Science Fiction

Introduction This is a speech about science fiction. Today I will be talking about two science fiction texts, Avatar and Transformers. I will also be talking about the science fiction genre and what it is. Science Fiction Science fiction is made up of real life science technology, mixed with the world of fiction and make believe. By doing this I feel it brings more excitement to the novel or movie, making it easier to read, or watch, and relate to.We all love the world of make believe, as this allows us to believe we can be or do anything we wish even though we know it is not physically possible in the real world, this making for a more thrilling and exciting story, as opposed to when we have a science documentary which, yes, are very factual and interesting but have no thrilling highs and lows. I believe in some cases of science fiction novels or movies the author truly feels that the technology they have written about and could really end up actually happening in the near or later future.My first example of science fiction is one of my favourites, Transformers This story starts when a young teenager named Sam purchases a car that turns out to be an Autobot called Bumblebee, which he regards as evil at first. When Bumblebee (in car mode) returns the following day, Sam flees, believing the car is stalking him. Then the war begins between the Autobots and the Decepticons, as they battle for the Universe. The movie was set in the near future. The characters weakness is that he is fighting robots.In the end the humans win as they have a good team of robots on their side (the Autobots). The Decepticons lose the fight due to a bit of luck on the Autobots side and humans’ quick reflex action to his instincts. My second science fiction favourite is Avatar This story begins where scientists use Military-human hybrid bodies called Avatars that are operated via mental link by genetically matched humans. Jake Sully, paraplegic former  Marine, replaces his twin br other, a scientist trained as an avatar operator who was murdered in a robbery. Dr.Grace Augustine, head of the Avatar Program, considers Sully an inadequate replacement and assigns him as a bodyguard. The film was set in the near future. Neytiri is the daughter of the Omaticaya leader, the Na'vi clan, who is attracted to Jake because of his bravery while being frustrated with him for what she sees as his ignorance and stupidity. The characters weaknesses are that they are fighting huge machines. The Military lost because they relied on mere brute force and advanced technology, rather than actual intelligence and planning.This helped the Na’vi clan win as they had the familiarity of their own land to their advantage and had real intelligence and organisation in order to win Conclusion I feel in my first choice of Transformers that it has a lot to do with the past technology of machinery and how far this technology has come in the present and how much it will change again in t he near future. It also gives us an insight on what may or may not happen between the robots (machinery) and the human race. I loved the excitement of this movie, it is truly action packed but I also feel it is way more fiction than reality of science.Where a young human boy could defeat such futuristic machines (I don’t think so) but very exciting stuff! My second choice I feel is more realistic to how science and technology will advance in the future. It is not unrealistic to think there are other species than humans in our universe, or other beautiful planets like earth in our solar system. To think that we could replicate these other forms of life is not so fictitious either as our scientists are already delving in cloning humans.So who knows how much more advanced that will be in the future? It is also felt already that other species in our Universe are more advanced in technology than us, so this is not so hard to believe. I truly hope there are other life forms in our universe and that in the future we do meet them and hopefully we can live together and progress together unlike some of the movie Avatar where it creates war, which is not so unfamiliar or fictional in our world today either. Thank you for your time; hope you have enjoyed my view on science fiction. Science Fiction Introduction This is a speech about science fiction. Today I will be talking about two science fiction texts, Avatar and Transformers. I will also be talking about the science fiction genre and what it is. Science Fiction Science fiction is made up of real life science technology, mixed with the world of fiction and make believe. By doing this I feel it brings more excitement to the novel or movie, making it easier to read, or watch, and relate to.We all love the world of make believe, as this allows us to believe we can be or do anything we wish even though we know it is not physically possible in the real world, this making for a more thrilling and exciting story, as opposed to when we have a science documentary which, yes, are very factual and interesting but have no thrilling highs and lows. I believe in some cases of science fiction novels or movies the author truly feels that the technology they have written about and could really end up actually happening in the near or later future.My first example of science fiction is one of my favourites, Transformers This story starts when a young teenager named Sam purchases a car that turns out to be an Autobot called Bumblebee, which he regards as evil at first. When Bumblebee (in car mode) returns the following day, Sam flees, believing the car is stalking him. Then the war begins between the Autobots and the Decepticons, as they battle for the Universe. The movie was set in the near future. The characters weakness is that he is fighting robots.In the end the humans win as they have a good team of robots on their side (the Autobots). The Decepticons lose the fight due to a bit of luck on the Autobots side and humans’ quick reflex action to his instincts. My second science fiction favourite is Avatar This story begins where scientists use Military-human hybrid bodies called Avatars that are operated via mental link by genetically matched humans. Jake Sully, paraplegic former  Marine, replaces his twin br other, a scientist trained as an avatar operator who was murdered in a robbery. Dr.Grace Augustine, head of the Avatar Program, considers Sully an inadequate replacement and assigns him as a bodyguard. The film was set in the near future. Neytiri is the daughter of the Omaticaya leader, the Na'vi clan, who is attracted to Jake because of his bravery while being frustrated with him for what she sees as his ignorance and stupidity. The characters weaknesses are that they are fighting huge machines. The Military lost because they relied on mere brute force and advanced technology, rather than actual intelligence and planning.This helped the Na’vi clan win as they had the familiarity of their own land to their advantage and had real intelligence and organisation in order to win Conclusion I feel in my first choice of Transformers that it has a lot to do with the past technology of machinery and how far this technology has come in the present and how much it will change again in t he near future. It also gives us an insight on what may or may not happen between the robots (machinery) and the human race. I loved the excitement of this movie, it is truly action packed but I also feel it is way more fiction than reality of science.Where a young human boy could defeat such futuristic machines (I don’t think so) but very exciting stuff! My second choice I feel is more realistic to how science and technology will advance in the future. It is not unrealistic to think there are other species than humans in our universe, or other beautiful planets like earth in our solar system. To think that we could replicate these other forms of life is not so fictitious either as our scientists are already delving in cloning humans.So who knows how much more advanced that will be in the future? It is also felt already that other species in our Universe are more advanced in technology than us, so this is not so hard to believe. I truly hope there are other life forms in our universe and that in the future we do meet them and hopefully we can live together and progress together unlike some of the movie Avatar where it creates war, which is not so unfamiliar or fictional in our world today either. Thank you for your time; hope you have enjoyed my view on science fiction.

Corus Case Study Draft

Corus Case Study Introduction: ? Corus businesses. ? Market, Steel ? CCI needs to differentiate itself from the competitors in order to grow in the business. Model of Planned Organizational Change (Pg 336) Forces for Change: External: Low cost of Steel Internal: Lack of Capital for a Green field site Need for Change: ? CCI needs to differentiate itself from the competitors in order to grow in the business. ? They need to concentrate on the process improvements in order to get the best out of the existing infrastructure. Performance Gap (Disparity between existing and desired performance levels. ? SWOT (if possible ) Implementing the Change: Vision of the company [pic] Vision â€Å"We aspire to be the world steel industry benchmark for value creation and corporate citizenship. † Value creation Corus differentiates itself through innovation and delivering leading edge solution from its competitors for company’s growth. Steel industry is the big market. The raw material i s inexpensive. In order to standing out from the crowd, Corus add value creation by offering premium products and services. They used TQM, continuous improvement and KPI to create value and meet customer satisfaction. Corporate citizenship Corus trains its workers on how to act with a sense of responsibility, integrity and respect. They provide knowledge how the production flow and how to eliminate cost and waste. This can help Corus to work effective, reduce unnecessary cost, on the other hand, this process is also concern about environment as well. Work Culture Team work is one of the key factors in Corus. Manager coordinated with 40 Coaches for facilitating improvement training. Corus believes that success is from emerges from the person engagement with the company, not just depend on employees’ expertise and effort. It In order to create engagement, Corus encourage two way communications. Employees can forward their comments on the points that they think those will help to improve organization or how to change to make better. Everyone in organization understand and support the plan. Workshops have taken place to explain company’s vision and why some small and continuous change is very important to different Corus from its competitiors. TQM (Pg 593) TQM Techniques: Continuous Improvement ? Since they found that they can improve the performance by reducing the Waste they dealt with Lean Production Model. o Lean Production Model o (If possible we can include Horizontal Linkages Pg 325) This is for taking the process maps in the Manufacturing process and identifying the change. o KPIs ? Quality Circles (CI Coaches) ? Reduced Cycle Time (Lead time) ? Bench Marking Implementation Tactics: (Pg 342) ? Communication and Education ? Participation Top Management Support Conclusion? KPI is the measuring tool for helping organization defines how successful it is in each area that want to measure. Without measuring tool, organization will not know how well they are, whether For Corus, they use KPI to measure the backlog of customer orders, meeting targets for rolling steel plat. After they get the KPI result, they can review result internally among each division and then compare, benchmark with their competitors and other produc ers in Steel industry. Without KPI and benchmark, they will not know how well they are and what their standing point in the steel market. KPIs can be help to answer the question, â€Å"What is the area that they are good at? † â€Å"How well they can control inventory? †Ã‚   â€Å"What are the areas that they should improve in order to get customer satisfaction? KPI is a key part of a measurable objective, which is made up of a direction, KPI, benchmark, target, and time frame. KPI help to evaluation the progress towards its vison and long-term goals.

Brl Hardy

How do you account for BRL Hardy’s remarkable post-merger success? Prior to the BRL and Hardy merger both companies were rivals with diverse views of the wine industry. Due to the varying views both companies had different organizational structures and approaches. Hardy was a family owned business focused on producing great wine. In 1853 Thomas Hardy acquired land near, Adelaide which is in South Australia. Thomas used the land to plant vines, by 1857 he produced his first vintage, and two hogsheads were exported to England.By 1882 hardy won his first international gold medal at Bordeaux. At the time of Thomas’ death in 1912, Hardy was the largest winemaker in Australia. Hardy became known for award-winning, quality wines, and the company focused on global external brand awareness. BRL on the other hand focused on commercial exporting, the cooperative was referred to as â€Å"the oil refinery of the wine industry†, and the company was more concerned with quantity rather than quality. BRL specialized in fortified, bulk, and value wines and it was the second largest crush in Australia.Both BRL and Hardy were respected in the wine market, unfortunately both companies were suffering financial losses and the merger of both companies was the best alternative. According to an ex-BRL manager, â€Å"we had access to fruit, funds, and disciplines management; Hardy brought marketing expertise, brands and winemaking know-how†. The above mentioned characteristics added to the success of the BRL Hardy merger. The newly formed company focused on client retention, branding and cost savings.Steve Miller, CEO of the newly merged company focused on his first task, the financial situation. Since both companies performed poorly the previous year, Miller wanted to protect its share of the bulk cask business and concentrate on branded bottle sales growth. Another aspect that added to the success of the merger was Miller’s awareness of the differences in culture and management style. Miller’s objective was to create a decentralized approach while keeping management accountable. With the delegation of small tasks, Miller wanted to create a â€Å"have a go† mentality.The objective was to have the company try 20 things and getting 80% right instead of doing two big things that needed to be 100% right. Determined to â€Å"earn his stripes† David Woods was able to integrate the two sales teams which resulted in impressive results. Both domestic bottle market share and profitability increased significantly in the first two years of BRLH’s operation. What is the source of the tension between Stephen Davies and Christopher Carson? How effectively has Steve Millar handled their differences?There are a few sources that contributed to the tension between Davies and Carson; there were conflicts in leadership, po wer struggles, and organizational dysfunctions. The BRL dominated headquarters management supported delegation, but only for those that â€Å"earned their stripes†, even though Carson had a good track record, his past performance he was treated as a new comer by the new management structure. Within the Hardy built European company there were questions about whether their bulk-wine-oriented BRL colleagues understood international marketing.Due to the differences in views there was a feeling of â€Å"Us vs. Them† (UK Subsidiary vs. Headquarters). Carson did not think Davies and the Headquarters were credible and legitimate when it came to marketing. The largest dispute came from marketing strategies, specifically branding and labeling issues. Carson felt that the image of the Hardy brands eroded in the United Kingdom and they needed to be relabeled, repositioned and re-launched. There was difficulty convincing the home office of his strategy, since Australia controlled all aspects of the brand Carson felt like he was on a tight leash.Initially Millar handled the tension between Carson and Davies effectively, Millar acknowledged the expertise and potential the two managers brought to the company; his intention was to get them to collaborate. Unfortunately I think Millar made some errors in how he handled the delicate situation. There was no clear reporting structure, Davies reported directly to Millar, on the other hand Carson reported to Millar regarding the U. K. Company’s profit performance, and reported to Davies for marketing and branding strategies. In essence, Carson had direct access to Davies boss.Millar’s approach was flawed because he did not want to be pulled into resolving disputes, but hoped for negotiation. Hoping for negotiation is not a solution, it’s like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, Millar was focused on growth and he did not encourage Carson and Davies to work things out. Should Millar approve Carson’s proposal to launch â€Å"D’Istinto†? Why or why not? Carson wanted to launch a new wine D’istinto because he felt it would have a unique image built around Mediterranean lifestyle; passionate, warm, romantic and relaxed.Carson wanted to target everyday wine consumers that enjoyed wine, but were not knowledgeable about it; he also knew that women represented 60% of the supermarket wine buyers. With D’istinto buyers would be encouraged to write to receive free recipes. Carson wanted to create a database of wine and food loving consumers that would receive futur e promotions through the mail. The D’istinto line would help build BRLH Europe in size, impact and reputation. In addition to the positive impact on BRLH’s financials, D’istinto would help Carson become more influential.Millar was not convinced that launching D’istinto was a good move for BRLH, there was too much risk involved with competing on the same market with Stamps and Nottage Hill. I think Millar should allow Carson to launch D’istinto since Stamps and Nottage Hill were not doing well in the markets. A new sophisticated Italian wine would be the key in elevating the BRLH brand. What recommendation would you make to the organization concerning the conflicting proposals for â€Å"Kelly’s Revenge† and â€Å"Banrock Station†? What would you decide to do as Carson?As Millar? After struggling to manage things on his own, Carson hired an Australian marketing manager, he needed someone to come into the organization and take charge and get things done. The ne w hire, Paul Browne was an eight year veteran eager to capitalize on an opportunity to create a Hardy brand at the ? 3. 99 price point, but be able to promote it at ? 3. 49. Browne felt the market was ready for a fun brand that would appeal to a younger market. He came up with Kelly’s Revenge, with the support of the U. K. ales management Browne pursued the new product, creating colorful labels and preparing a detailed marketing plan. During this time BRLH in Australia was also creating a new product targeted at a similar price point. The Banrock Station brand was launched in Australia in 1996, its motto was â€Å"Good Earth, Fine Wine†. Banrock Station became an immediate success in Australia and New Zealand. With this success it was difficult for Browne to find a place for Kelly’s Revenge since both wines had the same price point in the U.K. My recommendation would be to produce Banrock Station since it was doing well in the market and Kelly’s Revenge was not well received when surveyed by consumers. In business there are tough decisions that need to be made, but I think the wise choice is going with the product that shows better potential. I think Carson and Millar were back to the dilemma they had regarding D’istinto. How would you compare the management style of Millar to Shackleton and Schulman?Millar, Shackleton, and Schulman were able to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals that worked for them. I think Schulman and Shackleton were similar in their leadership style because they were not selfish when it came to the success of their team. I think Shackleton was a bit stubborn and this caused him to get in his own way. Overall they possess great leadership skills which helped them to be successful in different ways. Even though Shackleton has passed, his legacy lives on because he did not allow rejection or an iceberg to stop him from his endeavor.The same goes for Schulman she could have played the victim, but she decided to have a voice and inspired others to be great. Millar on the other hand could have learned a few things from Schulman and Shackleton; I think he tried to separate himself from situations too much. He was focused on profits and he needed to put more emphasis on making sure teams meshed well. One example was the dissention between Carson and Davies. Millar could have been a better leader in handling the situation, putting each person in their respective â€Å"corner† does not solve the problem.

How is this artefact the product of a particular historical and Essay - 2

How is this artefact the product of a particular historical and cultural environment - Essay Example In addition, the screen that is the size of an A4 enables the user to access clear pictures. The laptop was therefore an innovative personal computer that enhanced the application of the computer in various settings. The laptop, which is one of the many forms of a personal computer, is a readily available item that people in the modern day utilize extensively. Laptops are made from various materials depending on the manufacturers’ designs. However, they are primarily made from varying proportions of a mixture of metal, rubber, glass and plastic. The screen is made from glass that is supported by a hardened form of plastic. The internal gadgetry consists of wires, electric boards, capacitors, batteries and a hard disk. Manufactures make extensive use of different types of metals. The manufactures prefers to use copper in the wires owing to its conductivity traits while they also use aluminium in the general structure owing to its strength and lightness that contributes to the portability of the. Ordinarily, the outer surface is made from plastic that is water resistant, tough and does not rust. The features and composition of each laptop varies depending on the customers’ needs, the computer brand and the capacity of each computer. For instance, laptop used by the military in the field are covered using harder materials to av oid destruction. By contrast, laptops made for the ordinary people tend to be fragile since they are used limited times. Company philosophy also contributes to the structure. Some entities in the laptops sector make laptops in very few colours. For instance, Apple only paints its laptops silver grey or black. Therefore, laptops will vary in colour, size and composition owing to the varying visions of manufactures and the customers. The laptop is a computer gadget, which requires numerous electronic items that will enable it work

Geology and the Glacial History of the SW British Columbia Region Research Paper

Geology and the Glacial History of the SW British Columbia Region - Research Paper Example A geological chart of the SW province illustrates the numerous diverse rock types arranged in a complex pattern, for example, the map specifics show intrusive igneous rocks, which are characteristically coarse crystalline in nature. Regardless of the differences in mineralogical composition, these plutonic rock types tend to be related to a specific kind of terrain. These different rock types are structured in a complex range of simple stocks to the huge multi faceted batholith of the Coast Mountains. These means that the rocks in the SW region are comparatively resilient to weathering as they are comprised mainly of tough minerals made of quartz, hornblende, and feldspar structured as a unified fabric of interconnecting crystals. Consequently, inclines on these rock landforms are usually steep making the topography rugged. Glacially fashioned cliffs survive with little alteration, particularly in enormous or thinly jointed rocks. Joints and faults establish outlines of weakness and are shadowed by cliffs, gorges, and depressions. A brief description of tectonic history is essential in understanding the SW province since the key topographic structures of the region are tectonically managed and numerous mountainous ranges owe their current high altitude to recent fault uplift and not resistance to erosion. Tectonics is established as the major architectural forces in the SW province of British Colombia. Southwestern British Columbia known is also recognized as one of the most seismically lively regions in Canada.

Long Serving Members, Party Leadership and Committees in U.S Congress Essay

Long Serving Members, Party Leadership and Committees in U.S Congress - Essay Example An institution should never work for a particular segment of people alone. It should work for the wellbeing of all the people. This paper analyses American Congress as an institution with its long-serving members, party leadership and committees. First, and foremost, Congress is sometimes called the "People's Branch," because it is so close to the electoral process and, hence, the voters. Whereas the entire Executive Branch has two elected officials, president and vice president (and they run together as a team), the population of Congress results from 535 separate elections. Members can rarely rest from fund raising or campaigning. Every two years, about 470 of those seats are up for reelection--all of the House and 1/3 of the Senate (Weingarten). Before analysing Congress as an institution, it is necessary to know what an institution is. Institution is often become a controversial word. It has no standardized definition. Different people define the term institution in different way s. According to James Pedlar (2011), â€Å"An institution is a changeable, but permanent, product of purposive social role behaviour which subjects the individual to obligations, gives him formal authority and possesses legal sanctions† (Pedlar). If this definition is true, one can safely say that American Congress is definitely an institution at least in principle. It should be noted that none of the Congress members are permanent and each of them are elected for a specific period only. At the same time, one should not be forgotten that American congress is a permanent entity even though its members are changing periodically. All the congressmen have some kind of obligations towards the country and also towards the people the constituencies they represent. Moreover, each congressman has some kind of power given to them by the American constitution. In short, American Congress satisfies all the requirements of an institution. At the same time, it should be noted that some of the members of American congress have already crossed 50 years service as Congressman. For example, Robert Byrd, who died at the age of 92 recently, had served American Congress for around 52 years. Same way more than 25 members of the current Congress have crossed more than 35 years of service in Congress. These statistics clearly suggest that even though a prescribed term was there for the Congressmen, many of them were able to continue in Congress for very long periods. This is because of the fact that American constitution allows a person to compete elections to Congress as many times he likes. Even though presidential term is fixed to two terms maximum, such restrictions are not there for the congressmen. That is why many people argue that American Congress is not at all an institution since many of its members remain the same for a longer period. As everybody knows, conservatives and Democrats are two of the major political parties in American Congress. The leadership of these parties in the Congress will be elected by the party conferences. One of the will be the majority party leader whereas the other would be the minority party leader. At present, Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky are working as the floor leaders in

Benefits on Sring Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Benefits on Sring - Speech or Presentation Example While there are many breakthroughs that have been made and that make lives easier, the S-ring will transform the financial world by reducing or possibly eliminating any visits to banks or even carrying liquid cash. Due to the technology incorporated in the device, the S-ring will provide a faster access to the required information thus saving time. Since you may be worried about the safety of your money when using this device, that sector has also been catered for by the S-ring technology. The S-ring will use one of the most secure verification ways, which is your fingerprint. This device will only accept a specific user’s fingerprint so as to authorize a transaction. The personal information being accessed when transacting would be secured so that any third party would not access it. Therefore, the user may rest assured that their money is secure. There will be ease of access when using the S-ring. This is because it will be easier for the user to purchase stuff that does not exceed a specified amount. For more personalization, as the user, you can set the maximum amount of funds available to this technology. When using the technology, the users will be required to hold hands. This will lead to more interactions as well as bonding of people. This implies that the S-ring will foster better social relationships as well as social networking. For improved reliability, the device will enable instant access to users’ banking systems. The S-ring’s account can be connected to multi banking channels instantly when the transactions are being made. The user should not worry about the security of their money because the device will be highly secured and the data will only be shared between individual banks. To further keep the users at ease, the device will make use of the most up to date banking security systems to ensure that intrusion possibilities are eliminated. Financial transactions between different banks can be achieved through a

Appearance and Reality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Appearance and Reality - Essay Example To start with, he considers light falling on the table and its distribution. He suggests that different people looking at the same table will actually see a different thing altogether depending on the angle of look and position with which they stand. He explains further that the two people will have different account of what they see, and the initial table will have a different â€Å"meaning† altogether. He continues by outlining other characteristics of the same and claims that the texture, when observed with the unaided eye, will be much different than when observed with microscopes of different powers. He alleges that more details will be revealed whenever the latter will be used, making him wonder of what more is yet to be found on this rather cool and smooth table. He elaborates that, if what can be perceived with the naked eye is questionable, then how true is that which can be observed with aids? Russell claims that a real shape will maintain its shape regardless of the angle with which it is looked at. He alleges that a circular shape will appear oval like when viewed from a distance and thus deviating from the initial theory of â€Å"real shapes,† hence concludes that there is no such thing as a real shape. Briefly, Russell Bertrand, an acclaimed theorist, suggests that there is no such thing as â€Å"Reality.† From the examples given, he brings out the possibility of reasoning and challenging even the most of basic things in life that we consider common sense. Physics teaches that light travels from the object to the eye, so whatever we perceive depends upon the light on the same object to our eyes. Therefore, whatever our eyes see depends on the property of light. Thereby we can justify that whatever our eyes see is the real object. Considering his example on texture, where he was torn in between on what exactly he was to take as the real feel for the same. He actually overlooks a lot in his reason for even considering the micros copic view as part of the â€Å"real† view. One thing he forgets to understand is that the microscopic view, whether in low or high power is actually giving the hidden structural arrangement and combination of grains, which are the building blocks for the table, which will otherwise not have been seen with the naked eye. This example is the equivalent of considering a house where the basic are bricks. When the bricks are analyzed on their own, they exhibit a different property, which the otherwise finished house will not have. Thus, the house cannot be described using such property. The human eyesight is limited to a number of things. His claim that shapes look different from a given point of view can also be challenged critically. Perspective angle causes shapes to appear different, but that does not mean that they really are. In my view, people will see whatever they want to see and interpret them in whatever manner they deem fit, making each person to have a different opin ion and account concerning what they perceive depending on their current physical and psychological condition. However, if the different people were given the same â€Å"viewing† ground and if they all had perfect eyesight, all of them would give the same answer and description of what they saw. Russell’s claim that two people will give different accounts when viewing the same from different places is actually true. Were the same people given

Foundations of Laws and Rules Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Foundations of Laws and Rules - Essay Example As to effectivity, the former takes effect upon the recognition by the court while the latter may take effect at a later date as embodied in the formal instrument. Common law is amended by slow changes over time while statutory laws requires an enactment of either a new law that superceeds, modifies or amends the old law. The parties can move for arbitration or file a suit. In proceeding to an alternative dispute resolution or arbitration the parties present the facts to arbitrators that are trained experts familiar with the industry practices thus their assessment of the issue may affect the nature and outcome of the dispute. The fears of the parties are put to rest since the arbitrators are well knowledgeable in the problems in real estate development. In filing a suit, the court may be appraised of problems in real estate development through the presentation of an expert witness who has special expertise on the matter and can explain it to the court (Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceauticals, Inc). Fears that the court may not be able to grasp the concept must not be entertained since there are ways of discovery that the court can employ like depositions, interrogatories and requests for production of documents. Aside from these, court processes like direct, cross examination, redirect and recross e xamination open doors for clarifications to give the court a better understanding of the issue at hand. The clause is valid. The Uniform Arbitration Act allows parties to agree in advance that all disputes arising under the contract be submitted to arbitration. Binding arbitration holds parties to respect the decision of the arbitrator as final even if the decision of the arbitrator seems to be wrong. The court will only set aside the decision if â€Å"there is clear proof of fraud, arbitrary conduct, or significant procedural error† (Trans Chemical Ltd. V Chhina Nat. Machinery Import & Export). John can either send the computer

Recent Development in the Thoery of Rules versus Dicretions Essay

Recent Development in the Thoery of Rules versus Dicretions - Essay Example In this respect, this essay will assess the rationale in the Barro-Gordon Model of rules versus discretion to illustrate the relationship between monetary policies and inflation in achieving economic outcomes. Monetary policies play a crucial role in achieving certain outcomes – low unemployment, high money supply, or low inflation – in the economy. Achieving these outcomes, however, depends on the existing conditions surrounding the economic environment, which is also affected both by an individual’s expectations on future policies and economic conditions and the manner that these expectations are formed (Barro 1984: 1-2). The weight given to individual expectations, in this regard, highlights the monetary rules versus discretion debate under monetary economics such that as illustrated by the Barro-Gordon Model, an individuals’ expectations regarding future policies can either offset the effects of inflation under discretionary policies or achieve the zero inflation outcome through rules (Barro and Gordon 1983). Contrary to the traditional debate between rules and discretion focused on a policymaker’s capabilities and objectives; the Barro-Gordon Model is based on Kydland and Prescott’s work that identifies rules as a form of commitment similar to public policies and business dealings (Barro 1984: 1). In this respect, a monetary policy will only be as effective as the government’s reputation and its credibility in making a commitment to a policy because assuming that individuals are rational, they will always act in manner that predicts government behaviour and compensate for any losses that they believe will come from it. Hence, under monetary policies, where the output is always a consequent rise or fall in inflation, assuming that inflation is high and individuals are rational, these individuals will always expect a higher inflation rate and immediately adjust to these high rates, eliminating the

Mr S Ndzimba at Uj Essay Example for Free

Mr S Ndzimba at Uj Essay Redemption Song Analysis â€Å"Redemption Song,† a magnificently composed song by Bob Marley relates to oppression and deliverance of African slaves, who were brought from Africa to Jamaica. The general theme of this song is the beauty of the redemption of people after oppression. Support of this theme is found in Bob Marley’s connotation and tone. Connotation, the diction of words, is the most significant aspect of this song that supports the theme. Bob Marley’s terminology is responsible for creating a truly entrancing song. Bob initiates the song on a delicate level by describing the obliteration of the African people by slavery; â€Å"Oh pirates yes they rob I; / Sold I to the merchant ships, / Minutes after they took I / From the bottomless pit. (Marley 1-4). These very lines portray the appalling technique used to take Africans from their homeland to toil for others. The next line, â€Å"But my hand was made strong / By the hand of the Almighty. / We forward in this generation/ Triumphantly,† (Marley 5-8) illustrates the authority given to the slaves by God. Through His hand, the present generation has been capable of moving onward and prospering. The most eminent lines of the song, â€Å"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery / None but ourselves can free our minds† sustains thought that it is not the responsibility of the oppressors to free the oppressed; this assignment can only be completed by the oppressed themselves. Through the complete song, Bob Marley maintains an optimistic tone. He appears to believe that through all the pain and agony of slaves his generation will be able to formulate a difference. Evidence of this is found in the lines â€Å"We forward in the generation / Triumphantly† (Marley 3-4). This strictly means that descendents of Africans have been given an opportunity to right and improve the prospects their ancestors never had. Overall, â€Å"Redemption Song† is a incredibly stunning song that relates to not only African slaves but all others that have been oppressed. Bob Marley’s main purpose of this song is that, in the end, it is up to the oppressed to determine their freedom and destiny.

Animals Should Be Used in Scientific Research Essay Example for Free

Animals Should Be Used in Scientific Research Essay Over 100 million animals are used every year in the United States as models in biological and medical research to study human disease, injury, development, psychology, and anatomy and physiology. Research involving animals has played a vital role in virtually every major medical advance of the last century. Even today, there is no complete alternative to biomedical research with animals. The vast majority of research animals are mice and rats bred for this purpose. Dogs, cats, and non-human primates together account for less than one-half of one percent of the total, and this number has declined for more than 25 years. Since 1979, the number of dogs and cats needed in animal research has declined by more than 50%. The number of non-human primates needed represents less than .2% (.18% in 2004) and has remained relatively constant—in the 50,000 per year range—for the past decade. History The history behind animals being used in scientific research is that is started In Europe and in the US by the early 1900s and especially during and following World War I the benefits of animal research continued to be recognized. Following the Nuremberg Trials for atrocities by the Nazis during World War II, society spoke loudly demanding no research on humans until animal research had made such research a reasonable risk. Today, the majority of people in our society do agree with the idea of the humane and responsible use of animals in research. There is safeguard standards for scientific studies on animals * The USDA has set forth federal regulations governing the care and use of animals in biomedical research that are considered even more extensive than those covering human research subjects. * The Animal Welfare Act sets standards of care for research animals with regard to their housing, feeding, cleanliness, ventilation, and medical needs and requires the use of anesthesia or analgesic drugs for potentially painful procedures and during post-operative care. * The US Public Health Service Act requires that all institutions receiving research funds from NIH, FDA, or CDC adhere to the standards set out in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. * Institutions must follow detailed animal care recommendations and establish an IACUC to ensure that all animals are treated responsibly and humanely Some people think that all animals that are in scientific research are in pain or distress while undergoing the research that is not necessarily true. The 2004 USDA Annual Report reveals that 57% of all research procedures with animals involved no more than slight or momentary pain or distress (i.e., an injection). In 34% of research procedures anesthesia and postoperative painkillers were used. In 9% of the procedures, neither anesthesia nor pain medication could be used, as they would have interfered with research results. Scientific Perspectives Here are 4 reasons why animals are used in research: 1. The principles of anatomy and physiology are true for humans and animals, especially mammals. Once scientists learned that animals were similar to humans, in physiology and anatomy, it became preferable to use animals rather than humans for preliminary research. 2. Certain strains or breeds of animals get the same diseases or conditions as humans. Animal Models are frequently critical to understanding a disease and developing appropriate treatments. 3. Research meant introducing one variable and observing the results of that one item. With animals we can control their environment (temperature, humidity, etc.), and shield them from diseases or conditions not related to the research (control their health). Although human and animals get the disease that may be the subject of a research investigation, the different life styles or living conditions make them poor subjects until preliminary research under controlled conditions has been done. 4. We can use scientifically-valid numbers o f animals. Data from one animal or human is not research; it is a case study. To scientifically test a hypothesis, an adequate number of subjects must be used to statistically test the results of the research. Some individuals claim that we should use human or animals that have a disease to study that disease. Certainly, epidemiological studies (tracking the occurrence of a disease or condition) have provided many important insights into the cause of a disease or a condition, especially when an environmental aspect is responsible. However, epidemiological studies are successful in only a limited number of situations. Only if the study of a disease is severely hindered or not possible when the research subjects have been/are exposed to a variety of environmental factors. According to the American Medical Association, humans are the most frequently used animal in research. However, research studies conducted on humans follow preliminary studies conducted in animals. These animal studies make human studies a reasonable risk. The animal studies are not a guarantee of success, but they do tell us that the human research has a reasonable probability of success.

Why Women Should Dress Modestly English Language Essay

Why Women Should Dress Modestly English Language Essay This assignment makes me learn more about the main reasons of why women should dress modestly. In another way, I also learn about writing skill and skills to do research. It also help student in doing research and analysis effectively. Student can learn more depth knowledge from this English assignment. When I do this assignment I know that many women should not dress immodestly. Women wear immodestly will spoil themselves and also the society. If women do not wear modestly, they will cause people to rape them. Other than that, this assignment let me know that reasons of divorce and also let me know that implications of divorce. The reason of divorce is because of the misunderstanding in a relationship in the two person relationship which can also spoil the relationship of the two individual in fact. There are also many implications that can cause the two individual to get involved in the divorce problem. It can also sharpen my thinking skills where the research can also helps me to improve my writing method and skills.. In this research I understand more about the reason of why people divorce and the ways to overcome them.All these are important to improve my knowledge on language, grammar and also the general knowledge. Table Contents page Introduction Women nowadays like to dress immodestly because they think that they should show their body to the others so that people can look at what they can expose especially in the western countries. Some lady from western countries wear immodest apparel but in some eastern countries they do not wear immodest apparel. In the western countries, they never limit how they can wear. On the other hand, women who are wears not modestly can cause a lot of problems to themselves,the society and country. They would just dont care what they wear as long as they are happy, sexy even if it is not comfortable to them. There are also some things all parties can do to overcome this problem. If women dont wear modestly as this will never bring any advantages to them. They should always think of the effects that may cause to them before they think of what they should wear. It is very important for a woman to know what they wear and how they should present themselves to avoid crime cases from happening. They should think in many ways on how they dress can influence their performance and also the image of them.They will need to dress modestly in order to have them not involved in the issues of the country. 2.0 Reasons Women Should Dress Modestly 2.1.1Safety Women can attract rapist and murderer to get near them when they dont dress modestly. They might be in danger because anytime anywhere they might meet the rapist. To stay safe is better for them to dress modestly and for this reason they should know what they should know how to dress to protect themselves. Many of them dont know how to dress modestly and showing too much of their body until they are in danger. They think that they are sexy and they will never care of what others think. What they want to wear they just think and just do it straight away. 2.1.2 Professionalism Maybe some woman may think that they are dressing sexy to present themselves but actually they are wrong. If they dont dress modestly people will have negative thoughts about them and also they will think that they dont know how to dress properly.The way people look at them is very important because this might also relate to the image of the women.People might think that they are prostitutes or doing something not legal. Furthermore, this is important for women who walk on street as there are many people can look at how they dress.They should dress decently to show that they have good moral attitudes. 2.1.4 Staying warm Woman need to dress modestly to cover and protect their body from danger . When they dress modestly they will feel warm and they can avoid from getting molested or sunburn .They should dress modestly to keep their body warm and to show people out there that they cant they are able to protect their body not only to their religion for example muslim wear tudung to cover their neck and they are able to cover their body properly.They should dress because their religion beliefs stated that they will need to cover their body and not to show them to the men. 2.1.5 Setting a good example for others All the young adults follow the way to dress from what they see. When women dress modestly they can show to the young people that this is dressing modestly and that the young people will follow the way the adults dress. Although there are still many people who dont dress modestly when they are on the street. This will bring a very bad image to some citizens with different culture and beliefs. A good example will lead the future generation of people to the right direction and to do the right thing that is to dress modestly. 2.1.6 Respect Women have to dress decently so that people who sees them will respect them as they know how to dress. This is a good thing for them to learn what dressing modestly is all about . On the other hand , this can also bring develop moral behaviors of all the young people. They can just wear modestly when they go out so that people will give respect to them as they are dressing modestly. They will directly get respect because of the clothes as the first thing they wil look at is how the women dress.if they do not dress properly they will gossip about the way they dress. 2.2 Ways to overcome immodest dressing 2.2.1 Talks and campaigns The lifestyle club can organize more talks and campaigns to create awareness to the women on the dangers of dressing not modestly. They can educate them with the correct way of dressing and provide them ideas of what dressing modestly is all about and the importance of dressing modestly when they go out..They can also organize talks in the schools so that they can learn how to dress modestly at an early stage Show them the statistics of crime rate to them from the causes of not dressing modestly. 2.2.2 Rules Government should set rules that to require women to dress modestly. They must limit the type of shirt that they can wear and not let them to wear whatever they want although it is their choice. The government must also fine and give summons to those women who dont dress modestly as this will benefits them and can reduce the rate of cases in the country.As strict as possible they need to set rules on what they can wear which are suitable. They must make them to obey to the rules and follow what they stated to wear. 2.2.3 Parents Parents is very important as parents are the one who buys clothes for them .They ask their children to buy shirts that will never expose their body and look nice. They should avoid their children from buying clothes that will show their body. This is an important role of the parents. When they do this, their children will dress more modestly and people will have a positive thinking as when women dont dress modestly the first one people will say is their parents. The moral education from their parents to their children.Parents should not let their children to buy or dress too sexy. 2.3 Conclusion As a conclusion, dressing modestly can bring benefits to the women as they can be safe, warm and also the image of themselves to the others.These are important as they can avoid many crime cases from happening.There are many ways to overcome the problem which include organizing talks, roadshows and campaigns in schools and to the public. Other than that, they can also dress modestly for their own sake.The image of them is very important which can gain respect of the perspective of how people look at them.Dressing modestly is important to keep the good image of the organization, society, the individual and the country. 3.0 Introduction to divorce The first thing to know about divorce is that it is common and nothing to be ashamed of. According to recent statistics, the rate of divorce in the United States (0.40%) is approximately half the rate of marriage (0.78%). To maintain a perfect relationship, there should be no problem in a relationship.There must be enough understanding between both of them in a couple. This is very important where this became one of the factors that will make divorce happens. Divorce can also happen from many factors which will be discussed in this research report.The rate of divorce is increasing significantly. There are also effect of divorce to many people. 3.1 Reason of divorce 3.1.1 Lack of time Partners might not have time to settle problems in the family as there are too many problems in a family which involves the couple to figure out They might be too busy of their work and they dont have enough time to sit down to clear all the problems. They should spend more time on this to figure out the family problems that occur. 3.1.2 Difference in cultural backgrounds At the beginning, the stark differences in families and friends, and different religious beliefs may seem cute and worth a petty fight. But all it takes is a few months of suppressed ideas and opposing thoughts to wreak havoc in a marriage.Some couples might get different partner from different culture and they just could not understand each other.It is very hard for them to communicate with each other and causes the argue of the couple 3.1.3 Dont understand what each other needs or wants They might not understand each other and at the end they will think that they are not suitable for each other and ended up divorce .This will seriously ruin this relationship. Besides that, sometimes the man cannot give what the woman want for example the money that the womanwants and the man cannot provide her with the enough money.l 3.1.4 Trust Trust is very important between two person in the relationship, do you really trust your spouse? Do you find their behavior suspicious, especially when theyre talking to a friend over the phone? Trust is an important pillar in marriage. If you cant trust your spouse, you definitely cant survive the marriage. 3.1.5 Money Money always has a way of making life better or making life worse. There are only two extremes and no middle ground with money. Are you dissatisfied with your spouses earnings or monetary investment towards the marriage in any manner? This may start off as a nagging thought to begin with, but unless you discuss this with your spouse, you could be heading down the road of divorce over time. 3.1.6 Extra relationship A third party in a relationship will cause divorce. This will happen mostly in men as men will easily get another partner when they feel happy with the new partner. For example when they argue with their wives they will think that they will go to get another one to accompany them. 3.2 Implications of divorce 3.2.1 Children as Victims Most couples normally have children when they get marriage. Accordingly, divorces can directly effect on children. Children living in single parent families are more probably to get pregnant as teenagers, drop out of high school, abuse drugs and have aggressively emotional and behavioural problems, which lead to social problems. Some children decide to go out of their home when their parents separate each other, and subsequently they become homeless children. They do not have good opportunities to find a job due to shortage of education. Consequently, crime may likely be the end result. These are significantly negative effects of recent expansion in divorce rates. 3.2.3 Effect to our nation People will think that the marriage in our country is just for fun and people can marry and divorce anytime they like.In fact the government should set some rules that people can only marry for 2 times. People will think that people in our country are not loyal to love. They love to remarry and get new partner.People will talk bad about our country because the case keep on increasing. 3.2.4 Effect to the society The society will have many crisis because the many issues will appear since there is many people who will become orphan and the will be many criminal will happen. In another way, they will also affect the people in the society.Hence this might affect the whole society because divorce is not a good thing in a relationship.This issue might increase more and more in the future.Many people will suicide when the parents divorce and they think that they have nobody to be trusted. They think that the family is destroyed when their parents divorced. 4.0 Conclusion The rate of divorce is increasing like nobody business. Besides that, this is not a good thing because this will spoil the image of the behavior, attitude and the moral education of the country saying that this is not a good thing. Furthermore, the divorce rate also caused by the people around the country where people like to divorce as they like.Divorce may also caused by the lack of time to understand each other, the level of them understanding each other, financial matters that cause their family couldnt afford their life expenses, the third party which can cause the relationship to end. Divorce may also cause the children to suffer because they will become orphans.Besides that, this will also make the society criminal rate to increase as there many people will do bad things because their parents divorced and no one can teach them about the moral behavior.This will bring a very bad image of a society and country as the image is so important.The way people look at the particular co untry will be very different. Apendix http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-624-x/2012001/article/chart/11696-02-chart8-eng.gif Divorce rate statistics

Investigate how the change in concentration affects the rate of :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

Investigate how the change in concentration affects the rate of reaction between sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid Introduction I am trying to find out how the change in concentration affects the rate of reaction between sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid. I predict that the higher the concentration of sodium of thiosulphate, the quicker the rate of reaction will be between the two substances. The scientific reason for my prediction is due to the collision theory. The collision theory is, that in order for chemicals to react they must come into contact with each other (collide). However, not all collisions result in chemical reactions as sometimes the particles just bounce off each other. The particles must have sufficient energy when they collide to react. If you increase the number of collisions, you increase the rate of reaction. Therefore, a higher concentration means a greater number of collisions. Diagram Preliminary Testing This is the word equation for the reaction between the two substances: Sodium + Hydrochloric Sodium + Sulphur + Sulphur + Water Thiosulphate Acid Chloride Dioxide Na2S2O3 + HCl NaCl + SO2 + S + H2O ( aq ) + ( aq ) ( aq ) + ( g ) + ( s ) + ( l ) Before I start the investigation, by having preliminary tests I can find a volume of each solution that I can use where I am able to complete the investigation in a reasonable period of time. When I am undergoing my experiment I will be making one variable. By changing the concentration of sodium thiosulphate, this is done by adding water to the solution. As I change the amount of water I put into the solution the concentration of it is changing. The more water that is put into the solution the weaker the concentration will become. To get my preliminary results I set up the experiment as above in the diagram section, and you use different amounts of the solutions. Use a burette to measure the amounts of the solutions needed, and put them into separate beakers. Using a funnel at the top of the burette to pout the solution into. After firstly using a measuring cylinder to measure the solution. Use a stopwatch to time how long it takes for the cross underneath the conical flask to disappear, as the solutions are mixed together. As the reaction turns the two colourless liquids, into a milky colour afterwards. Repeat the procedure with different amounts of the solutions, working out the best amounts that I could use for experiment. These are the results that I received: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Amount of H2O Amount of sodium Amount of hydrochloric Time Taken

Pan-Slavism :: European Europe History

Pan-Slavism In the early nineteenth century, Slavic peoples from multiple empires in eastern and southern Europe began to pursue a movement to protect and organize Slavic culture. In 1848, this movement became more political. It gained a reputation and an attempt was made to unify all Slavic peoples. This movement became known as Pan-Slavism. Pan-Slavism appealed to many Slavs who felt nationalism towards their race. However among the Slavs, there were many different opinions. Some believed that there was a cultural, ethnic, and political connection among all Slavs. Others argued that there was no place for Pan-Slavic goals in the present empires. Above all, the cultural and political issues in the debate over Pan-Slavism were nationalism for ones race and a quest for power. In 1871 Slavs occupied most of eastern and southern Europe. The Slavs came from many nations. They populated the Austro-Hungarian, German, Russian, and the Balkan Areas of the Ottoman Empires. However as a result of their geographic diversity, there was no single language or literature for the Slavic population. Slavs were so disunited that although they shared a common nationality, there was ignorance, hatred, and oppression of each other. Slavic nationalists wanted to unify and form a free and content Pan-Slavic Empire. They believed that all Slavic peoples should maintain a close connection to one another. They were unhappy that among the Slavs, nationality came after humanity, while the opposite of this was true for other nations. In a lecture given by Bronislaw Trentowski in 1848, he stated that if he were ever a tsar, he would destroy the Ottoman and Austrian Empires, thus liberating the Slavic peoples and hence gaining their support. He would free Poland, along with every other Slav occupied country. Some people saw Pan-Slavism as the freeing of non-Russian Slavs from their Ottoman, German, and Austro-Hungarian rulers. Not everyone agreed with the intentions of Pan-Slavism. Some people did not think that that the Slavs were one nation. Karel Havlicek, a Czech journalist shared this belief. He believed that nationality was not only determined by language, but also by customs, religion, government, and way of education. In 1848, he published an article called "Slav and Czech", in which he stated that the name Slav is and should always remain a geographical name. Bulgarian poet, Christo Boter, who strongly believed that only small federations of Slavs, in accordance to location should be built, shared a similar yet different view.

Benefits of Multi-Level Watershed Management :: Watershed Management Essays

Benefits of Multi-Level Watershed Management Non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) have played a significant role in establishing grassroots methods of environmental protection while incorporating citizen involvement. The most prevalent types of NGO’s in the United States are ones that rally public opinion and advocate legislative and/or social change. Among these are the various Public Interest Groups (PIRG’s), the Sierra Club, the Environmental Defense Fund, and Greenpeace. Public education and involvement are seminal components to the success of these organizations. Hence, the application of NGO’s to other issues might prove successful in advocating and implementing change while bettering the community that they inhabit. Such is the case with the relatively newly established watershed management associations in New Jersey. These organizations employ grassroots tactics to increase community education and establish stronger environmental protection. Thus I assert that inter-munic ipal (and inter-state as we will see later) watershed management, through the use of non-governmental organization, has the ability to have a profound impact on how natural resources are managed and subsequently on how an area is developed. This is extremely valuable to a state like New Jersey, where uncoordinated development has led to a sprawling landscape causing fragmentation of natural features and severe depletion of water quality. Furthermore, in the large bureaucratic system of development that dominates New Jersey, this NGO method of watershed management is a qualitative and creative way to promote democracy, public education, and public participation. To examine how watershed management associations can improve environmental superintendence and consequently development patterns, one must first examine the existing landscape pattern on physical and political scales. New Jersey is composed of 566 municipalities, each functioning pseudo-independently from one another. These municipalities, â€Å"†¦each with home-rule authority to make decisions and policies concerning development without regard [of] their potential negative effects on neighboring towns, â€Å" (Shutkin 2000) create an atmosphere of competition and discordance. This unproductive circumstance is a product of human invention. For it is â€Å"multiple ownership or administration within watersheds [that] present some major challenges for watershed management policy and planning† (Satterlund and Adams 1992). Municipal boundaries do not account for broader natural boundaries. While it is true that a municipal boundary might coincide with a stre am or ridge, municipalities generally overlook broader, more important delineations like watersheds.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-two

Tyrion They had taken shelter beneath a copse of aspens just off the high road. Tyrion was gathering deadwood while their horses took water from a mountain stream. He stooped to pick up a splintered branch and examined it critically. â€Å"Will this do? I am not practiced at starting fires. Morrec did that for me.† â€Å"A fire?† Bronn said, spitting. â€Å"Are you so hungry to die, dwarf? Or have you taken leave of your senses? A fire will bring the clansmen down on us from miles around. I mean to survive this journey, Lannister.† â€Å"And how do you hope to do that?† Tyrion asked. He tucked the branch under his arm and poked around through the sparse undergrowth, looking for more. His back ached from the effort of bending; they had been riding since daybreak, when a stone-faced Ser Lyn Corbray had ushered them through the Bloody Gate and commanded them never to return. â€Å"We have no chance of fighting our way back,† Bronn said, â€Å"but two can cover more ground than ten, and attract less notice. The fewer days we spend in these mountains, the more like we are to reach the riverlands. Ride hard and fast, I say. Travel by night and hole up by day, avoid the road where we can, make no noise and light no fires.† Tyrion Lannister sighed. â€Å"A splendid plan, Bronn. Try it, as you like . . . and forgive me if I do not linger to bury you.† â€Å"You think to outlive me, dwarf?† The sellsword grinned. He had a dark gap in his smile where the edge of Ser Vardis Egen's shield had cracked a tooth in half. Tyrion shrugged. â€Å"Riding hard and fast by night is a sure way to tumble down a mountain and crack your skull. I prefer to make my crossing slow and easy. I know you love the taste of horse, Bronn, but if our mounts die under us this time, we'll be trying to saddle shadowcats . . . and if truth be told, I think the clans will find us no matter what we do. Their eyes are all around us.† He swept a gloved hand over the high, wind-carved crags that surrounded them. Bronn grimaced. â€Å"Then we're dead men, Lannister.† â€Å"If so, I prefer to die comfortable,† Tyrion replied. â€Å"We need a fire. The nights are cold up here, and hot food will warm our bellies and lift our spirits. Do you suppose there's any game to be had? Lady Lysa has kindly provided us with a veritable feast of salt beef, hard cheese, and stale bread, but I would hate to break a tooth so far from the nearest maester.† â€Å"I can find meat.† Beneath a fall of black hair, Bronn's dark eyes regarded Tyrion suspiciously. â€Å"I should leave you here with your fool's fire. If I took your horse, I'd have twice the chance to make it through. What would you do then, dwarf?† â€Å"Die, most like.† Tyrion stooped to get another stick. â€Å"You don't think I'd do it?† â€Å"You'd do it in an instant, if it meant your life. You were quick enough to silence your friend Chiggen when he caught that arrow in his belly.† Bronn had yanked back the man's head by the hair and driven the point of his dirk in under the ear, and afterward told Catelyn Stark that the other sellsword had died of his wound. â€Å"He was good as dead,† Bronn said, â€Å"and his moaning was bringing them down on us. Chiggen would have done the same for me . . . and he was no friend, only a man I rode with. Make no mistake, dwarf. I fought for you, but I do not love you.† â€Å"It was your blade I needed,† Tyrion said, â€Å"not your love.† He dumped his armful of wood on the ground. Bronn grinned. â€Å"You're bold as any sellsword, I'll give you that. How did you know I'd take your part?† â€Å"Know?† Tyrion squatted awkwardly on his stunted legs to build the fire. â€Å"I tossed the dice. Back at the inn, you and Chiggen helped take me captive. Why? The others saw it as their duty, for the honor of the lords they served, but not you two. You had no lord, no duty, and precious little honor, so why trouble to involve yourselves?† He took out his knife and whittled some thin strips of bark off one of the sticks he'd gathered, to serve as kindling. â€Å"Well, why do sellswords do anything? For gold. You were thinking Lady Catelyn would reward you for your help, perhaps even take you into her service. Here, that should do, I hope. Do you have a flint?† Bronn slid two fingers into the pouch at his belt and tossed down a flint. Tyrion caught it in the air. â€Å"My thanks,† he said. â€Å"The thing is, you did not know the Starks. Lord Eddard is a proud, honorable, and honest man, and his lady wife is worse. Oh, no doubt she would have found a coin or two for you when this was all over, and pressed it in your hand with a polite word and a look of distaste, but that's the most you could have hoped for. The Starks look for courage and loyalty and honor in the men they choose to serve them, and if truth be told, you and Chiggen were lowborn scum.† Tyrion struck the flint against his dagger, trying for a spark. Nothing. Bronn snorted. â€Å"You have a bold tongue, little man. One day someone is like to cut it out and make you eat it.† â€Å"Everyone tells me that.† Tyrion glanced up at the sellsword. â€Å"Did I offend you? My pardons . . . but you are scum, Bronn, make no mistake. Duty, honor, friendship, what's that to you? No, don't trouble yourself, we both know the answer. Still, you're not stupid. Once we reached the Vale, Lady Stark had no more need of you . . . but I did, and the one thing the Lannisters have never lacked for is gold. When the moment came to toss the dice, I was counting on your being smart enough to know where your best interest lay. Happily for me, you did.† He slammed stone and steel together again, fruitlessly. â€Å"Here,† said Bronn, squatting, â€Å"I'll do it.† He took the knife and flint from Tyrion's hands and struck sparks on his first try. A curl of bark began to smolder. â€Å"Well done,† Tyrion said. â€Å"Scum you may be, but you're undeniably useful, and with a sword in your hand you're almost as good as my brother Jaime. What do you want, Bronn? Gold? Land? Women? Keep me alive, and you'll have it.† Bronn blew gently on the fire, and the flames leapt up higher. â€Å"And if you die?† â€Å"Why then, I'll have one mourner whose grief is sincere,† Tyrion said, grinning. â€Å"The gold ends when I do.† The fire was blazing up nicely. Bronn stood, tucked the flint back into his pouch, and tossed Tyrion his dagger. â€Å"Fair enough,† he said. â€Å"My sword's yours, then . . . but don't go looking for me to bend the knee and m'lord you every time you take a shit. I'm no man's toady.† â€Å"Nor any man's friend,† Tyrion said. â€Å"I've no doubt you'd betray me as quick as you did Lady Stark, if you saw a profit in it. If the day ever comes when you're tempted to sell me out, remember this, Bronn—I'll match their price, whatever it is. I like living. And now, do you think you could do something about finding us some supper?† â€Å"Take care of the horses,† Bronn said, unsheathing the long dirk he wore at his hip. He strode into the trees. An hour later the horses had been rubbed down and fed, the fire was crackling away merrily, and a haunch of a young goat was turning above the flames, spitting and hissing. â€Å"All we lack now is some good wine to wash down our kid,† Tyrion said. â€Å"That, a woman, and another dozen swords,† Bronn said. He sat cross-legged beside the fire, honing the edge of his longsword with an oilstone. There was something strangely reassuring about the rasping sound it made when he drew it down the steel. â€Å"It will be full dark soon,† the sellsword pointed out. â€Å"I'll take first watch . . . for all the good it will do us. It might be kinder to let them kill us in our sleep.† â€Å"Oh, I imagine they'll be here long before it comes to sleep.† The smell of the roasting meat made Tyrion's mouth water. Bronn watched him across the fire. â€Å"You have a plan,† he said flatly, with a scrape of steel on stone. â€Å"A hope, call it,† Tyrion said. â€Å"Another toss of the dice.† â€Å"With our lives as the stake?† Tyrion shrugged. â€Å"What choice do we have?† He leaned over the fire and sawed a thin slice of meat from the kid. â€Å"Ahhhh,† he sighed happily as he chewed. Grease ran down his chin. â€Å"A bit tougher than I'd like, and in want of spicing, but I'll not complain too loudly. If I were back at the Eyrie, I'd be dancing on a precipice in hopes of a boiled bean.† â€Å"And yet you gave the turnkey a purse of gold,† Bronn said. â€Å"A Lannister always pays his debts.† Even Mord had scarcely believed it when Tyrion tossed him the leather purse. The gaoler's eyes had gone big as boiled eggs as he yanked open the drawstring and beheld the glint of gold. â€Å"I kept the silver,† Tyrion had told him with a crooked smile, â€Å"but you were promised the gold, and there it is.† It was more than a man like Mord could hope to earn in a lifetime of abusing prisoners. â€Å"And remember what I said, this is only a taste. If you ever grow tired of Lady Arryn's service, present yourself at Casterly Rock, and I'll pay you the rest of what I owe you.† With golden dragons spilling out of both hands, Mord had fallen to his knees and promised that he would do just that. Bronn yanked out his dirk and pulled the meat from the fire. He began to carve thick chunks of charred meat off the bone as Tyrion hollowed out two heels of stale bread to serve as trenchers. â€Å"If we do reach the river, what will you do then?† the sellsword asked as he cut. â€Å"Oh, a whore and a featherbed and a flagon of wine, for a start.† Tyrion held out his trencher, and Bronn filled it with meat. â€Å"And then to Casterly Rock or King's Landing, I think. I have some questions that want answering, concerning a certain dagger.† The sellsword chewed and swallowed. â€Å"So you were telling it true? It was not your knife?† Tyrion smiled thinly. â€Å"Do I look a liar to you?† By the time their bellies were full, the stars had come out and a halfmoon was rising over the mountains. Tyrion spread his shadowskin cloak on the ground and stretched out with his saddle for a pillow. â€Å"Our friends are taking their sweet time.† â€Å"If I were them, I'd fear a trap,† Bronn said. â€Å"Why else would we be so open, if not to lure them in?† Tyrion chuckled. â€Å"Then we ought to sing and send them fleeing in terror.† He began to whistle a tune. â€Å"You're mad, dwarf,† Bronn said as he cleaned the grease out from under his nails with his dirk. â€Å"Where's your love of music, Bronn?† â€Å"If it was music you wanted, you should have gotten the singer to champion you.† Tyrion grinned. â€Å"That would have been amusing. I can just see him fending off Ser Vardis with his woodharp.† He resumed his whistling. â€Å"Do you know this song?† he asked. â€Å"You hear it here and there, in inns and whorehouses.† â€Å"Myrish. ‘The Seasons of My Love.' Sweet and sad, if you understand the words. The first girl I ever bedded used to sing it, and I've never been able to put it out of my head.† Tyrion gazed up at the sky. It was a clear cold night and the stars shone down upon the mountains as bright and merciless as truth. â€Å"I met her on a night like this,† he heard himself saying. â€Å"Jaime and I were riding back from Lannisport when we heard a scream, and she came running out into the road with two men dogging her heels, shouting threats. My brother unsheathed his sword and went after them, while I dismounted to protect the girl. She was scarcely a year older than I was, dark-haired, slender, with a face that would break your heart. It certainly broke mine. Lowborn, half-starved, unwashed . . . yet lovely. They'd torn the rags she was wearing half off her back, so I wrapped her in my cloak while Jaime chased the men into the woods. By the time he came trotting back, I'd gotten a name out of her, and a story. She was a crofter's child, orphaned when her father died of fever, on her way to . . . well, nowhere, really. â€Å"Jaime was all in a lather to hunt down the men. It was not often outlaws dared prey on travelers so near to Casterly Rock, and he took it as an insult. The girl was too frightened to send off by herself, though, so I offered to take her to the closest inn and feed her while my brother rode back to the Rock for help. â€Å"She was hungrier than I would have believed. We finished two whole chickens and part of a third, and drank a flagon of wine, talking. I was only thirteen, and the wine went to my head, I fear. The next thing I knew, I was sharing her bed. If she was shy, I was shyer. I'll never know where I found the courage. When I broke her maidenhead, she wept, but afterward she kissed me and sang her little song, and by morning I was in love.† â€Å"You?† Bronn's voice was amused. â€Å"Absurd, isn't it?† Tyrion began to whistle the song again. â€Å"I married her,† he finally admitted. â€Å"A Lannister of Casterly Rock wed to a crofter's daughter,† Bronn said. â€Å"How did you manage that?† â€Å"Oh, you'd be astonished at what a boy can make of a few lies, fifty pieces of silver, and a drunken septon. I dared not bring my bride home to Casterly Rock, so I set her up in a cottage of her own, and for a fortnight we played at being man and wife. And then the septon sobered and confessed all to my lord father.† Tyrion was surprised at how desolate it made him feel to say it, even after all these years. Perhaps he was just tired. â€Å"That was the end of my marriage.† He sat up and stared at the dying fire, blinking at the light. â€Å"He sent the girl away?† â€Å"He did better than that,† Tyrion said. â€Å"First he made my brother tell me the truth. The girl was a whore, you see. Jaime arranged the whole affair, the road, the outlaws, all of it. He thought it was time I had a woman. He paid double for a maiden, knowing it would be my first time. â€Å"After Jaime had made his confession, to drive home the lesson, Lord Tywin brought my wife in and gave her to his guards. They paid her fair enough. A silver for each man, how many whores command that high a price? He sat me down in the corner of the barracks and bade me watch, and at the end she had so many silvers the coins were slipping through her fingers and rolling on the floor, she . . . † The smoke was stinging his eyes. Tyrion cleared his throat and turned away from the fire, to gaze out into darkness. â€Å"Lord Tywin had me go last,† he said in a quiet voice. â€Å"And he gave me a gold coin to pay her, because I was a Lannister, and worth more.† After a time he heard the noise again, the rasp of steel on stone as Bronn sharpened his sword. â€Å"Thirteen or thirty or three, I would have killed the man who did that to me.† Tyrion swung around to face him. â€Å"You may get that chance one day. Remember what I told you. A Lannister always pays his debts.† He yawned. â€Å"I think I will try and sleep. Wake me if we're about to die.† He rolled himself up in the shadowskin and shut his eyes. The ground was stony and cold, but after a time Tyrion Lannister did sleep. He dreamt of the sky cell. This time he was the gaoler, not the prisoner, big, with a strap in his hand, and he was hitting his father, driving him back, toward the abyss . . . â€Å"Tyrion.† Bronn's warning was low and urgent. Tyrion was awake in the blink of an eye. The fire had burned down to embers, and the shadows were creeping in all around them. Bronn had raised himself to one knee, his sword in one hand and his dirk in the other. Tyrion held up a hand: stay still, it said. â€Å"Come share our fire, the night is cold,† he called out to the creeping shadows. â€Å"I fear we've no wine to offer you, but you're welcome to some of our goat.† All movement stopped. Tyrion saw the glint of moonlight on metal. â€Å"Our mountain,† a voice called out from the trees, deep and hard and unfriendly. â€Å"Our goat.† â€Å"Your goat,† Tyrion agreed. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"When you meet your gods,† a different voice replied, â€Å"say it was Gunthor son of Gurn of the Stone Crows who sent you to them.† A branch cracked underfoot as he stepped into the light; a thin man in a horned helmet, armed with a long knife. â€Å"And Shagga son of Dolf.† That was the first voice, deep and deadly. A boulder shifted to their left, and stood, and became a man. Massive and slow and strong he seemed, dressed all in skins, with a club in his right hand and an axe in his left. He smashed them together as he lumbered closer. Other voices called other names, Conn and Torrek and Jaggot and more that Tyrion forgot the instant he heard them; ten at least. A few had swords and knives; others brandished pitchforks and scythes and wooden spears. He waited until they were done shouting out their names before he gave them answer. â€Å"I am Tyrion son of Tywin, of the Clan Lannister, the Lions of the Rock. We will gladly pay you for the goat we ate.† â€Å"What do you have to give us, Tyrion son of Tywin?† asked the one who named himself Gunthor, who seemed to be their chief. â€Å"There is silver in my purse,† Tyrion told them. â€Å"This hauberk I wear is large for me, but it should fit Conn nicely, and the battle-axe I carry would suit Shagga's mighty hand far better than that wood-axe he holds.† â€Å"The halfman would pay us with our own coin,† said Conn. â€Å"Conn speaks truly,† Gunthor said. â€Å"Your silver is ours. Your horses are ours. Your hauberk and your battle-axe and the knife at your belt, those are ours too. You have nothing to give us but your lives. How would you like to die, Tyrion son of Tywin?† â€Å"In my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a maiden's mouth around my cock, at the age of eighty,† he replied. The huge one, Shagga, laughed first and loudest. The others seemed less amused. â€Å"Conn, take their horses,† Gunthor commanded. â€Å"Kill the other and seize the halfinan. He can milk the goats and make the mothers laugh.† Bronn sprang to his feet. â€Å"Who dies first?† â€Å"No!† Tyrion said sharply. â€Å"Gunthor son of Gurn, hear me. My House is rich and powerful. If the Stone Crows will see us safely through these mountains, my lord father will shower you with gold.† â€Å"The gold of a lowland lord is as worthless as a halfman's promises,† Gunthor said. â€Å"Half a man I may be,† Tyrion said, â€Å"yet I have the courage to face my enemies. What do the Stone Crows do, but hide behind rocks and shiver with fear as the knights of the Vale ride by?† Shagga gave a roar of anger and clashed club against axe. Jaggot poked at Tyrion's face with the fire-hardened point of a long wooden spear. He did his best not to flinch. â€Å"Are these the best weapons you could steal?† he said. â€Å"Good enough for killing sheep, perhaps . . . if the sheep do not fight back. My father's smiths shit better steel.† â€Å"Little boyman,† Shagga roared, â€Å"will you mock my axe after I chop off your manhood and feed it to the goats?† But Gunthor raised a hand. â€Å"No. I would hear his words. The mothers go hungry, and steel fills more mouths than gold. What would you give us for your lives, Tyrion son of Tywin? Swords? Lances? Mail?† â€Å"All that, and more, Gunthor son of Gurn,† Tyrion Lannister replied, smiling. â€Å"I will give you the Vale of Arryn.†

Role of It in Travel and Tourism Industry

IT in travel ROLE OF IT IN TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY GROUP – BK Rajnikant Patel- 111 Dr. Sushant Patel- 112 Rachita Patnaik- 113 Yashasvi Patravali- 114 Navjot Singh- 115 Preview IT has touched every aspect of commerce and turned those industries into gold mines. Travel & tourism industry is also one of those which IT has not spared. And how it has brought about transformation and revolution will be seen in the due course of the presentation. Let me first introduce you to the travel and tourism industry at large, and the focus is particularly on the Indian travel and tourism industry as a subset of the global tourism market. India has been ranked 12th in Asia and 68th in the world as per the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2011 by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Tourism in  India  is the largest service industry, with a contribution of 6. 23% to the  national GDP and 8. 78% of the total employment in India. The tourism industry in India generated foreign exchange of about US $ 136 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US $ 275. 5 billion by 2018 at a 9. 4% annual growth rate. Maharashtra,  Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh  and Rajasthan  are the top 5 states to receive inbound tourists. A new growth sector in Indian tourism is Medical  Tourism. Medical tourism is essentially foreign tourist cum patients coming to India and seeking medical treatment. It is currently growing at around 30% per annum. It generated $ 9 Billion in 2010. The reason behind such a rapid growth in medical tourism is the fact that India offers hi tech medical treatments at a very cheap price. Giving you an example, if a bypass surgery here costs around Rs. 2 lac, exactly the same procedure with the same instruments and materials will cost you 30000 dollars in the U. S. , i. e. Rs. 15 lac. The tourism industry in India has also helped growth in other sectors as diverse as horticulture, handicrafts, agriculture and even construction. Coming to IT in tourism, when information technology is used in travel and tourism industry, it leads to the emergence of a whole new parameter called eTourism. eTourism reflects the digitisation of all processes and value chains in the tourism, travel, hospitality & catering industries. eTourism is the leading B2C application, i. e. business to customer application and it comprises of almost 40% of all B2C eCommerce. Gone are the days when you would wait for the customers to come to you. In this era of fierce competition, you have to reach to the customers before someone else does. 60% of all tourists use internet to get information on destinations. So here we realize how essential information and communication technology is in today’s travel and tourism industry. eAirlines Till a few years ago, the basic sources of information in the tourism sector were pamphlets, brochures, directories, guide books, etc. produced and published by different countries. The last few decades witnessed the application of computer and communication technologies in the field of tourism. Two distinct streams of information sources viz, (i) online and (ii) offline came into existence. Core results regarding ICT-related developments in the aviation industry: E-Ticketing: The elimination of traditional paper-based tickets is one of the core elements of the low-cost business model. Yet, e-ticketing is not limited to the so called â€Å"no-frills† airlines. The adoption of e-ticketing is increasingly pursued also by network carriers. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) intends to achieve a 100% penetration of e-ticketing among its members by the end of 2007. Customer self-service: Another measure for cost reduction and the acceleration of passenger flows at airports is to introduce customer self-service check-in solutions. This may be done on the spot by self-service kiosks or in the form of web based check-ins, which may even allow users to check-in from home or their office. Bar-coded boarding passes offer a natural link with e-ticketing and self-service check-in. Most recently, it has become possible not only to print boarding passes at the passenger’s home, but also to place bar codes on the passenger’s cell phone, thus making paper documents obsolete. RFID for luggage handling might replace classical baggage tags in the near future. It might simplify airline luggage management considerably, improve customer service in terms of reductions in mishandled luggage, and provide new security mechanisms. Computer Reservations System (CRS) A computer reservations system (or central reservation system) (CRS) is a computerized system used to store and retrieve information and conduct transactions related to air travel. Originally designed and operated by airlines, CRSes were later extended for the use of travel agencies. Major CRS operations that book and sell tickets for multiple airlines are known as global distribution systems (GDS). Airlines have divested most of their direct holdings to dedicated GDS companies, who make their systems accessible to consumers through Internet gateways. Modern GDSes typically allow users to book hotel rooms and rental cars as well as airline tickets. They also provide access to railway reservations in some markets although these are not always integrated with the main system. Global Distribution Systems (GDS) Major CRS operations that book and sell tickets for multiple airlines are known as global distribution systems (GDS). Modern GDSes typically allow users to book hotel rooms and rental cars as well as airline tickets. GDS distribute more than one CRS to users who are travel agents. GDS require massive investment because they are large computer system that link several airlines and travel principals into complex network of PCs, telecommunications and large mainframe system. Some leading GDS are Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo and WorldSpan are travel agents. eHospitality Hotels use ICTs in order to improve their operations, manage their inventory and maximise their profitability. Their systems facilitate both in-house management and distribution through electronic media. ‘Property management systems (PMSs)’ coordinate front office, sales, planning and operational functions by administrating reservations and managing the hotel inventory. Moreover, PMSs integrate the â€Å"back† and â€Å"front† of the house management and improve general administration functions such as accounting and finance; marketing research and planning; forecasting and yield management; payroll and personnel; and purchasing. Understandably, hotel chains gain more benefits from PMSs, as they can introduce a unified system for planning, budgeting and controlling and coordinating their properties centrally. Hotels also utilise ICTs and the Internet extensively for their distribution and marketing functions. Global presence is essential in order to enable both individual customers and the travel trade to access accurate information on availability and to provide easy, efficient, inexpensive and reliable ways of making and confirming reservations. Although Central Reservation Offices (CROs) introduced central reservations in the 1970s, it was not until the expansion of airline CRSs and the recent ICT developments that forced hotels to develop hotel CRSs in order to expand their distribution, improve efficiency, facilitate control, empower yield management, reduce labour costs and enable rapid response time to both customers and management requests. Following the development of hotel CRSs by most chains, the issue of interconnectivity with other CRSs and the Internet emerged. As a result, ‘switch companies,’ such as THISCO and WIZCOM, emerged to provide an interface between the various systems and enable a certain degree of transparency. This reduces both set-up and reservation costs, whilst facilitates reservations through several distribution channels. eTour Operators Leisure travellers often purchase â€Å"packages,† consisting of charter flights and accommodation, arranged by tour operators. Tour operators tend to pre-book these products and distribute them through brochures displayed in travel agencies. Hence, until recently in northern European countries, where tour operators dominate the leisure market, airline and hotel CRSs were rarely utilised for leisure travel. In the early 1980s, tour operators realised the benefits of ICTs in organising, promoting, distributing and coordinating their packages. Thomson’s Open-line Programme (TOP) was the first real-time computer-based central reservation office in 1976. It introduced direct communication with travel agencies in 1982, and announced that reservations for Thomson Holidays would only be accepted through TOP in 1986. This move was the critical point for altering the communication rocesses between tour operators and travel agencies. Gradually, all major tour operators developed or acquired databases and established electronic links with travel agencies, aiming to reduce their information handling costs and increase the speed of information transfer and retrieval. This improved their productivity and capacity management whil st enhancing their services to agencies and consumers. Tour operators also utilised their CRSs for market intelligence, in order to adjust their supply to demand fluctuations, as well as to monitor the booking progress and productivity of travel agencies. Tour operators have been reluctant to focus on ICTs through their strategic planning. Few realize the major transformation of the marketplace, while the majority regards ICTs exclusively as a facilitator of their current operations, and as a tool to reduce their costs. However, several tour operators in Germany, Scandinavia and the UK have moved towards electronic brochures and developed their online strategies. Successful operators report that up to 25% of their packages are booked directly by consumers online. This enables them to concentrate on niche markets. eTravel Agencies ICTs are irreplaceable tools for travel agencies as they provide information and reservation facilities and support the intermediation between consumers and principals. Travel agencies operate various reservation systems, which mainly enable them to check availability and make reservations for tourism products. Until recently GDSs have been critical for business travel agencies to access information and make reservations on scheduled airlines, hotel chains, car rentals and a variety of ancillary services. However, until recently travel agencies have been reluctant to take full advantage of the ICTs, mainly due to: a limited strategic scope; †¢ deficient ICTs expertise and understanding; †¢ low profit margins which prevents investments; and †¢ focus on human interaction with consumers. There are effectively 5 major groups- 1. Amadus IT group- vacation. com, opodo, travel tainmemt 2. Expedia group- expedia. com, hotels. com, anyway. com 3. Orbitz group- orbitz, cheaptick ets, hotel club 4. Priceline group- priceline. com, booking. com, active hotels 5. Sabre group- travelocity. com, world choice travel CASE STUDY 1: ICT-DEPLOYMENT AT THE LOW-COST CARRIER RYANAIR, IRELAND ABSTRACT The innovative use of information technology for online booking, e-ticketing and internal communications coupled with relentless improvements in cost containment, operating efficiencies, route system expansion and scheduling enables Ryanair to achieve increased passenger traffic and report the best customer service performance in its peer group class. CASE STUDY FACT SHEET Full name of the company: Ryanair Location (HQ/main branches): Dublin, Ireland, with operations in most of Europe Sector (main business activity): Low cost air travel Year of foundation: 1985 Number of employees: about 2,700 Turnover in last financial year: â‚ ¬1. 3 billion Primary customers: Business and Leisure Travelers Most significant geographic market: Europe Focus of case study: e-Ticketing Key words:e-Ticketing, online booking, web check-in, low cost airline OBJECTIVES Ryanair has achieved annual increases in passenger traffic each year since 1995. Projections are for 35 million passengers in 2006, increasing to an estimated 42 million in 2007. Ryanair’s objective is to double passenger volumes and revenue by 2012. It currently (July 2006) operates a fleet of 107 Boeing 737-800’s and will buy 142 more of these aircraft over the next 6 years. This study outlines the currently evolving e-business capabilities in place to address these growth areas and achieve the sought for doubling targets. ONLINE BOOKING Online booking via the internet commenced in earnest after the launch of the www. Ryanair. com website in 2000. Over 98% of the 27. 5 million passenger seats in 2005 were sold via the internet. This percentage figure is consistent year on year, and is expected to continue at this high level. The online booking system gives Ryanair the capability to introduce innovative practices to ensure that the individual customer has greater control over their fare costs. E-TICKETING CHECK’N’GO Officially launched in 2006, Ryanair’s e-Ticketing Check’N’Go service enables passengers to check-in online within three days prior to the proposed flight and up to 4 hours before take-off. Using a pre-printed e-boarding card from their home or office computers, passengers can avoid the airport check-in desk and go directly to the security gates with a maximum of one piece of hand baggage. Encouraging passengers to travel with less checked-in luggage also means faster queues for those who check-in at the airport desk. INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS As Ryanair expanded across Europe, in addition to their well known customer facing web pages, Ryanair has implemented a web-based internal communications system used by flight crews, maintenance staff and ground staff. For instance, a record is kept of the various components in each aircraft and a tickler schedule for their maintenance and/or replacement. The intranet system has also saved on tangible costs, including paper and printing costs. DYNAMIC PACKAGING AND OTHER ANCILLARY REVENUE SOURCES Ryanair drives more sales and increased revenue via the dynamic packaging of flights with discounted hotel rooms and bottom of the range car rentals. In addition after selecting their flights, all travelers are strongly encouraged via the online payment process to take out travel insurance. Another option provided via Ryanair’s homepage at present is to click through to another supplier’s web site such as activitybreaks. com to buy their products. CONCLUSIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED The adoption of e-ticketing and internal e-business systems has enabled this low cost carrier to keep operational running costs well in-check. For the financial year ended March 31, 2005 their share accounted for 16% of total revenues, compared to 15% for the previous year. Ryanair is consistently the European leader in LCC. In addition, due to the minimal in-house administration costs, Ryanair’s low-cost-flights business marketing model includes frequent â€Å"give-away† flights as well: 23% of its tickets were given away in 2005, and half of all flights are slated to be â€Å"free† within the next 4 years. CASE STUDY 2: E-TICKETING AT SN BRUSSELS AIRLINES, BELGIUM This case study highlights the benefits of e-ticketing. After IATA was commitment to discontinue the distribution and processing of paper tickets by December 2007. SN Brussels decided to focus on e-ticketing in order to cut operating costs and generate extra convenience to passengers. Apart from lower cost and increased operation efficiency, e- ticketing allowed the airline to strengthen its market position by a more intensive use of alliances and reduced dependency on intermediaries. BACKGROUND †¢SN Brussels Airlines is a full-service Belgian airline company founded in 2002 by a group of Belgian investors who acquired some assets of the ankrupt Sabena airline. †¢ SN Brussels Airlines is the only full service airline that operates from Brussels and is the market leader at Brussels Airport. †¢It operates around 285 flights per day to various destinations in USA, Africa & Europe and 3. 5 million passengers carried per year. †¢It has around 2000 employees in Belgium & abroad. OBJECTIVES †¢SN Brussels Airlines has dev eloped an interesting business concept of offering fully serviced flights, as offered traditionally by the established airlines, with the lowest possible fare to compete with the low cost carriers. The airline aims to attract both the demanding business travelers with tight schedules but expecting value for money and economy travelers who are sensitive to prices †¢This lead to high airline occupancy and the airline registered profit for 3 years despite unfavorable conditions. ICT INVESTMENTS †¢Expands its ICT use due to customer expectations which gives travelers more convenience and control from the booking stage to the in-flight service. It invested in passenger technologies like e-ticketing, online check in services to reduce the cost. ICT developments like e-ticketing and own website/booking engine enable the airline to strengthen its brand awareness, get direct access to its customers and, consequently, reduce the dependency on Central Reservation Systems (CRS) and Gl obal Distribution Systems (GDS). E-BUSINESS SERVICES †¢SN Brussels' internet site (www. flySN. com) is a major part of the company’s e-ticketing infrastructure it is user-friendly and allows for an easy search and compilation of travel offers. †¢It also provides self check-in possibilities, hotel bookings, insurance and rent-a-car services online. E-tickets are also available through call centre on all routes in the network and through GDS used by travel agents. BENEFITS †¢Online booking, proved to be an efficient channel for the distribution of e-tickets. In May 2002 only 38% tickets were sold online whereas in September 2006, 63% of own sales were conducted via its own booking engine. †¢The e-ticket uses a database to track the sale and use of tickets. All subsequent ticket transactions, including refunds, exchanges, check-in, void and settlement, involve this holding database this reduces chances of fraud and eliminates the problem of lost ticket. It al so reduced the cost of documentations. SN Brussels Airlines’ e-ticketing solution allows for seamless link up with external partners by forming alliances and developing the so-called â€Å"interlining† system that allows passengers to have one ticket for a complete travel itinerary with different travel segments from several airlines. Passengers have then only one set of tickets for a multi-operator trip and benefit from having their luggage checked right through to their destination LESSON LEARNED This case study illustrated the use of e-ticketing at SN Brussels Airlines. The e-ticketing system did not only enable the airline to reduce operation costs and increase efficiency, but also helped to achieve strategic advantages which have further strengthened its market position. In particular, the applied e-ticketing technology facilitates the creation of alliances with other airlines. This, in turn, allows for a more efficient utilization of transportation capacities and access to a larger number of customers. Furthermore, e- ticketing combined with the development of direct online sales channels reduces the dependency on intermediaries and decreases the payments to CRS/GDS. FUTURE OF E-TOURISM †¢The Internet and mobile communication devices are three most significant ePlatforms that will help change the future of tourism. †¢The Internet will allow more people to access high quality information quickly and with minimum inconvenience. It also gave the possibility to purchase travel products on-line. In addition, it generated great service expectations, as consumers anticipate to be served on a 24hours/365days basis and at their own convenience. †¢Not only does the internet help the traveler but also the tourism suppliers like online travel agents, airlines etc. The trend towards the use of mobile communication devices is mostly determined by the commodification of mobile phones in the past few years, coupled with an increasing need to be able to obtain information while ‘on the move’. For example, business travelers can receive information on arrivals and departures as well as check-in through their mobile phone for a number of airlines. †¢On-line Internet provision is not sufficiently developed for those areas conventional telephone can also be used, a traveler may call a call center to confirm their bookings or ask queries. Importance of GDS and CRS in Travel & Tourism Industry: Computer reservations systems (CRS) have become critical instruments in the marketing and distribution of travel and tourism products and services. New systems have recently been developed in Western Europe, while the Asian and Pacific regions are in the process of establishing their own systems. A central reservation system represents a computerized system used for both storing and distribution of information. We could be talking about a hotel, a hotel chain, a resort or any other type of lodging facilities. The CRS can also be used for checking up different details about flights or seat availability. People may tend to confuse CRS with GDS (Global Distribution System) because of their similar functionality. However, there is one important difference between these two applications. Central reservation systems are web applications exclusive for each company or hotel. On the other hand, a global distribution system is used by various travel agents for booking reasons, as they cannot access CRS. CRS contains important information such as hotel accommodations, activity bookings, flight schedules or even holiday packages. There is almost no need for a travel agent as you could simply arrange your reservations over the Internet. Most hotels and travel agencies have their own websites for presenting their rates and offers. Websites can also be used together with various CRM software in order to strengthen the existent client relationships. Reservations are processed within a centralized location that is also responsible with availability management. Rates retrieval and reservations are made as efficiently as possible. Hotels will benefit from better yield management and will also reduce other costs as web bookings will not be done anymore through third parties.