTBs and Regional Tourist Boards (RTBs) work with local authorities to promote and develop local areas; this involves providing a wide range of services such as educational material, publicity guides and visitor guides. I will discuss each organisation that aids tourist development: * The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is an official government organisation formed in 1969 in conjunction with tourists boards for Scotland, Wales and England. Their role is to build the value of tourism to Britain by promoting tourism in Britain. The BTA advertises overseas, it also advises the government and businesses about tourism and carries out research. The BTA works with the Scottish, English, Welsh and Regional Tourist Boards to encourage inbound travel to the UK. It also works with the Department of Culture, Media and-Sport (DCMS), and liases with the British council and diplomatic staff to increase awareness as a travel destination. * NTBs are responsible for promoting domestic tourism in their respective areas. There are four main tourist boards, they are, the English Tourism Council (ETC), Scottish Tourist Board (STB), Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) and Welsh Tourist Board (WTB). In Wales people refer to the WTB as Bwrdd Croeso Cymru. There are also separate tourist boards for the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey. They have similar objectives, which include, advising the government on tourism matters, creating wealth and jobs, enhancing the image of their areas etc. * There are three RTBs in Wales and ten in England: * RTBs work together with NTBs to promote their areas; they have common programs under contract with the NTBs, such as information collection and networked tourist information centre systems. RTBs receive grants from the Central and National governments but they have to raise a portion of the income from commercial activities. * Local Authorities play an important role in developing, promoting and managing tourism in their areas e.g. Poole and Dorset are local authorities that work with local businesses to provide websites that promote tourism. Tourist attractions serve as sites of interest for a tourist. A tourist may visit different sites in connection with his or her private interests. The ETC defines a visitor attraction as: A permanently established excursion destination, a primary purpose of which is to allow public access for entertainment, interest or education, rather than being a primary retail outlet or venue for sporting, theatrical or film performances. It must be open to the public, without prior booking, for published periods each year, and should be capable of attracting day visitors or tourists as well as local residents. Outhart, T. Taylor, L. Barker, R. Marvell, A. (2000) Unit 1: Investigating travel and tourism, Structure of the travel and tourism industry. Advanced Vocational Travel and Tourism, London, Collins, p. 60. Attractions can be further divided into natural and built. Built attractions have been built by man or women e.g. Hampton Court Palace was built by King Henry VIII as a royal residents and today it is a tourist attraction because of its link to royalty and its preserved art work. Natural attractions have occurred through nature e.g. Cheddar Gorge. Some attractions are run by the private sector for a profit e.g. Madame Tussauds, while others are run by charities, such as, the National Trust or controlled by the public sector e.g. Stonehenge. Theme and leisure park attractions are action packed, family centred leisure and entertainment complexes, which often include technological versions of fun fair rides e.g. Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures etc. People are attracted to theme parks as it can be a family day out, as most theme parks have a variety of rides that cater for all age groups e.g. Blackpool Pleasure Beach, has a huge roller coaster, which is an attraction within itself. Heritage and historic sites range from century old historic sites e.g. Stonehenge to castles, cathedrals and stately homes. The majority of these historic sites were erected for a specific purpose in history e.g. castles were the residents/home to royalty, cathedrals were places of worship and the Tower of London served as a jail. Many historic buildings are owned by religious organisations or government agencies e.g. the historic royal palaces. The Museums Association defines a museum as: An institution which collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets material evidence and associated information for the public benefit. Outhart, T. Taylor, L. Barker, R. Marvell, A. (2000) Unit 1: Investigating travel and tourism, Structure of the travel and tourism industry. Advanced Vocational Travel and Tourism, London, Collins, p. 63. In other words, they are protestors of works of art. Museums are important for regional and local areas, as they protect and exhibit works of art or history from local areas e.g. Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum attracted over a million visitors in 1998, as people were interested in Scottish history. Countryside visitor attractions provide opportunities for people to enjoy leisure pastimes e.g. picnics, walks etc. Many areas have urban parks e.g. Hyde Park in London or gardens e.g. Kew Gardens. The best-known areas of countryside attractions are the national parks. National parks are protected areas of land; they protect the fauna and flora of the local area. There are not many facilities available to the public in these areas. Some parks may offer accommodation and activities, such as; walking, abseiling or pony trekking but these activities will be limited. There are now eleven national parks in England and Wales e.g. Dartmoor, Snowdonia, Lake District etc. All the above components of the travel and tourism industry work simultaneously to provide a total tourist experience for a tourist or visitor. It starts with a tour operator, who will plan the holiday to the travel agent, who sells the package. The airline, train or ferry will provide the transport to the hotels or campsites, where the tourist will sleep (accommodation), to whichever restaurant or take away that he/she eats from (catering). The tourist might then visit an attraction that has been promoted in some way, either by the tourist board or through the local tourist information kiosk. These components are invisibly linked but work together to make sure that the tourist enjoys his/her visit to such an extent that he/she will return or by word of mouth, to generate other visitors.