Multiple Sclerosis Diseases Free Essays

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that bewilders us all.. There is no known cause. We will write a custom essay sample on Multiple Sclerosis Diseases or any similar topic only for you Order Now We do know that MS (multiple sclerosis) is a disease where the myelin breaks down and is replaced by scar tissue. The demyelination can slow down or block the flow of signals to and from the central nervous system to the rest of the body, impairing such functions as vision, strength, and coordination. 1 While we do know what MS is we still don’t know why, where and when people contract the disease. It has been proven that MS generally appears between the ages of twenty to forty and it strikes women at more than twice the ratio it strikes men. Statistics have also shown that the disease strikes the middle and upper class more than the lower class and poor. Worldwide research shows that MS has a broad geographical distribution. It has long established that MS is more prominent in colder regions and rare in tropical areas. Maine being a colder climate has shown some of the highest rates of MS. 2 There is evidence of a slight increase in MS among first degree relatives–parents, siblings, and children. It is also suspected that the same family members may inherent a genetic susceptibility to MS. While it is possible to inherit a genetic susceptibility to MS, it is not possible to inherit the disease. And even people who have all the necessary genes don’t necessarily get MS. The disease, experts believe, must be triggered by environmental factors. So MS is not considered a hereditary disease. 3 Until the definite cause of Ms is proved the treatment cannot be truly scientific. But there are treatments that are effective in dealing with symptoms. For instance, there are the common sense treatments that everyone, with or without an illness, should treat themselves with, which are: A healthy diet, exercise, sufficient amount of rest and to live your life as you would normally. There are also lots of drugs that treat many of the different symptoms. Since there are so many symptoms and treatments, I will only list a few: Treatments that increase the blood flow, that decrease blood clotting, treatments for chemical eccess or deficiency, treatments to prevent infection and treatments for the immune system. Treatment and rehabilitation have also been joined together. Weakness is one of the major symptoms of Ms and can be treated with physical therapy and strengthening exercises. One of the best exercises for reducing weakness in the limbs is hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is done in the water. Hydrotherapy exercises use the benefits of buoyancy. Another way to eliminate weakness is to stay off a weak limb. Overall, by recognizing limits and using common sense, weakness can be greatly diminished. 4 Spasticity, another MS symptom, is most effectively treated with physical therapy. Cold is an excellent temporary measure for relaxing the spastic limb. Hydrotherapy is, again, the most effective exercise for relief, combining stretching and cool temperatures. There are also many medications for spasticity, such as Baclofen, Dantrollene, and Diazepam. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, transcendental meditation, biofeedback, have been successful with spasticity as well. 5 Some MS patients might have mild to sever balance trouble. In mild cases, the person can learn how to compensate easily by standing and walking with a little wider base and taking short steps rather than long strides. When balance trouble is a little more severe, a four-pronged cane, crutches or a walker may be necessary. Someone with MS could have visual problems. The problem varies from decreased acuity, blurred or cloudy vision, and double vision. The treatment depends on the stage of the problem. If it is a new part of an attack, visual loss responds to steroids. If it is a persistent problem, glasses or special lenses might be the best treatment. 7 Bladder problems are unfortunately not uncommon with MS. The most common are frequency and urgency. There are three good medications that relieve symptoms when they are present for more than a week or two: Pro-Banthine, Ditropan and Tofranil. Iif bladder problems do not respond to medication, a complete bladder training problem may be prescribed. 7 The treatments and medications used ten years ago are still effective and still being used but there are medical breakthroughs being announced regularly. In October of 1994, there was a medical breakthrough. Researchers found out that an anticancer drug stops the most crippling form of MS. The drug is Cladribine and the results are dramatic. A study was done on 49 patients with progressive chronic MS, which effects about 53,000 Americans and is the most severe form of MS. Half of the patients were given the drug and the other half were given a placebo. For the patients that were given Cladribine the spread of MS stopped for all patients and some improved. Their legs no longer shook and they no longer needed canes or braces. Dr. Ernest Beutler stated: â€Å"It’s the only agent that has clearly been shown to stop the progression of the disease. â€Å"8 Another treatment that is not new or a medical breakthrough but is very effective and gaining popularity with MS patients is Apitherapy, which is the scientific name for the bee venom that is used by MS patients. Doctors aren’t exactly sure why the bee venom is effective. They know that the venom contains two powerful anti-inflammatory agents, melittin and adolapin which appear to fight the neural sheath inflammation itself. One women with MS is quoted after two months of bee venom treatments: â€Å"My hearing was totally back and I was out of the wheelchair and walking with a cane†. Another example was a young women who had bladder problems. After her venom treatments she hasn’t wet the bed since she first contracted MS. Others have noticed more balance, more energy and less numbness in there legs and feet. Overall, whether it’s medication, exercise, rehabilitation, the most important factor in the treatment of this disease is to have a positive attitude, hope for the future, and a desire to live your life as you normally would from day to day. Socially MS can be just as difficult to fight as it is physically. Dating, marriage, children, careers, parents and friends can be difficult barriers emotionally. dating is hard for anyone regardless of sex, age, appearance or status in life. if your MS has visual symptoms that are apparent to others. its best to be open right away. You should go about this in whatever way is most comfortable to you. for people with mild or invisible MS, disclosure to a dating can and probably should wait. Like any other person some relationships work out and some don’t . The best advice is to date, explore new relationships and don’t be afraid to fall in love. 2 MS will have an impact on your marriage. Management of Ms requires patience and understanding. When your MS is in remission there may be no problem to face. When you’re in a new attack, your mate need to take over shopping, cooking, mowing, and caring for the children if any. the most patience and understandings comes to anned when a person with MS becomes disabled. this is the real test of love for most couples. this is when you should really take notice of what kind of problems you had before. Don’t expect your partner to feel guilty. if the marriage was meant to work it will work. If you have MS your children have probably already figured out that something is wrong before you tell them. The best approach is to be honest with your children. with each knew attack there needs to be communication. Parents with MS should watch their children for any emotional difficulties they may be having. Keeping your friends should not be a problem. Good reins stick by your side through everything. Your friends should feel comfortable with you just as you should feel comfortable with them. With making new friends it should be just the same as you made them before. You should eventually tell them about MS but it can wait until both feel comfortable with talking about it. More often it is harder for someone with MS just to hang on to a job. unfortunately it has little to do with their ability and more to do with discrimination. But today there are laws and regulations so Know one with any disability should be fired or feel thy have to quit. 2 Job hunting with Ms is a whole different issue. if you have viable symptoms, you are going to have to address your situation up front . If you have an interview you may want to be up front about it on the phone. The main thing is if you feel comfortable with yourself others will to. You should always emphasize that you are a hard worker. And be aware of discrimination because it happens all the time and it is illegal. Overall i personally believe that Ms should not get in the way of your social life. If you have a good personality you should be able to make friends and if you are a hard worker there is no reason why you should not be able to work. A positive way of thinking will definitely get you on your way. After MS patients have dealt with physical therapy, doctors, treatments and medications you may ask yourself where would therapeutic recreation come into the picture? The answer to that would depend on the person and what type of lifestyle and goals they had for themselves. today’s society is pushing everyone to physically and emotionally fit with activities such as mountain biking, swimming skiing, and walking. The reason these and many other activates are so popular is because its fun, its a hobby, receives stress and its exercise whereas riding a stationary bike is exercise but you don’t hear to many people say its their hobby or its a fun pastime. TR(therapeutic recreation) come into place with people with MS and other mental and physical disabilities because their is a need for them to fulfill their goals and expectations like everyone else. Since they have a special need a TR program or specialist can help them fulfill that need. People with MS should have the maximum participation with the fewest adaptations. Just like any other part of their life style they should develop a leisure lifestyle that is normal a possible. I think it is important for Ms patients to choose their own activates and set their own goals, within reason.! Lastly, I feel sensitive to anyone that contracts a disease, such as AIDS, or cancer. Its an awful thing if someone was an IV drug user and than they contacted the Aids Virus or if some one smoked for thirty years and they were diagnosed with lung cancer. I think one of the hardest things about Ms is that you can be healthy or not healthy know one in your family could have it and then one day you show symptoms. Physiologically Yes that would be a difficult thing to deal with. But it is a disease that is striking millions of people and after doing research I believe the positive attitude and to go on with your normal way of living is the best psychological cure. It doesn’t stop you from living, having a job, a family, hobbies, or friends. Overall when they say MS is a mystery disease i would have to agree. I think there is definite hope for a cure for the future. We have medical breakthroughs and have several clues to the disease. How to cite Multiple Sclerosis Diseases, Essay examples

Detailed Analysis of Brand Value of Radisson Blu in UK

Question: Write an analysis Brand pricing Radisson blu in uk and india? Answer: Brand Pricing of Radisson Blu in the UK and India Founded in 1938, Radisson Blu hotels are mainly located in the U.S. It is one of the major hotels in America which has expanded itself throughout the world including the U.K. and India. Brand pricing of any company is market driven (Radisson, 2015). The same is applied by Radisson Blu when it comes to selecting prices for its delicacies, hotel rooms and other amenities in the UK as well as India. Hence, the price is cheaper in India as compared to that of the UK. PESTEL analysis of Radisson Blu in UK Political Factors The terrorism act in UK was published on 7th July 2005, which was because of extremely religious organizations that were accommodating in the UK. Due to the act of terrorism, the density of visitors in UK is reducing which is impacting the performance of Radisson Blu. Along with that even the internal politics of the UK is impacting Radisson Blus performance. Economic Factors The major factors affecting the Radisson Blu are the impacts of National macroeconomics situation. Also, most of the hotels were booked fully during the 2012 Olympics which was held in the UK but after the completion of Olympics, situation became just opposite. The economic growth of UK also impacts the Radisson Blu (Radisson, 2015). According to the current situation in the UK, the economic crisis is expected in the next one year. The inflation in the rate of GBP is also impacting the Radisson Blu. Social Environment Radisson Blu is a well-known brand in the UK and people even from outside the country prefer going to Radisson Blu. The UK being a rich country, people have a high standard of living. The financial condition of the UK is more improving with time. People of the UK are materialistic. They like to hang out on every weekend. The impact of social media is increasing every year. So, the concept of family is also changing in the UK. Technological Factor The infrastructure of Radisson Blu creates a positive impact on the consumers. The main technological factors that affect this hotel are the use of energy, cost of using energy and potential for innovation (Jauhari, 2012). Environmental Factor Currently, hotel and the catering industries are getting criticized for creating pollution in the environment on the attractive places like beaches, forests, hills and historical places. The tourism activities are disturbing the environment and wild animals. The hotel industries are becoming one of the major reasons of the global warming due to the emission of carbon. Legal Environment Legal factors include the tax related activities, laws and regulation in the UK, etc. The rules of getting visa and immigration have become stricter (Sharma, 2010). The laws related to the safety and protection is also impacting the Radisson Blu. PESTEL Analysis for Radisson Blu in UK Political Factors The political violence in India, the terrorist attacks in Mumbai have threatened the tourism of India but according to statistics, this is just a temporary situation. The global terrorist attack has fallen on the 8% terrorism in India. The dirty political situation in India is also impacting the Radisson Blu group but on the other hand, government is making various efforts to attract the tourists towards India. Economic Factors India is categorised as the developing country. The economy of India is growing with time. If we see the last economic crisis, India was the least affected in that crisis but there are various types of taxes that are defined in India for hotel industries. Similarly, the loan interest rate is low in India than the other countries. Social Factors Radisson Blu is very famous in India also. Most of the people belong to middle class family. The trend of joint family is present in India till now but these trends are changing with time. Radisson Blu hotels provide a taste of Indian families to the visitors (Sharma, 2010). India is famous for the royal life of Kings. Thus, the infrastructure of the Hotel is designed according to the royal feeling. Technological factors Radisson Blu uses the Social networking sites, email marketing, SEO marketing, media advertisements etc. for the marketing purposes. The booking system of the Radisson Blu is also very simple which is through the internet. Radisson Blu has tie ups with the Trip advisor and various other internet sites for the hotel advisers. Environmental Factors India is a country where all types of weather are found, like cold, hot, icy, rainy etc. according to the time. India has the desert in Rajasthan and Gujarat on the other hand West Bengal, Assam are full of greenery (Jauhari, 2012). The visitors get every type of environment in India. Legal Factors After the attack on Hotel Taj in Mumbai, the government has made strict laws related to the tourism. It became essential for the hotels to have tight security. There are various other legal laws present in India which affects the Radisson Blu. References Sharma, Abhijeet (2010). PEST analysis on Hotel Industry [online]. Available From: https://www.managementparadise.com/forums/principles-management-p-o-m/208668-pest-analysis-hotel-industry.html [Accessed: 29th March 2015]. Radisson.com, (2015). Radisson Hotels - Great Hotel Deals, Rooms Services - Radisson.com. [online] Available at: https://www.radisson.com/ [Accessed 29 Mar. 2015]. Jauhari, V. (2012). Strategic growth challenges for the Indian hotel industry.Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes,4(2), 118-130.

Witch Hunts Essays - Communism In The United States,

Witch Hunts Imagine what it would be like to be labeled a Communist for the mere fact that you happened to sport a goatee? It happened in the 1950's McCarthyism period! Doesn't this sound strangely similar to the Salem witch-hunts? Perfectly normal people accused of being witches just because they were seen dancing strangely in the woods. McCarthyism and the Salem witch-hunts were both attempts by power-hungry people to diminish their competition without any concrete evidence. The causes of the Salem witchcraft trails and ?McCarthyism? were irrational fears that witchcraft and communism were going to infiltrate society if drastic measures were not taken. Once the idea that witchcraft might really be going on got started, the behavior of normal citizens was open to suspicion of witchcraft. Likewise, the real fear of a Communist take-over had Americans in the 1950's so frightened, some actually believed that there neighbors might be spies because McCarthy was planting this suspicion so strongly into their minds. Once the hysteria began, it snowballed out of control. In the Salem witch hunts two young girls, Betty Paris and Abigail Williams, were exhibiting strange behavior and were diagnosed to have been touched by the hand of the devil. When pressured to reveal the witch or witches who had caused this, the young girls named several outcasts of society. These accused witches were guilty until they prove their innocence. Many were tortured until they confessed they were in fact witches so they did not have to endure any more pain. A few who admitted their guilt were spared, while the rest were quickly executed. These confessions became the ?proof? of the existence of witches. The hysteria of McCarthyism began when Senator Joseph McCarthy landed a series of highly publicized investigations that intended to bring forward Communists in the State Department and Hollywood. McCarthy eventually let his ?Red Scare? get out of control and said the U.S. Army was concealing foreign espionage activities. His accusations contained little evidence and McCarthy eventually fell into disfavor. The Witch-hunts of Salem resulted in the execution of 20 individuals. People accused of witchcraft were considered guilty until proven innocent, and tests were devised to identify the guilty. Those who passed the treacherous tests were considered witches and put to death. Eventually, the madness ended but not before the slaying of twenty innocent people. The McCarthy Communism scare turned very negitive toward Senator McCarthy when the hearings to investigate whether the secretary of the Army was not cooperating to uncover Communists in the U.S. military. These hearings were given a great amount of media coverage and that did much to end the anti Communist ?witch-hunt? led by McCarthy. A resolution of censure against McCarthy was soon introduced in the Senate. On December 2, 1954, Senator Joseph McCarthy was condemned in a vote of a special session of the U.S. Senate for his conduct in Senate committees. Bibliography Garraty, John A. ?The Rise of McCarthyism.? The Story of America. Cincinnati, OH: Pantheon Books, 1990: 458-459. ?McCarthy, Joseph Raymond.? Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99. New York, NY: Publishing, Inc., 1999. CD-ROM ?The Salem Witch Trails 1692.? 27 August 1997. (14 October 1999).

The Ransom of Atahualpa

The Ransom of Atahualpa On November 16, 1532, Atahualpa, Lord of the Inca Empire, agreed to meet with a handful of bedraggled foreigners who had intruded upon his realm. These foreigners were some 160 Spanish conquistadors under the command of Francisco Pizarro and they treacherously attacked and captured the young Inca Emperor. Atahualpa offered to bring his captors a fortune in ransom and he did so: the amount of treasure was staggering. The Spanish, nervous about reports of Inca generals in the area, executed Atahualpa anyway in 1533. Atahualpa and Pizarro Francisco Pizarro and his band of Spaniards had been exploring the western coast of South America for two years: they were following reports of a powerful, wealthy empire high in the frosty Andes Mountains. They moved inland and made their way to the town of Cajamarca in November of 1532. They were fortunate: Atahualpa, Emperor of the Inca was there. He had just defeated his brother Huscar in a civil war over who would rule the kingdom. When a band of 160 foreigners showed up on his doorstep, Atahualpa was not afraid: he was surrounded by an army of thousands of men, most of them war veterans, who were fiercely loyal to him. The Battle of Cajamarca The Spanish conquistadors were aware of Atahualpas massive army - just as they were aware of the massive quantities of gold and silver carried by Atahualpa and the Inca nobles. In Mexico, Hernn Cortes had found riches by capturing Aztec Emperor Montezuma: Pizarro decided to try the same tactic. He hid his cavalrymen and artillerymen around the square in Cajamarca. Pizarro sent Father Vicente de Valverde to meet the Inca: the friar showed the Inca a breviary. The Inca glanced through it and, unimpressed, threw it down. The Spanish used this supposed sacrilege as an excuse to attack. Suddenly the square was filled with heavily armed Spaniards on foot and horseback, massacring native nobility and warriors to the thunder of cannon fire. Atahualpa Captive Atahualpa was captured and thousands of his men were murdered. Among the dead were civilians, soldiers and important members of the Inca aristocracy. The Spanish, practically invulnerable in their heavy steel armor, did not suffer a single casualty. The horsemen proved particularly effective, running down terrified natives as they fled the carnage. Atahualpa was placed under heavy guard in the Temple of the Sun, where he finally met Pizarro. The Emperor was allowed to speak with some of his subjects, but every word was translated for the Spanish by a native interpreter. Atahualpa’s Ransom It didn’t take long for Atahualpa to realize that the Spanish were there for gold and silver: the Spanish had wasted no time in looting corpses and the temples of Cajamarca. Atahualpa was made to understand that he would be freed if he paid enough. He offered to fill a room with gold and then twice over with silver. The room was 22 feet long by 17 feet wide (6.7 meters by 5.17 meters) and the Emperor offered to fill it to a height of about 8 feet (2.45m). The Spanish were stunned and quickly accepted the offer, even instructing a notary to make it official. Atahualpa sent out word to bring gold and silver to Cajamarca and before long, native porters were bringing a fortune to the town from all corners of the empire and laying it at the feet of the invaders. The Empire in Turmoil Meanwhile, the Inca Empire was thrown into turmoil by the capture of their Emperor. To the Inca, the Emperor was semi-divine and no one dared risk an attack to rescue him. Atahualpa had recently defeated his brother, Huscar, in a civil war over the throne. Huascar was alive but captive: Atahualpa feared he would escape and rise again because Atahualpa was a prisoner, so he ordered Huascars death. Atahualpa had three massive armies in the field under his top generals: Quisquis, Chalcuchima and Rumià ±ahui. These generals were aware that Atahualpa had been captured and decided against an attack. Chalcuchima was eventually tricked and captured by Hernando Pizarro, whereas the other two generals would fight against the Spanish in the months that followed. The Death of Atahualpa In early 1533, rumors began flying around the Spanish camp about Rumià ±ahui, greatest of the Inca generals. None of the Spaniards knew exactly where Rumià ±ahui was and they greatly feared the massive army he led. According to the rumors, Rumià ±ahui had decided to free the Inca and was moving into position to attack. Pizarro sent out riders in every direction. These men found no sign of a large army, but still the rumors persisted. Panicked, the Spanish decided that Atahualpa had become a liability. They hastily tried him for treason – for allegedly telling Rumià ±ahui to rebel – and found him guilty. Atahualpa, last free Emperor of the Inca, was executed by garrote on July 26, 1533. The Inca’s Treasure Atahualpa had kept his promise and filled the room with gold and silver. The treasure brought to Cajamarca was staggering. Priceless works of art in gold, silver and ceramic were brought, along with tons of precious metals in jewelry and temple decorations. Greedy Spaniards smashed priceless objects to pieces so that the room would fill up more slowly. All of this treasure was melted down, forged into 22 karat gold and counted. Atahualpa’s ransom added up to over 13,000 pounds of gold and twice that much silver. After the â€Å"royal fifth† was taken out (the King of Spain imposed a 20% tax on conquest loot), this treasure was divided up among the original 160 men according to a complicated arrangement involving footmen, horsemen and officers. The lowliest of the soldiers received 45 pounds of gold and 90 pounds of silver: at today’s rate the gold alone is worth over a half million dollars. Francisco Pizarro received roughly 14 times the amount of a common soldie r, plus substantial â€Å"gifts† such as Atahualpa’s throne, which was made of 15 karat gold and weighed 183 pounds. The Lost Gold of Atahualpa Legend has it that the Spanish conquistadors did not get their greedy hands on all of Atahualpa’s ransom. Some people believe, based on somewhat sketchy historical documents, that a group of natives was on its way to Cajamarca with a load of Inca gold and silver for Atahualpa’s ransom when they received word that the Emperor had been murdered. The Inca general in charge of transporting the treasure decided to hide it and left it in an unmarked cave in the mountains. Supposedly it was found 50 years later by a Spaniard named Valverde, but then was lost again until an adventurer named Barth Blake found it in 1886: he later died suspiciously. No one has seen it since. Is there a lost Inca treasure in the Andes, the final installment of Atahualpa’s Ransom? Source    Hemming, John. The Conquest of the Inca London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970).

Six Sigma Implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Six Sigma Implementation - Essay Example A Six Sigma opportunity is then the total quantity of chances for a defect. Process sigma can easily be calculated using a Six Sigma calculator. According to the Six Sigma Academy, Black Belts save companies approximately $230,000 per project and can complete four to 6 projects per year. General Electric, one of the most successful companies implementing Six Sigma, has estimated benefits on the order of $10 billion during the first five years of implementation. GE first began Six Sigma in 1995 after Motorola and Allied Signal blazed the Six Sigma trail. Since then, thousands of companies around the world have discovered the far reaching benefits of Six Sigma. There are two Six Sigma sub-methodologies commonly in use: DMAIC and DMADV. The Six Sigma DMAIC process (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) is an improvement system for existing processes falling below specification and looking for incremental improvement. The Six Sigma DMADV process (define, measure, analyze, design, verify) is an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at Six Sigma quality levels. It can also be employed if a current process requires more than just incremental improvement. ... The Core Team defines and reviews Six Sigma projects progress, and acts as the political leader, removing the barriers for the project teams. The Master Black Belt acts as a technical coach and provides the knowledge of quality tools for the project team. There is typically one Master Black Belt for every 1,000 employees. The Black Belt controls the project. There are typically 10 to 20 Black Belts per 1,000 employees. The Green Belt supports Black Belt. There are typically 3 to 5 Green Belts on the Project Team with the Black Belt. There are typically 300 Green Belts per 1,000 employees. Yellow Belts are the balance of your population. They provide information and support to the Six Sigma project teams, and are a source for future Green Belts. The MAIC discipline sets up a clear protocol to expedite internal communication. The incentive system facilitates Six Sigma projects to generate results. Situation: Need for Implementation of Six Sigma By 2001, the US-based General Electric Company (GE) was easily the largest diversified company in the world, with revenues of $ 125.91 billion and net earnings of $ 13.68 billion. Out of the company's 24 different businesses, some were so large that they could independently feature in the Fortune 500 list of companies. GE had operations in over 100 countries more than 250 manufacturing plants in 26 countries. The company was one of the largest employers in the world with strength of around 275,000 employees. GE remained the only company listed in the Dow Jones Industrial Index that had been included in the original index in 1896. The aim of implementing Six Sigma at GE was to infuse quality in

The importance of recycling water to prevent polution Essay

The importance of recycling water to prevent polution - Essay Example er areas within the environment (Onsola, Para 3). Water has a wide range of importance, and that is advocated to recycle it in order prevent pollution. Recycling of water is a significant gesture in the present world and for the coming future generations. Water recycling provides a wide range of environmental benefits that are imperative for living. Measures of water recycling facilitate decrease on the extraction from available sources, which supports of habitats. In circumstances where water sources have been endangered through over extraction such as in forests many animal lives have been put into high risk. This proves the importance of water in the environment and also the side effects that have the capability to arise once issues have not been fixed (Onsola, Para 5). Recycling of waste water has been proved to be effective in decreasing the rate of discharge of effluents, which have a high capability of polluting the ecosystems of sensitive and imperative bodies of water. These measures have continued to score high especially in circumstances whereby various forms of life depend exclusively on water for consumption. Recycling of water has also a wide range of f8importance in terms of creating totally new wetlands and in at the same time facilitating quality of life to the existing creatures. Recycling of water has also proved to aid in cushioning of the deteriorating global warming. This is an essential approach since global warming is a serious phenomenon that affects all living forms in a large negative manner (Putatunda, Para 5). Preventing of water pollution is everyone’s responsibility, and it is under this scenario that many organizations have been taking corporate social responsibility activities of minimizing water pollution. This has a close connection with the wide range of importance’s that have been attached to water. However, every living creature cannot do without consumption of water, and this tends to explain the importance of this

A Definition Of Tourism Tourism Essay

A Definition Of Tourism Tourism Essay Tourism can be defined as a temporary absence, inside or outside the country, of residence, away from home for reasons other than earning an income in the place visited (Burkhart Medlik, 1981 as cited in Lickorish Jenkins, 1997). Saayman (2008) defines tourism as the total experience that originates from the interaction between tourists, job providers, government systems and communities in the process of providing attractions, entertainment, transport and accommodation to tourists. Within the context of the above definitions, travelling outside the borders of the country of residence is termed international or external tourism whereas travelling within the borders is seen as domestic or internal tourism (Coltman, 1989). The tourism industry A definition of tourism by Jafari (1987) is mentioned which can be seen as a reference point when explaining the concept of touristhood. Jafari concludes: tourism is the study of man away from his usual habitat, of the touristic apparatus and networks, and of the ordinary and nonordinary worlds and their dialectic relationship. This definition emphasizes the difference between two different worlds and between two different environments; the ordinary and the nonordinary. The ordinary comprises the mundane, profane, daily life whose procession loses strength due to its own ordained, rhythmic course; while the nonordinary is the heightened position resulting from the departure from the ordinary ranks Tourism is now the largest industry in the world by virtually an economic measure, including gross output, value added, employment, capital investment and tax contributions (Wheatcroft,1994) Since travelling domestically and internationally has become easier due to ease of access, education and rising income, the past few decades have witnessed a considerable increase in the number of people leaving their place of residence, travelled specified distance and returning back home. In order to give them all the required facilities, or more precisely, services, products and amenities, miscellaneous organizations continue to exist. Leiper (1979) considers the tourist industry as consisting of all those firms, organizations and facilities which are intended to serve the specific needs and wants of tourists. Goeldner et al(2002)have developed an integrated system model to capture the essential elements of what they call the tourism phenomenon. In addition to the regular industry sectors of tourism, such as transport and accommodation, they included government and quasi- government agencies, the built environment, the natural environment and its resources, as well as activities such as reward and stewardship. Sectors and Sub-sectors of the Tourism Industry (source:G.K Shaw, 2010 -A risk management model for the tourism industry in South Africa) Visitors attraction -Natural -Manmade -Cultural -Social Transport -Airlines -Seatravel -Bus/coaches -Rail -Car rental Travel organizers -Travel agent -Tour operator -Tour broker -Sport/conference organiser Providers of accommodation -Hotels -Guesthouse -Bed breakfast establishments -Lodges Tourism industry Destination organization -governmental tourism organizations -private tourism organisations Commercial industrial -Souvenir shops -Tourist trade goods manufactures Support services -Tourist guides -Travel insurance -Travel trade press According to Australias new strategic plan, unlike many industry sectors, the tourism is unable to be defined simply as a group of businesses that produce particular, similar products. Rather, the tourism industry embraces a diverse range of providers and users of a variety of goods and services, and overlaps with other sector of the economy. It can simply be interpreted in the terms of demand and supply where demand involves the needs and expectations of tourists while supply involves the organizations delivering tourism products as well as services (Peter E Murphy and Ann E Murphy, 2006) As Jagmohan Negi (2004) rightly puts it: The tourist industry is difficult to define because it consists of all those trades which together satisfy the needs of travelers. Every expenditure made by tourists contributes to the prosperity and development of the travel industry. Although travel means going out only for a temporary period outside the local of ones residence, it involves a complete shake up in the equilibrium that one achieves between himself and the outside world, while living at one particular place for a long time. It involves a long chain of agencies to complete a visit worth its purpose. A tourist (holiday maker) spends his money the moment he leaves his home to go to his holiday. This paper would be focused on the private sector tourism as it deals with most of the shareholders which are in direct contact with the tourists and creation, as well as delivery of services/products; hotels, travel agencies, resorts, retailers and passenger carriers. The Private Sector of Tourism Hall (1992) suggests that the period of mid 1080s which witnessed many political events brought significant changes in the tourism industry. The WTO (1994) explains this idea where it states: As well as political change, the world has seen significant economic restructuring and general recession and downturns in traditionally strong economies. These changes have been marked by an increasing reluctance and/or inability of governments to invest in or support areas such as tourism and, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This clarification was preceded by the arguments advanced by Lowyck and Wanhill (1992) Davidson (1993), and Harrison et al. (1993)on the economies divesting themselves of state owned assets to the private sector and on privatization which were for purposes of increasing efficiency and enhancing competitiveness by making greater use of markets for resource allocation. Many schools of thoughts argue that the private sector would be better implementer of tourism policies and can lay down long term plans that provide continuity amid situational changes. The private can implement policies while the government agencies can collaborate with one another and provide support (Robert Joseph, 2010 Cebu Daily News) In most countries, government involvement in tourism takes places to varying degrees at different levels as per a governments scope of powers, commitment to tourism management and available resources. All levels of government typically focus on the economic aspect of tourism and its main, dominant role in most destinations is a very strong focus on promotion (Peter.E Murphy and Ann E Murphy, 2006) Some countries do have a tourism industry operating on public-private leadership schemes but still the private sector plays a more active role in defining the direction of tourism. Tourism is all embracing; it involved the interaction of other components such as transportation, communication, accommodation and destination among others. Sectors cannot be singularly handled by the government as they constitute pillars of tourism development. Therefore, the private sector must, of necessity, be involved in the development and promotion of tourism in any country that intends to make tourism the mainstay of her economy. (Akpet, 2005) The private sector normally includes accommodation companies, travel companies, restaurants and bars, retailers and others which are not owned and regulated by the government. Most of the times, these companies have to abide by certain laws and regulations proposed by their constitution but they have got their own set of rules and principles, faction of practices, own and unique management style, profit margin and budgeting and criteria for leadership. Components of tourism private sector The composition of tourism private sector Primary trades/profit oriented organization Secondary trades/profit oriented organization Hotel industry Retail shops Food and beverage industry Financial institutions Transport industry Suppliers of goods and services for hoteliers, Tourist attraction caterers and transport undertakers figure 1: composition of private sector tourism (source: International tourism and travel, Jagmohan Negi, 2004) Primary trades According to Leonard JJ Lickorish and Carson LL Jenkins, the primary trade/profit motivated tourism organizations are interdependent to a certain degree and propose the following explanation: Transportation, accommodation and catering acting as the tourism hardware and tour operators/agents , tourist attractions and recreation activity fulfilling the role of software in so far as they usually provide the reason and catalyst for tourism to take place and for the use of the transport and accommodation. Secondary trades The secondary organizations offer facilities and services which are sometimes not offered by primary ones; example souvenir shops, entertainment and shopping, and insurance companies. On the other hand, Jenkins (1997) argues diversely by suggesting that there are three rather than two types of tourism private businesses. He puts it as follows: (1) the primary trades, which are most commonly associated with tourism (e.g., transport, tour companies, travel agencies, accommodations, catering facilities and attractions); (2) the secondary trades that help support tourism, though are not exclusive to tourism (e.g., retail shopping, banks and insurance, entertainment and leisure activities, personal services); and, (3) the tertiary trades, which provide the basic infrastructure and support for tourism (e.g., food and fuel, manufacturing). The inherent challenges accompanying the variable boundaries of what comprises the tourism industry are further exacerbated when the nature of the tourism product is also considered. Risks The formal Australian standard for Risk Management defines risk as the chance of something happening that will have an impact on objectives. It states that risk can either be positive or negative depending on situations. Andrew Minns (2003) refers to risk as the common combination of the probability (or likelihood) and consequences of an event (or outcome or result of exposure). He explains that this gives rise to the widely used concept of risk: Risk = Probability Consequence External and internal factors The risks facing an organisation and its operations can result from factors both external and internal to the organisation. The diagram overleaf summarises examples of key risks in these areas and shows that some specific risks can have both external and internal drivers and therefore overlap the two areas. They can be categorized further into types of risk such as strategic, financial, operational, hazard, etc. Types of risks According to the Cranfield School of Management, there are different types of risk any organization could face, but the categories of risks are not rigid as parts of business may fall into more than one category due to similar attributes.(Martin Christopher et al, 2011) Types of risks and factors affecting them (Source: The institute of Risk Management, 2002) preview005.png Strategic risk In an ACCA paper of 2008, it was stated that strategic risks are those that arise from the fundamental decision that directors take concerning an organizations objectives. Essentially, strategic risks are the risks of failing to achieve these business objectives.(Annon, 2008) Financial risk According to Marquis Codjia (2011), financial risk is a factor in all economic activities and may cause a firm to suffer losses from unfavorable price variation in securities or partner default. He rightly puts it as financial risk is the probability that a company may not have sufficient cash flows to operate, reimburse a loan or meet other financial commitment when they become due. Operational risk As David Tattam (2011) mentions in one of his publications, operational risk is defined as the risk of loss from failed or inadequate processes, people, systems or external events. He later argues that loss is not the only issue to be taken into consideration and redefines operational risk as the risk of loss or gain arising from people, systems or external events whicn can have the potential to cause the organization to deviate from its objectives. Jack L.King(1998) argues that there is a fundamental problem with operational risk as there is lack of consensus on its definition. As per his explanations, operational risk must be broken down into triggers(causes) and events. Briefly, loss or gain is triggered by an event and causes are the assignable or chance causes for the event. Assignable causes are attributable to factors that can be eliminated. In contrast, chance causes are natural or random. He therefore proposes another definition for operational risk as the uncertainty of loss in the book value of the firm or organization due to the failures in the manufacturing of the firms goods and services. Invention of operational risk In his second paper on risk management, Michael Power(2003) explains that operational risk pretty much inexistent before the 1990s. By the end of the decade, books were being published, conferences were being organized and apparently new roles such as operational risk manager were being created to the extent that there is talk of an operational risk profession. Risk management From the works of James E Roughton and Nathan Crutch Field(2008), it can be gathered that risk management is pre-emptive rather than reactive. This approach is based on the philosophy that it is irresponsible and wasteful to wait for an accident to happen, then figuring out how to prevent it from happening again. We manage risk whenever we modify the way we do something to make our chances of success as great as possible. It is a common sense approach to balancing the risks against the benefits to be gained in a situation and then choosing the most effective course of action. Baltzan , Philips and Hag (2009) describe risk management as a process of ongoing risk identification, analysis and developing responses to risk factors. Following the same concept, Kerzner (2001) argues that risk management is the art or practice of dealing with risk. He rightly puts it as: Risk management includes identifying, assessing and analyzing risk issues as well as planning for the occurrence of risk, and includes developing a management system to handle risks. This system should be designed to allow for monitoring of risk s to determine how they have changed. If not taken appropriate care of, the operational risk could have potential impacts on different aspect of an organization such as: The health and safety of employees and customers The business reputation, credibility and status Public and customer confidence Equipment and the environment (source: adapted from Queensland Tourism, 2009) In the tourism domain, risk management can be defined as the process whereby shareholders methodically address the risks attending to their activities with the goal of achieving sustained benefit with each activity and across the portfolio of all activities. It must be integrated into the culture of tourism private organization with an effective policy and programme led by the most senior management. It must translate the strategy into tactical and operational objectives assigning responsibility throughout the organization with each manager and employee responsible for the management of risk part of their job description. Operational risk management Operational risk management a simple six steps process which identifies operational hazards and takes reasonable measures to reduce risk to personnel, equipment and the mission. It is also a decision making tool that helps to systematically identify risks and benefits and determine the best courses of action for any given situation.(Anon,2000) Operational risk management process Step 1: Identify the hazard A hazard is defined as any real or potential condition that can cause degradation, injury, illness, death or damage to or loss of equipment or property. According to David Maccollum (2007), there are three different ways to methodically identify hazards. Hazard identification by area Hazards are grouped into common types and are identified by surveying all the different areas of an static site. This involves a precise process: Get an up to date plan of worksite. A precise picture of the work area must be provided Get a chart that shows the production process or work flow. The chart must be well explicit and updated for any changes. Divide the worksite into identifiable areas and number them. The physical layout of the working site can be divided according to certain dimensions and given a specific name code or number. Ask staff in all areas to list what they consider as potential hazards in their working environment and to give reasons why these hazards can harmful. Use existing resources and data to review information which can be gathered for example from regulations form, code of practices, booklets and records. Hazard identification by work analysis This method is preferable for small independent group of people who are under minimal supervision. Identify all the tasks people carry out. The employees are asked exactly how do they perform their tasks, their course of action and then the work process is broken down into smaller components for analysis. Work out the steps or stages involved in doing the task. The steps to perform the work are reviewed and possible hazards at each steps are noted and looked at. Using a list of possible hazards, to ask the employees what they consider could apply to each step identified and to write them down. Use existing resources such as guidelines, records of accidents and near misses not only from within the organization but from the industry as well to make sure of identifying all hazards. Use of information derived from task analysis to build up a profile of hazards and the occupations and tasks they apply to. A computer database can be used by giving specific codes to the hazards. (adapted from Occupational safety health service-A workbook, 1994) Hazard identification by process This approach is more thorough as it identifies the processes involved on a worksite and go through each process step by step to look for all hazards at each stage. Make inventory of all substances and materials used in the process List the process from where the material is delivered to the organization to where the finished goods are dispatched or services are offered. Draw up a flow chart detailing every step pf the process Use existing resources such as information booklets, records of accidents and near misses and reports from inspectors. Summerise the collected information (Adapted from Occupational safety health service-A workbook, 1994) Step 2: Assess the risk Risk assessment is actually the comparison of risk elements and their impacts against some acceptability criteria. Risk assessment sometimes involves consolidation of risks into risk sets that can be jointly mitigated, combined and then used in decision making. The assessment of risk is done by applying quantitative and qualitative measures to determine the level of risk associated with specific hazards.(Anon,2000) A risk assessment has three main functions -to consider the chance of harm actually befalling anyone in particular circumstances and the possible consequences -to make proper planning and take adequate preventive measures to control the risks -to shoulder responsibilities properly concerning identification and control of hazards Step 3: Analyse Risk Control Measures After identifying and assessing the hazards which need to be controlled, the next process is to select options or methods to take care of the hazard. The choice of an option is based on factors such as the potential severity of the harm posed by the hazard, the likelihood of injury or illness occurring and the cost of control measures. (Anon, 1994) Step 4: Make control decision The person with best decision abilities must be identified to choose the most appropriate control methods or set of strategies. It is important however to look at all options before making a decision, even though the identified hazard may already have some controls in place. Dale Stewart(2011) explains that these decisions must be made at the right time for maximum duration of effectiveness of the tools. The decision maker should be able to judge situations from required perspective and be responsible for consequences. Step 5: Implement Risk Controls Once control measure have been selected, an implementation strategy must be developed and carried out. For implementation to be successful, it should be clear, accountability should be established and support must be provided at all levels.(Dale Stewart, 2011) Step 6: Supervise and review It is very important to ensure that once hazard controls are put in place, regular checks must be carried out by designated persons to ensure their effectiveness and a feedback mechanism must be followed for future maintenance and utility maximization. (Dale Stewart, 2011) Maximize operational capabilityObjectives of operational risk management Conserve personnel resources Reduce or prevent increase or losses advance gain evaluate and minimize evaluate and maximize risks gain identify, control document identify, control document hazards opportunities Objectives Of Operational Risk Management (source  : FAA System Safety Handbook, Chapter 15: Operational Risk Management, 2000) Jurgen H.M Van Grinsen (2009) explains in his publication that the setting of operational risk management objectives affects or determines the choice of the methods and tools to be used. There are certain principles which need to be followed while implementing the operational risk management process and these are: Accept no unnecessary risk Make Risk Decisions at the Appropriate Level Accept Risk When Benefits Outweigh the Costs Integrate ORM into Planning at all Levels (source: adapted from FAA System Safety Handbook, Chapter 15: Operational Risk Management, 2000)