Why men's basketball is better than women's basketball Essay

Why men's basketball is better than women's basketball - Essay Example This paper analyses the above preposition from three different writers, and considers their perception and the rhetorical tools they have used to drive their points and how effective the tools are in accomplishing the writer’s objective. The first article written by Josh Kramer posits that by comparison, men’s basketball is better than that of the women in more than one way. In this sense, the writer employed the use of strategies in order to communicate and deliver his arguments and views. Where as he acknowledges that every ones opinion matters in this assessment, he also asserts that there are some inherent things with men’s basketball that makes it much cherished compared to that of the women (Kramer). He considers the airtime that the two are given and explains that men are given more than women and the situation makes it possible for men to dominate the game than women. On the other hand, the author also posits that in women basketball, there is no overall excitement as compared to that of men. These among other thing like the predictability of the women game makes it too boring to attend to and watch. In order to drive his point home, the author has used rhetorical tools to channel the same, for example.

Five Forces Model Of The Airline Industry Tourism Essay

Five Forces Model Of The Airline Industry Tourism Essay The bargaining power of buyers is another force that can affect the competitive position of a company (Porter, 1998, p.48). This refers to the amount of pressure customers can place on a business, thus, affecting its prices, volume and profit potential (Porter, 1998, p.45). The various airlines flying from the Gold Coast airport are competing for the same customer, which also results in strengthening the buyer power. Individuals wishing to travel to and from the Coolangatta airport are presented with various choices when selecting an airline but price is usually the most important factor, especially for students and families. Hence, the bargaining power of customers in the airline industry is very high since they are price sensitive and search for the best deals available. Virgin Blue attracts travellers that are price sensitive by offering them low fares and those that are convenience oriented by providing them with frequent flights. Qantas on the other hand has created a frequent f lyer program to create switching costs which may be a significant factor to a traveller when choosing which airline to fly with. In addition to buyers, suppliers can also exercise considerable pressure on a company by increasing prices or lowering the quality of products offered. The bargaining power of suppliers depends on supplier concentration, substitute supplies, switching costs, threat of forward integration and buyer information (http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au, 14 April 2008) Suppliers within the airline industry are concentrated since Boeing and Airbus are the main suppliers (http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au, 14 April 2008) As the supplier industry is dominated by Boeing and Airbus the concentration undermines the ability of airlines such as Virgin Blue to exercise control over suppliers and earn higher profits. Since Virgin Blue has a fleet of 53 Boeing 737 aircraft its supplier has a high bargaining power over Virgin Blue (http://www.virginblue.com.au/AboutUs/index.htm, April 12, 2008). However, other suppliers who work with the airline such as the providers of on board snacks do not have the same bargaining power as they are a larger industry which allows for Virgin Blue to have a choice over who they are purchasing from. Virgin Blue will purchase their on board snacks from the supplier which is the most economic so Virgin Blue can make a higher profit margin from the goods when they are sold. The availability and threat of substitutes is another factor that can affect competition within the airline industry. It refers to the likelihood that customers may switch to another product or service that performs similar functions (Stahl, M, Grigsby D 1997, pg 145). Substitutes for air travel include travelling by train, bus or car to the desired destination. The degree of this threat depends on various factors such as money, convenience, time and personal preference of travellers. The competition from substitutes is affected by the ease of with which buyers can change over to a substitute. A key consideration is usually the buyers switching costs, however due to their low fare non-stop flights, Virgin Blue, Jetstar and Tiger airways can lure both price sensitive and convenience oriented travellers away from these substitutes. Virgin Blue has actually joined forces with its substitutes, such as car rentals and hotel and tour packages as they believe that these complement the Airli ne Industry by helping its growth and popularity. No other travel industry has such incentives and these really help the airline industry to a large extent. The final force in Porterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s model is competitive rivalry that describes the intensity of competition between established firms in an industry (Stahl, M, Grigsby D 1997, pg 148). Industries that are very competitive generally earn low profits and returns since the cost of competition is high (Stahl, M, Grigsby D 1997, pg 148). The airline industry is usually characterized by the cut-throat competition that exists among the rival airlines due to its low cost nature. Since the carriers are involved in a constant struggle to take away the market share from each other, industry growth is average and as it is easy for buyers to switch between the airline companies, depending on price, the rivalry is increased. Rivalry is also high in the airline industry due to high fixed costs, as much of the cost of a flight is fixed, there is a great opportunity for airlines to sell unsold seats cheaply, which resolve in pricing wars between the airlines (Hubbard, 2004, pg 38). The airl ines are continually competing against each other in terms of prices, technology, in-flight entertainment, customer services and many more areas. The net result of this competition between companies is an overall slow market growth rate. In conclusion we can understand that the airline industry is very competitive and Michael Porters five-forces model can be used to explain why the potential for returns is so low in this industry. Firstly, the threat of new companies entering the industry is high and the entry barriers are low. Secondly, the bargaining power of customers is high since they are price sensitive and search for the best deals. The third force, bargaining position of suppliers, is strong since they are concentrated and this limits the control airlines have over suppliers to reduce prices and earn higher profits. The availability and threat of substitutes is another factor that can affect a companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s competitive position. However, the degree of this threat depends on various factors such as time, money, convenience and personal preferences of travellers. The final force in Porters model is competitive rivalry between the companies within an industry. Cut-throat competition exists among the airlines and since there is a constant struggle for market share, the over all profit potential of this industry is low.

Regulatory Environment at Kudler Fine Foods :: Business Regulation

Regulatory Environment at Kudler Fine Foods Kudler Fine Foods is going through a shrinking and expanding process in the few months and will be temporarily closing some departments while a new catering service is being created. While some businesses may have personnel issues in dramatic expansions of business, Kudler Fine Foods has a path to follow that will allow all employees to stay employed and learn new aspects of the grocery business. With the expansion of Kudler Fine Foods, new resources will be needed. This paper illuminates the way to this goal and be in compliance with existing regulations. Kudler Fine Foods Obligations to the Employees The decision to use local growers of organic produce and start a catering service will result in the shutting down of some departments during a three-month refurbishing process. Because Kudler Fine Foods operates in the state of California, where "employment is at will', this means that the employer can fire the employee for no reason or any reason," (Greenburg, 2007). The only two exceptions are discrimination and breach of contract. Kudler Fine Foods' Employee Handbook states, "The only policy we will never change or cancel is our employment-at-will policy." The employment-at-will policy allows the employee or KFF to terminate employment at any time for any reason," (Apollo, 2007). Kudler Fine Foods has no obligations under "breach of contract", because no contracted employees exist in the company, so long as no terminations during the refurbishing are based on discrimination. The question of obligations to affected employees can be answered by looking at laws governing unemployment insurance. Since 1935, "federal law has authorized joint federal-state efforts [to protect] employees after their employment end," (Mallor, 2003, p. 1169). The Kudler Fine Foods Employee Handbook expressly states that all employees are eligible for unemployment insurance (Apollo, 2007). Because of this, the affected employees may be entitled to unemployment insurance payments if that meet certain requirements set forth by the state, including being unemployed through no fault of their own, being physically able to work and actively seeking work, (State of California, 2007). Kudler Fine Foods will need to keep in mind that the positions that are being laid off will need to be filled in three months, the company will have to be careful how they layoff the employees, so that the employees do not become disgruntled and look for other jobs, which would increase Kudler Fine Foods' need to train new employees.

A significant relationship exists between the age of the workforce and increased levels of job satisfaction

Studies of the correlation between the extrinsic and intrinsic aspects that provide for job satisfaction, has been widely analyzed and studied. This study proposes to analyze whether the age of the employee and length of employment has any relations with job satisfaction.Employees of an educational and research institution were surveyed to establish if the company commands high or low job satisfaction. Having participated in a similar survey a year ago, the new findings were used to compare with previous findings to see if job satisfaction has changed. A correlation and linear regression found that neither age nor sex could be used to accurately establish job satisfaction.Future analysis should have an emphasis on categories and age groups that score low on job satisfaction. This survey is important and can be employed by other businesses to test the level of job contentment. Employees who have a job satisfaction tend to be more dedicated to the organization, value their work and are more productive. Random sampling of various age groups was used in this study in order to come up with an accurate finding.The study encompassed the employees as well as the management. In the company’s workforce, 40% percent are male while 59% are female. Based on the findings of the survey there seemed to be a significant relationship between other demographics like sex, year employed, age as factors affecting job satisfaction. A lack of management to employee’s communication is also one of the factors that affect the employees’ satisfaction.IntroductionMelbourne institute is a large educational facility that also doubles as a research institute.   There are employees here who work full time while others are on short term contracts. Many studies have been conducted to establish the aspects that affect job satisfaction. Irregardless of age studies have shown that a large percentage of full term employed expressed a high level of contentment compared to the s hort or part time workers.Generally a multiple of reasons would motivate an employee to remain in a given company; this may include high pay, job security, benefits during work and retirement. An individual’s number of working years is sometimes proportional to their age. This is important as it is considered status by both the employees and the employer.There are a myriad of considerations that will make an employee decide to stay, extrinsic items are those that have been bestowed to the employee by the employer this may include, praise, bonuses etc. the opportunity of progress is also an important consideration, if an employee feels that they cannot advance despite their age they are bound to consider moving to another company. Job satisfaction is one of the most important attribute of the employment relationship.The implications of job satisfaction are extremely influential in that they can determine other factors like productivity, efficiency as well as turnover in an org anization. It is no longer acceptable for workers to work for minimum wage. Every employee wants to be employed on clear terms with a stable salary, but this alone is not pertinent enough to establish job satisfaction.The relationship between an employer and the employees should provide for means by which they can both achieve their objectives since if   employees are deemed to be satisfied in their capacities its is assumed that their output is greater and quality of work is high. This is first achieved by first appreciating that the benefits are mutual and that both the employer and the employee need each other.Coupling job satisfaction with the age of the employees as well as the length of time they have been employed gives another dimension of the relationship. This relationship not only entails how the employee is viewed by the employer but also by other future prospective employers. Senior employees who have been working for long and have a wide range of experience can be va luable to a company. Experience is also an aspect that is tied to age.If the employer is reward adequately for his service he may have little concern in looking for alternative employment. At the start of career, most employees are satisfied with a good starting salary but as years progress and to get job satisfaction, most of them turn their emphasis on job security. Job satisfaction is a combination of cognitive and effective contentment expressed by an individual.Effective contentment is one based on the entire emotional aspect of the individual. This study seeks to establish if there is a relationship between age and job satisfaction (Biderman, 1995).

Ecotourism in Malaysia

G. DEVELOPMENT OF ECOTOURISM IN MALAYSIA -Mohd Director, Nawayai Zoo Park Yasak Melaka Malaysia Department of Wildlife and National 1. Historical Background Until the 1970s, tourism was not regarded as an important economic activity in Malaysia. The Tourism Development Corporation of Malaysia (TDC) was set up in 1972, with the responsibility to act as a development authority, but the sector was given a low priority. Dut partly to limited financial allocations, TDC faced constraints in the effective performance of its catalytic role. As a result, Malaysia remained a relatively unknown destination, while other countries in the region such asSingapore, Thailand and Indonesia built on their established reputations as mass tourism destinations. During the 1980s, tourism became an increasingly important industry worldwide. Investment in new facilities and capital equipment reached around $US 350 million per year, representing 7. 3 per cent of total worldwide capital investments. Almost 6. 5 per cent of the world's workforce were employed by the industry. Among the main reasons for this growth were increased personal income and leisure time, improvement in international transportation systems and greater public awareness of other parts of the world due to improved communications. These developments were felt by Malaysia as well as other countries. Recognizing that tourism can playa role in economic and social development, as well as in fostering national integration and unity, the Malaysian government undertook a series of positive initiatives to stimulate the development of the tourism sector. These included the following: (a) The government established the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (which became the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism in 1990). This provided an institutional framework for the planning, coordination, and regulation of tourism, and for the first time tourism was accounted for within the framework of recognized economic activities; By virtue of the Tourism Industry Act of 1992 and the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board Act of 1992, the new Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism took over from TOC the function of formulation and implementation of policies, licensing and enforcement aspects of the tourism industry. TOC thereafter became known as the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (or Tourism Malaysia for short), with a role concentrated on marketing and promotion; The Investment Incentives Act was revised in 1986 to include the tourism sector, thereby giving additional stimulus to tourism investment, such as the Pioneer Status Investment Tax Allowance, Industrial Building Allowances, and tax exemption for large foreign group tours; In 1990, the federal government set up a Ringgit Malaysia (RM) 120 million special fund for tourism to stimulate its development, including small and medium scale enterprise. b) (c) (d) During the Fourth and Fifth Malaysia Plans (1981-1985 and 1986-1990) significant attention was given to the tourism sector, with increased public allocations for marketing and promotional activities, infrastructure and product development. Expenditure was RM 125. 5 million under the Fourth Plan and RM 132. 1 million under Fifth Plan. The Fifth Plan period culminated in Visit Malaysi a Year 1990, which generated a high international profile for Malaysia and attracted 7. 4 million tourists as well as revenues of RM 4. 5 billion. Under the Sixth Malaysia Plan (1991-1995), the government therefore increased the public allocation for tourism development to RM 533. 9 million. This allocation has been used to provide and expand the physical and social infrastructure, facilities and services required to support the future growth of the tourism sector. (See Table 1. ) Visitors have come to Malaysia for many years to see wildlife, scenery, forests and beaches. The numbers are very difficult to assess, except at a few sites such as Taman Negara and Kinabalu Park. There, the numbers have climbed steadily over the past 30 years. The well-known sites are mainly large with multiple attractions, but they also include one or two places with a single major attraction, notably Rantan Abang in Terengganu with its turtles, or Rafflesia sites in Sabah. Some smaller sites have attracted fewer visitors, but are known internationally among a sector of the potential market. Examples include Fraser's Hill and Kuala Selangor, both of which are of particular interest for birdwatchers and are now on the regular itineraries of some specialist and general tour companies. 84 1. Development allocation for tourism under the Fifth and Sixth Malaysia Plans (AM million. ) Fifth Plan (1986-1990) Sixth Plan (1991-1995) Allocation Preservation Beautification of national/historical and environmental heritage protection Tourist accommodation Cultural product development Facilities and infrastructure OtherTotal 1. 5 2. 0 2. 5 2. 5 79. 2 52. 8140. 5 0. 7 0. 0 2. 5 2. 5 76. 7 49. 7 132. 1 *$US = AM 2. 5 4. 1 171. 7 43. 6 112. 9 157. 4 7. 2 533. 9 The market in specialist adventure activities (four-wheel drive, microlight, whitewater rafting, etc. is more recent but is rapidly expanding. Most of these activities only marginally qualify as ecotourism when practiced in parucularly careful ways, and some are harmful to the environment. They are indicative of the conflicts that can arise between adventure tourism, nature-based tourism and ecotourism, both in objectives and practice. Despite the fact that some tourists have pursued activities that could be defined as ecotouri sm for manyyears, attention to this market component from the tourism sector itself has been slight. Only a few tour operators have long and consistent records in ecotourism. Many others have sporadically explored this sector with varyingsuccess, low investment, and low expertise. Various reasons could be cited for their lack of success. Among the tour operators leading groups to Taman Negara are several very big companies, but as this is only a tiny part of theirtotal business and income, client dissatisfaction may have little influence upon the companies. Many ecotourism businesses remain small, or face difficulties in obtaining clientele and close down. The sit~ation for ecotourism in Malaysia is, therefore, very similar to the experience in many other countries. One difficulty in assessing progress in ecotourism is the shortage of reliable data. Tourist numbers as a whole are not easy to analyse and not much effort has yet been made to look at the ecotourism or nature-based tourism sector in particular. In 1994/95, for the first time Tourism Malaysia questionnaires included questions about whether tourist had visited Taman Negara, Bako National Park, Gunung Mulu National Park, the Niah Caves r Kinabalu Park. No statistics exist on how many visitors like to go fishing, mountain climbing or walking in the forest, nor are there detailed visitor profiles of different nationalities in relation to nature. Nevertheless, the number of tour operators interested in ecotourism or nature tourism and the number of individuals hoping to be ecotour or nature tour guides are increasing. Interest is also expressed through a number of workshop and s eminars relating to ecotourism. Recent examples are the Institute for Development Studies (Sabah) Seminar on Nature Tourism as a Tool for Development and Conservation (Sabah, Malaysia, March 1994), the Seventh PATA Adventure Travel and Ecotourism Conference (Balikpapan, Indonesia, January 1995) the ESCAP Expert Group Meeting on Ecotourism and Development in Asia and the Pacific (Bali, Indonesia, March 1995) and the PATA Heritage Conference on Tourism: A Force for Conservation of Nature and Culture (Phuket, Thailand, September 1995). Two public exhibitions on nature-based and adventure tourism have been held in Kuala Lumpur. A pilot training course for nature guides has been established, and the Malaysian Tourist Guides Council has arranged a tour guide refresher course with components on ecotourism and agrotourism. If as has been suggested, 7 per cent of travel worldwide is nature-related, then in 1994 Malaysia probably attracted 505,000 ecotourists from overseas. If, however, half of all non-ASEAN visitors to Sabah and Sarawak carry out some nature- or culture-related activity, there may have been as many as 571,000 ecotourist visiting Malaysia in 1994. Revenue would have been about RM 655 million. Current Situation The main thrust of governmental policy on tourism is contained in the Tourism Policy Study by Peat Marwick(1992), together with materials in the Sixth Malaysia Plan, Mid-Term Review and the forthcoming Seventh MalaysiaPlan. Sarawak has a Second State Tourism Master Plan (1993) and the Sabah State Tourism Master Plan was completed in early 1996. 85 2. Expenditure Allocation Programme Table There are about 2,000 registered tour and travel agencies in Malaysia, and it is estimated that about 800 take bookings for travel to nature-related destinations. However, many of these act only as intermediaries and pass on these bookings to a relatively small number of companies which deal with particular destinations. There are thought to be about 30 companies specialising in nature and ecotourism. There are about 3,500 registered tour guides, of whom the majority have full (general) guiding licences. A smaller number are specialized in specific skills. There is no detailed breakdown of the number of guides with guiding skills for each ecotourism activity, but a basic pool of resources is available in most fields. Some Malaysian specialist guides are of international repute. Participation by non-government organisations in ecotourism is limited but increasing. There are a number of state, regional and national trade organisations and tourist guides' associations which are beginning to investigate ecotourism and to provide training. So far, training courses have not been formalised. About 20 sites in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak account for the vast majority of ecotourism by overseas tourists. The same sites are visited by many Malaysian tourists. Recreation by Malaysians in Peninsular Malaysia takes place in a network of Recreational (Amenity) Forests and a number of sites elsewhere in the forests. It is estimated that about 7 to 10 per cent of all overseas tourists are involved in ecotourism activities, while up to 14 per cent express an interest in walking, hiking and trekking. This amounts to about 512,000 to 1,024,000 overseas tourists per year. The number of Malaysians visiting the same sites is close to or exceeds the number of overseas tourists. The involvement of individuals from local communities is uneven. At some sites (for example, Kinabalu Park) local residents are closely involved in guiding, staffing and gaining financial benefits from the park's operation. Sites exist in which the local community forms a passive component of the tourism product. Sites also exist in which the local community has, in effect, been excluded from tourism development, but these are none of ecotourism developments. Where local residents are involved in ecotourism, there tends to be a shortage of training and management opportunities for them. National Ecotourism Policy The National Ecotourism Plan was developed to provide a more integrated approach to achieve specific national objectives, such as those contained in the Five Year Plans and other documents, within the field of ecotourism. It should contribute towards producing a more distinctive Malaysian tourism image and identity and contribute towards direct involvement of local populations, enhanced training, interagency and inter-sectoral cooperationand, most importantly, fostering environmental protection and preservation. This plan is in the process of adoption by the federal government. The National Ecotourism Plan will include the following elements of implementation: (a) adopt and promote a clear definition of ecotourism; (b) adopt and promote a clear policy on developing ecotourism; (c) strengthen the Ecoand Agro-Tourism Implementation Committee; (d) implement legal changes to support implementation of the Plan; and (e) establish a monitoring and evaluation programme. The National Ecotourism Plan will include site planning and management. This includes actions to: (a) (b) (c) Establish Establish planning procedures application for ecotourism developments; development; system of ecotourism areas; areas; rocedures management for ecotourism Expand and improve Elaborate Implement Establish Establish Establish of a nationwide (d) (e) (f) (9) (h) (i) development guidelines and management for ecotourism; plans for ecotourism a series of pilot ecotourism additional ecotourism projects; products at Taman Negara and other sites; and promote a consistent marketing strategy; and ecotourism. Identify and promote fiscal measures to encourage Actions to strengthen institutions and build capacity under the National Ecotourism Plan include: (a) (b) Establish a Human Resources Development Plan; Ensure local community participation in ecotourism; 6 3. (c) (d) (e) (f) Investigate Establish the feasibility of an accreditation scheme for ecotourism; and promote ecotourism product development; for ecotourism guides; and Establish training and promote certification Upgrade standards of tourist literature. REFERENCES Economic Planning Unit for the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Sustainable Development, 1993. Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism of Malaysia. Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism of Malaysia. Malaysian Malaysian National ConselVation Strategy: Towards Tourism Policy Study; 1991. Plan, Malaysia, 1996. National Ecotourism 87