SMB team on-demand CRM comparison guide by Ziff Davis Essay

SMB team on-demand CRM comparison guide by Ziff Davis - Essay Example The products can also be applied for single use or for departmental use. Each product also has a different pricing basis that ranges in price, duration of license and number of users per license. The products’ mode of sale, year of development, and ownership are also diversified. They however serve a wide customer base in the global market (Davis, p. 1).The reported Customer Relationship Management products also have differentiated features. The products’ specifications such as versions are for example distinct for each product. Similarly, the products functions are diversified and include â€Å"sales, marketing, service, workflow, system customization, offline synchronization, customer service, reporting and inventory management† functions that are either singly or jointly applicable (Davis, p. 2). The products are also identified with special features that apply to some of the functionalities. Such functions are sales, marketing.The content of the paper â€Å" SMB team on-demand CRM comparison guide by Ziff Davis† is relevant and valuable to my project that seeks to recommend application of Customer Relationship Management to Macy’s enterprises. This is because it identifies features of different Customer Relationship Management products, their functions that identify the products’ benefits, and features of every product towards its functions. It therefore helps with information that supports my project’s recommendation of a specific product to Macy’s Inc.

The Success of Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder Essay Example for Free

The Success of Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder Essay With the increased dependence on others because of the boom in societies’ populations, social skills are becoming more of a necessity in the normal functioning of individuals. Behaviors which obstruct the normal functioning of individuals in social situations are therefore a growing cause of concern. One such behavior is the psychological disorder, social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder is a psychological disorder characterized by a persistent fear of negative evaluation from others in social situations to which the individual is exposed (Stein, 2006). Because of this increase in fear of experiencing humiliation, there is an observed pattern of irregular functioning as well as clinically diagnosed distress in the individual (Stein, 2006). This therefore stops the suffering individual from relating to others in regular social situations. Furthermore, the distress resulting from the fear incapacitates the individual from other day-to-day patterns of behavior. Social anxiety disorder manifests during early stages of human development and has been found to be one of the most prevalent mental disorders (Stein, 2006). Because of this, an increase in concern has been raised for the treatment of the disorder, especially because the nature of the disorder prevents individuals from seeking treatment of the same. This paper will deal with two therapies used in treating social anxiety disorder. The treatment procedures offered by cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy, the use of medicine in treatments. This will be done by reviewing several articles written by experts studying methods of treating the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Also the effectiveness of the different treatment procedures in helping clients will be discussed. By the end of this paper a clearer picture will have been made of the research methods utilized in studying social anxiety disorder, the treatments suggested, and the effectiveness of such treatments. The Importance of Working Alliance Hayes, Hopes, VanDyke, and Heimberg (2007) conducted a study regarding the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy in addressing the concerns of patients suffering from social anxiety disorder. One of the processes of cognitive-behavior therapy involves the firm establishment of an interpersonal relationship between the client and therapist. This relationship is known as the working alliance. Working alliance goes beyond forming a bond and involves the foundation of an agreement between the client and therapist regarding the tasks and goals of the therapy proceedings (Hayes et al., 2007). In their research study, Hayes et al. (2007) studied the role that working alliance played in having treatments result in effective treatments. The research was conducted through first assessing that the patients were seeking treatment for social anxiety disorder and that no other therapist was being consulted (Hayes et al., 2007). Participants were then asked to rate the level of distress they felt before entering the therapy. After the session, participants and third-person observers rated the perceived level of working alliance as well as the degree of helpfulness of the session (Hayes et al., 2007). Only the first session was studied by the researchers as they believed this first session was important in knowing if the client would come back or not. This may have limited the results as the researchers couldn’t make sure if the long-term effectiveness of the treatment is because of working alliance or because of other reasons. The research ended with the finding that high levels of working alliance didn’t lower the reported level of depression of the clients (Hayes et al., 2007). However, the treatment did get positive reports as to helpfulness. Those participants who reported moderate levels of working alliance showed decreases in depression (Hayes et al., 2007). In fact, those who reported before the session the highest levels of depression and showed the greatest decrease in depression after the session were those who reported average working alliance levels (Hayes et al., 2007). The research raises the question whether or not an entirely open relationship with therapists would help change the non-helpful social behavior of participants. Also, the research does not clearly point out whether it is the process which clients say is helpful or if it’s working alliance. More than anything, this study points out the need to study more the processes of cognitive-behavior therapy so that it will be understood what particular process helps social anxiety disorder patients. The Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy A research study conducted through the review of relevant past research was conducted by Zaider and Heimberg (2003). Past research was tapped through the use of literature searches, reference lists and research databases (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). This provided the researchers with a long list of research papers to review – more than 100 papers were found but only 80 were accepted based on relevance. This method serves to summarize research conducted over the last fifteen years, making clear the contribution of each individual research conducted. But the study is limited because of the method used. Data still needs to be collected by studying the conclusions and proposals of this review of past literature. The studies reviewed also reflected several treatment procedures used in cognitive-behavior therapy. To name some of these treatments: relaxation training, social skills training, exposure, cognitive-restructuring techniques, and combined exposure and cognitive restructuring (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). However, the general conclusion that could be made was that the treatments were most efficient when applied together. The exact combination of treatments that would give the best results was not made clear though. But the research did conclude that the use of cognitive-behavior therapy greatly improves social performance fears (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). Moreover, the therapy resulted in the improvement of social skills and feelings of depression associated with the disorder (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). The research reflects that cognitive-behavior therapy is quick to answer the needs of social anxiety disorder. But it doesn’t answer the question of which aspect of the therapy directly contributes to the improvement. With the many treatments that may be used in cognitive-behavior therapy it is vague which one results in the best stage of improvement. There is also no explanation regarding the concepts used in this theory which help patients overcome their disability. Comparison between Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Pharmacological Interventions A handout for clinical practice guidelines (Paris, 2006) further discussed the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy in treating social anxiety disorder. The goal was to determine methods of improving the helpfulness of the therapy. This was done through a comparison of the data obtained from past researchers treating social anxiety disorder with three different treatments: cognitive-behavior therapy alone, cognitive-behavior therapy combined with prescribed medications, and pharmacology alone (Paris, 2006). However, this comparison method doesn’t control for certain conditions which might not be present in all studies. This would leave room for error in the data obtained and not make the conclusions objective and reliable. The research also enumerates the treatments applied in cognitive-behavior therapy. The list is similar to the list provided by Zaider and Heimberg (2003), as discussed earlier, except for the deletion of relaxation training and the addition of education and emotion-regulation approaches (Paris, 2006). When the researchers compared the effectiveness of the three above-mentioned conditions, no significant were noted. Therefore there were no added benefits to the use of the therapies in combination as compared to applying them separately. However, the findings did show that after stopping treatment, improvements made through cognitive-behavior therapy lasted longer than those in pharmacotherapy (Paris, 2006). Such findings raise the question as to why cognitive-behavior therapies are not the default treatment for social anxiety disorder. Combined Cognitive-Behavior Therapy and Pharmacotherapy As has been said in the previous study, there have been little to no proof showing the benefits of combining cognitive-behavior therapy with pharmocological treatments. However, medications have been found to lead to faster relief than cognitive-behavior therapy which takes a long and slow process (Rodebaugh Heimberg, 2005). On the other hand, medications have been associated with higher possibilities of relapse while cognitive-behavior therapy has shown low cases of relapse (Rodebaugh Heimberg, 2005). This accounts for the potential of exploring options for a combined treatments therapy. The possibility was studied through a review of current and recent research concerning combination treatments. But this review method fails to give a thorough control for factors which may affect the studied result along with the studied factors. There is no certainty of direct compatibility between studies. The review of the current state of knowledge served to show that some experiments had resulted in the growth of improvement effects through the combination of the two therapies (Rodebaugh Heimberg, 2005). However, this progress was observed only in the short-term effect of the therapy and no data is yet present as to the long-term benefits provided by combined treatments. It has further been found that clients who go through therapy may think that real-life practice situations as safe only when under medication. But when medication is stopped, the fear may return. This shows in truth, little improvement is made in the therapy sessions. This research brings about more questions for future research than it does provide answers. Of particular focus for future research would be the long-term rise in improvements through the early prescription of medication to a client and the delayed start of psychotherapy. Given that the effectiveness of therapy undergone while under medication may only be observed after the stop of such medication, therapy must extend after medication has been stopped. This picture gives a probable combination treatment set up. Pharmacological Treatments of Social Anxiety Disorder Stein (2006) presented his study considering the effect of clinical practices combined with advancements in medical research. This was done through the review of current clinical guidelines. The effects of known medications when applied to individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder were also considered. This method serves to provide a clear picture of the role of pharmacology in the clinical setting. It also identifies the most effective medicine to prescribe to a client asking for help for social anxiety disorder. Unlike other studies which only find basis on the helpfulness of particular pharmaceutical products in combating disorders, this method, evidence-based treatment, looks at clinical data in order to identify the best medication may be given to a client (Stein, 2006). The study reported that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors were the primary pharmacological treatments recommended for manifesting social anxiety disorder (Stein, 2006). It was explained that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors serve as effective short- and long-term treatments for social anxiety disorder. This treatment has been found to be superior to other medications available for social anxiety disorder. However, the occurrence of relapse was common in cases where treatments were not continued. It is therefore best to give long-term treatment for maximum improvement of the patient. Long- term treatment would also decrease the frequency of relapse. Instead of concluding that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors alone should be used for treatment, this research only encourages more research. Although the best possible medication has been identified, the contribution of other known medications has not been forgotten. Stein leaves open the possibility of creating new medicines for the treatment of social anxiety disorder with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as the main ingredient. Summary of Research Material Reviewed To summarize the research findings discussed above, the only successful psychotherapy so far applied to social anxiety disorder is cognitive-behavior therapy. This may be because of the close working alliance between the client and therapist as well as the real life experimentation which acts as practice for the client. This treatment has been found to have more long-lasting improvements than pharmacological treatments. However, on the basis of quality of improvements observed, no significant difference has been found between cognitive-behavioral and pharmacological treatments. It is theorized though that the best improvement environment might be achieved through the combination of the two treatments. However, there is little evidence collected to support such a theory. It should also be noted that the most effective medication, on the basis of evidence from clinical records, has been identified as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. But the combination of this medication with others has not been considered or studied yet. Even though the research findings have not pinpointed the specific predictors of improvement in clients’ conditions, it has been shown that indeed social anxiety disorder may be treated. In fact the challenge for researchers is to make treatment conditions better in order to maximize the improvements already offered by current therapies. Reflection on Research Findings The research has served to the existing state of research clear. From the conclusions of the researchers it can be seen that successful treatments of social anxiety disorder have been achieved. However, the reliability of medication as a treatment for this disorder remains uncertain. Medication gives quick relief of the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. However, when taking medicine is stopped, relapse is not only likely, it is sure to follow. On the other hand, cognitive-behavior therapy offers a more stable process of improvement with fewer chances of relapse. Although this therapy takes longer in showing improvement, the wide variety of treatments it offers allows for the specialization of client-therapy interactions based on the specific concerns and situation of individual clients. This allows for a stronger foundation of change. This would improve interaction even outside the clinical setting. This is quite different from the role of medication which is only to prevent the manifestation of symptoms without addressing the cause of the actual behavior being treated. Although a combination treatment is hoped for, it should be remembered that medication might only bring about a false sense of reliance. Medication should therefore not be regarded as the primary intervention mechanism. It’s psychotherapy which empowers the individual to face different social situations. Cognitive-behavioral therapy gives the patient the ability to develop coping mechanisms which he or she will learn to apply in many different social interactions that may come his or her way. References Hayes, S.A., Hope, D.A., VanDyke, M.M., and Heimberg, R.G. (2007). Working Alliance for Clients with Social Anxiety Disorder: Relationship with Session Helpfulness and Within-Session Habituation, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 36(1), 34-42. Paris, J. (2006). Social Anxiety Disorder. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 51(2), 35S-41S. Rodebaugh, T.L. and Heimberg, G.T. (2005). Combined Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 19(4), 331-345. Stein, D.J. (2006). Evidence-based treatment for social anxiety disorder. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 10(1), 16-21. Zaider, T.I. and Heimberg, R.G. (2003). Non-pharmacologic treatments for social anxiety disorder. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 108(417), 72-84.

The Tourism Product Companys Role

The Tourism Product Companys Role Discuss the importance of delivering quality services in the hospitality industry and identify differences if any between service delivery in the hospitality and service delivery in other business. Tourism is our main source of income in Jamaica so we depend highly on the tourism industry, in order to have a successful industry we must provide quality service. Some of the services that we offer are: transportation by air, land and sea, adventure and we also provide a relaxing atmosphere just to name a few. We also provide good customer service, customer delight which is exceeding our customers (tourist) expectations and creating raving fans for your business. Two main reasons for customer delight are to retain business and to persuade them to be ambassadors for our services. Good customer service provides goodwill, increased repeat business, excellent word of mouth marketing, respect and recognition of being professional. (company, 2006) In every business customer service is key, they rely on repeat customers for the growth of their business if the customer is not satisfied with the level of service they get from a business they will not go back to said place. The difference between service deliveries in the hospitality industry to service delivery in other businesses is that in a business like Grace Kennedy they use indirect services, which include financing, transport and communication; they are supportive of the creation of goods and services. They make it possible for the goods that have been produced to be distributed and made available to the customers for whom they are intended however in the Hospitality industry they use indirect service this includes such areas as Education, Health care, Administrative services and tourism. Tourism is one indirect service that demands our special attention. In most of the Caribbean territories like Jamaica tourism rank as the highest major industries. It provides a high leve l of employment, is a great earner of foreign exchange, and supports many other businesses, including Hotels, Entertainment, Cottage industry and Farming. (Elise Webber, 1990) COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM Community based tourism has, for over three decades, been promoted as a means of development whereby the social, environmental and economic needs of local communities are meet through the offering of a tourism product. However, whilst many projects have been funded in developing countries, their success (or otherwise) has not been widely monitored and, therefore, the actual benefits to local communities remain largely unqualified. Identify the pros and cons of community based tourism and discuss the implications on the country on a whole. Community based tourism is usually owned and operated by people in the community. Most Jamaicans feel alienated from the tourism industry and do not believe that they benefit from tourism. It therefore, becomes important for individuals to become stakeholders as they will now have a reason to protect and sustain the industry. The Tourism Master Plan has identified community tourism as the avenue to achieve sustained growth, environmental sustainability, enhanced visitor experience, increased employment and community development. (company, 2006) Community Tourism was developed and pioneered in Mandeville Jamaica by Diana McIntyre-Pike, hotelier/tourism consultant and Desmond Henry an ex-Director of Tourism in 1978. The Astra Country Inn became the centre for Community Tourism and has been recognized as the pioneer hotel in Community Tourism. Several presentations have been done locally and internationally by Mrs. McIntyre-Pike and Mr. Henry on Community Tourism which has now allowed it to become a world recognized tourism. For example, the International Institute for Peace through Tourism invited Mrs. McIntyre-Pike as one of the worlds 200 success stories speakers at their second Global Conference in 1994 to present the history of Community Tourism and its future. Since then the Institute has selected the Astra Country Inn as one of its case studies internationally in community-based tourism. (Pike) Community Tourism embraces sustainable development through tourism and focuses on the ecology, heritage, culture and way of life of a community and its people. Eco-tourism, Heritage Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Adventure Tourism are a few examples of the types of special interest markets under community tourism. There tends to be much confusion of Community Tourism as it is being seen as one of the special interest type of tourism rather than what it really is a tourism that is community-based in all aspects of the way of life. Sustainable tourism cannot be successful without the participation of communities in the development and management. In 1988, Country style was created as the marketing and development organization for Community Tourism. Country style worked in association with the Central and South Tourism Organization (CESTO) to develop the Community Tourism programme. The central and south area of the island was targeted as the model region for the development. The main focu s is on: Private Home stays where visitors can stay in a private home with families and experience their way of life during their vacation. This has proved very successful as it has enabled visitors to get the best of Jamaicas hospitality, learn the culture, heritage, entertainment, cuisine and more. Country style now receives daily requests for this type of accommodation through e-mail and fax from all over the world. Bed Breakfast accommodation is also encouraged in the communities participating. Anyone interested in becoming an official bed breakfast facility are advised the requirements needed for TPDCo. Country style is very selective where their visitors stay and has had a successful level of satisfaction. Country style specializes in serving special interest markets. These markets are researched and tour packages are developed to suit the interests of visitors. An educational institution uses Jamaica through Country styles Community Tourism programme as a lab of cross-cultural study and research. For example Penn State University was the pioneer educational institution which requested Country style to develop an all-island tourism and environmental package which included community interaction and meeting resource persons working directly in tourism. Seminars were held in each location where the good, bad and ugly of the community was openly discussed, analyzed and recommendations for action determined. This information assisted Country style to assist communities in developing projects for improving the product. The Country style Institute for Sustainable Tourism (CIST) was created to facilitate community training through existing training institutions for sustainable development through tourism. Major partners include CESTO, HEART- Trust/NTA-Kenilworth, NCTVET, West Indies College, Knox Community College, New Beulah Moravian Church, Hibiscus Cultural Tours International, Western Catering School, Penn State University, Caribbean Action for Sustainable Tourism (CAST). CAST has endorsed the work of CIST and has indicated interest in collaborating with CIST to develop the Caribbean community training programme for Sustainable Tourism. The Executive Director of CIST is Mr. Barry Bonito (Pike) Country style Community Tours has successfully attracted many visitors through the Community Experience packages which give visitors the flexibility to tour Jamaica with community persons and allowing them to stay in Villages Island wide which has been sensitized by the Country style group. Visitors are protected from harassment and crime because of the approach of educating communities before they are exposed to visitors. The visitor responses to these packages in Jamaica have now encouraged Country style to develop Caribbean packages (Pike) The Governments role in the development of community based tourism is to ensure that adequate infrastructure is in place, for example, roads, light, water and telecommunication services. To ensure that training programmes are implemented based on individual skills and the requirement of the project. To ensure that effective marketing programmes are implemented and to ensure that adequate safety and security measures are put in place. (company, 2006) The Tourism Product Development Companys role in the development of community tourism to assist in project development ensuring that necessary amenities and physical structures are in place through the project Development Department. To ensure that tourism entities are on par with the required standard of the industry through the standards development. To ensure that individuals are trained in various skill areas such as management and technical support of the development of community tourism, tour guiding, CPR First Aid, customer service and tourism awareness. These programmes would be implemented by the human resource development. (company, 2006) Some benefits of Community based tourism is that it provides employment for persons in the community, increase opportunity for social and cultural interchange, it increase income which will allow improvement of infrastructure and enhancement of the community and provide the quality of life. (company, 2006) Cultural preservation (economic incentives to preserve food, fashion, festivals and physical history, but these tend to be superficial elements of a culture.) environmental protection (econ incentives to preserve nature, wildlife and urban cleanliness) Foreign exchange (generates resources to import food, pharmaceuticals, technology, consumer goods.) Development of health care services (those these arent always available to local people.) (unknown, about ct/benefits.htm) According to the Gleaner published Monday October 2 2001, Former Tourism director Desmond Henry criticized the Jamaica tourist board (JTB) for not recognizing the development of community based tourism on the south coast the future of Jamaicas tourism is on the south coast and it lies in community tourism. There is a whole lot to be done, there is a need for additional rooms but the most important thing is the need for trainees and the community has to understand its role in this important development. He went on to say that the Jamaica Tourist Board has not taken community tourism seriously enough to assist those involved. By employing trainees in the community this will decrease unemployment and poverty in said community. (www.jamaicaobserver.com, 2011) Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says community-based tourism has the potential to significantly boost employment for persons in rural Jamaica, while further driving the development of the product. Speaking at the National Consultation on Community-based tourism, held at the Devonshire Restaurant at Devon House, in Kingston on September 8, Mr. Bartlett said the policy framework for the community-based tourism strategy will facilitate the provision of a wide range of job opportunities in the sector. The consultation aims to facilitate further dialogue among stakeholders on the draft Community-based Tourism Policy and Strategy, which has been submitted to Cabinet for consideration. In January 2010, the Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) signed an agreement for the development of a community-based tourism policy under the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) project. The project is being funded by the Government of Jamaica and the World Bank, through a US$15 million loan. This will benefit and empower many vulnerable groups, such as women, young people, as well as under-skilled and unemployed individuals, the Minister noted. Mr. Bartlett said the policy will also help to address numerous weaknesses at the community level that have hampered the growth of community-based tourism enterprises for years, such as the lack of entrepreneurial capacity, and a limited understanding of tourism markets and the sector in general. The policy will target these shortcomings by providing appropriate approaches to planning and management for such entities as well as institutional arrangements, technical assistance and support, he explained. Mr. Bartlett informed that the policy and strategy, being developed under the guidance of the JSIF, is intended to facilitate the development of a framework aimed at enhancing the policy and institutional capacity needed to develop community-based tourism as a sustainable growth sector locally. I must underscore that this is a vital initiative, as despite the fact that the tourism sector remains the islands primary foreign exchange earner and the driving force of the Jamaican economy, there is still considerable potential for further growth and development, he said. Despite our successes to date, broadening our range of tourism offerings remains an important pillar in our thrust to diversify our product, and developing community based tourism is key to this initiative, he remarked. (unknown, www.jamaicans.com, 2011) Some disadvantage of community based tourism is Cultural destruction, (modernization (world mono-culture), freezes culture as performers, loss: language, religion, rituals, material culture.) primary products (sun, sand, surf, safari, suds, ski, sex) (little value added, neo-colonialism) Environmental destruction (game drives, resorts: golf, ski, beach, desert, world as play ground, SUV.) Marginal employment (low skill, low wage, menial services, prostitution, drug trade, gambling, hustlers.) Low benefits (no job security, no health care, no organizing, no work safety rules or enviro standards.) Development of illegal and/or destructive economic activities (markets for drugs, endangered species, etc.) Outside hiring (skilled middle and senior management recruited out of the area and transferred in.) Concentration employment (walled resort enclaves.) seasonal employment. (mozer) Solutions (for visitor) act to support cultural diversity engage in activities that add value to the community dont do activities that deteriorate the environment dont engage in illegal activities act to disperse the benefits Patronize locally (community) owned enterprises. Solutions (for the host) support the traditional cultural legacy Training and education in local culture, history, natural science, etc. select development and activities that draw from local traditions and add value to the community dont promote activities that deteriorate the environment dont engage in illegal activities adopt a program to disperse the benefits Patronize locally produced products and locally (community) owned enterprises. Make business and foreign exchange transactions transparent and efficient. (unknown, about ct/benefits.htm) 2) Community based tourism is an alternative type of tourism that can be used to diversify Jamaica Tourism Product and provide Jamaica with a competitive advantage. Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment Damion Crawford says the sector has to diversify its products if tourism is to play a major role in the countrys development. Crawford says tourism can play a pivotal role in Jamaicas development, but adds that offering the same products to every visitor cannot be the answer. Speaking at a recent symposium at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies, Mr. Crawford echoed calls for the west Kingston community of Trench Town to be promoted as an area for cultural tourism. He says although the community was made popular by Jamaican music icon Bob Marley, it is still not promoted for the cultural experience. (www.jamaicaobserver.com, 2011) Community based tourism is good for the countrys economic growth and it help to decrease poverty. According to the UWI Community based tourism, however, offers a unique opportunity for Jamaica. The process of community based tourism development if managed effectively has the potential to alleviate poverty and illiteracy. Community based tourism also has the potential to develop the natural creative energy of Jamaicans by transforming average citizens into entrepreneurs. It can be used to develop strong partnerships by twinning existing traditional tourism entrepreneurs. It can be combined with the existing tourism product offerings to create a uniquely Jamaica experience. Community based tourism can be a standalone venture of a partnership of the traditional products blended with Jamaican charm, culture and heritage to create a community tourism spirit that culminates in a truly Jamaican experience. Community based tourism can bring out the best in Jamaican people. (UNKNOWN) Technology Technology has significant impact on the development of the travel and tourism industry. Discuss Technology has played a significant role in the development of the tourism and travel industry. This has been seen through the internet, telecommunication services and point of sale (POS). By using the internet it is easier for you to go on vacation without the hassle, you no longer have to guess if the destination u want to go have the facilities you want you can now go on the internet and research your destination. Also if youre a adventurous person and your coming to Jamaica the internet would also help you to find a hotel near the places you want to see, For example if u wanted to visit Dolphin cove, Dunns river and mystic mountains by doing your research you would not book a hotel in Kingston which is too far from where u wanted to be. By using the internet u could also check to see when it is cheaper for you to travel and get deals with the hotels and airline. You also want to know that when u are going on vacation u can access your bank account. If all this is not possible then u would not want to go on vacation. You want to know that u can still stay in contact with your business while relaxing on the beach. CONCLUSION In conclusion delivering quality service is very important not only in the tourist industry but in other businesses. If customers are not satisfied with the level of service they get they will not come back to your business and we rely mostly on our repeat customers. Community based tourism is also important because it allows the local residents to be involved in tourism and it provides employment and decrease poverty. Technology is important in the tourism industry because without it persons would not leave their business or family to go on vacation knowing that they are not going to be in contact with them.

Feminism in M. Butterfly Essay -- David Henry Hwang

Feminism in M. Butterfly In the 1989 drama M. Butterfly, the masterwork of contemporary American playwright David Henry Hwang, the topic of sexual politics underlies all other themes, and creates a tension between the genders that pervades throughout the text; moreover, Hwang subverts traditional thematic aspects of sexual politics by questioning the most fundamental unit of sex by considering the very nature of gender and what defines a male or a female. These elements unite and develop a penetrating examination of feminism, and an inspection of the role of females in both Western and Eastern societies as they relate to males, and an exposà © of the inequalities of gender which are present, perhaps fundamental, in both cultures. The tug-of-war for control, both sexual and intellectual, between male and female characters, especially Rene Gallimard and Song Liling, is ubiquitous throughout the text, and culminates in the final scene where Rene commits seppuku, or Japanese ritual suicide. In M. Butterfly, Hwang views feminism from a variety of unusual lenses by looking at both genders, and serving to draw attention to the traits and qualities of both using dialogue, character study, and clever dramatic techniques. Any discussion of feminism in M. Butterfly must be chronological, and show the development of the characters over time; this allows the reader and audience to mark the character study of the selves over duration of the drama. In the opening act the reader is introduced to a very feminine Song Liling, the character who first assumes the function of the female. Hwang acquaints the reader with Song dancing, and in female garb, in the stage directions of the first act; yet the audience can guess as early as two page... ...ruitless and impossible way to establish a productive, working relationship between men and women. From the three gossipers to Gallimard and Marc, from Gallimard and Renee to Gallimard and Song, Hwang inspects feminism using a new and unusual viewpoint throughout the play, which he asserts in various ways. Hwang states that only as equals can male and female coexist in harmony; revealing underlying sexism in both the cultures of East and West, Hwang shows there is much room for improvement, and that education of gender would be a valuable thing. M. Butterfly is a strong and creative drama driven by strong and creative ideas, but none are as clear or as forceful as the inequalities between men (the errant need to control) and women (submitting to these controls) and their sources (male insecurities, fear of vulnerability), which he discloses, and ultimately, condemns.

High school graduates should take a year off before entering college Essay

A woman takes a selfie from a high angle A selfie is a type of self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a hand-held digital camera or camera phone. Selfies are often associated withsocial networking, like Instagram. They are often casual, are typically taken either with a camera held at arm’s length or in a mirror, and typically include either only the photographer or the photographer and as many people as can be in focus, which is more commonly known as a ‘group selfie’ Contents History The first known selfie, taken by Robert Cornelius in 1839 Robert Cornelius, an American pioneer in photography, produced a daguerreotype of himself in 1839 which is also one of the first photographs of a person. Because the process was slow he was able to uncover the lens, run into shot for a minute or more, and then replace the lens cap. He recorded on the back â€Å"The first light Picture ever taken. 1839.† Early Edwardian woman taking her picture in a mirror roughly 1900 Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia taking one of the first teenage self-portraits The debut of the portable Kodak Brownie box camera in 1900 led to photographic self-portraiture becoming a more widespread technique. The method was usually by mirror and stabilizing the camera either on a nearby object or on a tripod while framing via a viewfinder at the top of the box. Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna at the age of 13 was one of the first teenagers to take her own picture using a mirror to send to a friend in 1914. In the letter that accompanied the photograph, she wrote, â€Å"I took this picture of myself looking at the mirror. It was very hard as my hands were trembling.† The concept of uploading group self-taken photographs (now known as super selfies) to the internet, although with a  disposable camera not a smartphone, dates to a webpage created by Australians in September 2001, including photos taken in the late 1990s (captured by the Internet Archi ve in April 2004). The earliest usage of the word selfie can be traced as far back as 2002. It first appeared in an Australian internet forum (ABC Online) on 13 September 2002. Um, drunk at a mates 21st, I tripped ofer [sic] and landed lip first (with front teeth coming a very close second) on a set of steps. I had a hole about 1cm long right through my bottom lip. And sorry about the focus, it was a selfie. Popularity The term â€Å"selfie† was discussed by photographer Jim Krause in 2005, although photos in the selfie genre predate the widespread use of the term. In the early 2000s, before Facebook became the dominant online social network, self-taken photographs were particularly common on MySpace. However, writer Kate Losse recounts that between 2006 and 2009 (when Facebook became more popular than MySpace), the â€Å"MySpace pic† (typically â€Å"an amateurish, flash-blinded self-portrait, often taken in front of a bathroom mirror†) became an indication of bad taste for users of the newer Facebook social network. Early Facebook portraits, in contrast, were usually well-focused and more formal, taken by others from distance. In 2009 in the image hosting and video hosting website Flickr, Flickr users used ‘selfies’ to describe seemingly endless self-portraits posted by teenage girls. According to Losse, improvements in design—especially the front-facing c amera copied by the iPhone 4 (2010) from Korean and Japanese mobile phones, mobile photo apps such as Instagram, and selfie sites such as ItisMee—led to the resurgence of selfies in the early 2010s.

Benefits and limitations of airport security scanners1 Essay

Benefits and limitations of airport security scanners Introduction                   The security and welfare of people is very important in a society. In order to ensure that people are secure and safe, some measures may be employed although they may be controversial. The example of airport security scans represents such a circumstance. The full body scanners are used detect objects that are on the body of an individual for security reasons without requiring the individual to remove their clothes or have physical contact with the device. Statistics indicate that as of December 2013 an estimated 740 scanners (full body scanners) these devices were in use at more than 150 airports in the United States (TSA). They are effective in identifying suspicious objects that a person may be carrying. However, there are concerns whether use of the full body actual really is a necessary precaution or a practice that invades the privacy of travelers.                   The devices are effective in detecting suspicious objects that may be concealed including both metallic and non-metallic objects. As opposed to metal detectors which identify objects that are made of metallic materials, the scanners used in airports detect both metal and non-metallic objects. They uncover objects that a physical pat-down would reveal but fail to be identified by a metal detector such as chemical explosives and plastic explosives. The device therefore performs the function of both a metal detector and a physical pat-down in revealing various dangerous devices at airports. People who have sinister motives or who desire to break the law by moving illegal items through airports would therefore not be able to succeed in perpetuating their plans because of the presence of the scanners. The primary objective of the scanners is hence achieved and safety of passengers as well as national security is secured.                   The fact that it performs the duties of both a physical pat-down and a metal detector means that the device facilitates time saving and is cost effective (TSA). Regardless of the high costs incurred in purchasing and installing it, the device would replace two security guards responsible for physical pat-downs (one guard for each gender). The airport using the device would hence save on wages for two people and less time would be consumed compared to the time used during a physical pat-down.                   Physical pat-downs are considered by various people to be intrusive and full body scanners provide a better alternative that is not as intrusive as pat-downs and that is more thorough. However, since they still examine the body of an individual in-depth, they still make people to feel that their privacy has been invaded. In order to further protect the privacy of people undergoing such scans, screeners are located in a different room from the individual where they can view images without exposing the identity of the person undergoing the scan (Tessler). In addition, security officers entering the viewing room are not allowed to enter with mobile phones, cameras or any gadgets that can take images and store or transmit them (Tessler). Still, fears remain that such images may be stored and used in other platforms such as uploading them to the internet. Authorities provide counterarguments such as the assertion that functions that are responsible for storag e or transmission are not active but rather that they are disabled prior to the installation of these devices in airports. This, though, does not overrule the possibility of technicians managing to enable such functions. Furthermore, it is not quite clear the reason behind inclusion of such functions in the device yet they get disabled prior to installation.                   The costly nature of full body scanners is a major limitation that raises the costs of startup for people wishing to enter the aviation industry. Much as they are costly, they fail to reveal objects that are hidden in body cavities and are not capable of revealing objects that are of low density. It is therefore apparent that full body scanner despite of the significant popularity they have gained in combating security threats and illegal practices are incapable of combating drug smuggling that is executed through concealment of drugs in body cavities (Tessler).                   Full body scanners create a potential for harassment or embarrassment of specific groups of people. The device can detect medical equipment that may be connected to body parts such as catheters and it may necessitate further examination to confirm the identity of the object detected (Gartner et al). This would embarrass the victim who would feel that they have been singled out because of their medical condition. Transgender people are also susceptible to such embarrassment as the scanners are capable of detecting prosthetics such as testicles and breasts and the need may arise to further examine individuals whose images indicate the presence of both breasts and testicles as one of the two body features may be an improvised tool to conceal weapons, drugs or other illegal objects or objects not allowed through airport security (Gartner et al). Conclusion                   Full body scanners are recommended to improve airport security and only few loopholes are existent like the inability to detect objects in body cavities. Although much criticism has been directed at the devices, much of it is only based on assumptions and not factual information. On the contrary, the benefits of the device are validated by real life examples therefore full body scanners are largely beneficial. References Gartner M., Heyl M., Holstein A. and Thewalt A. What can the ‘naked’ scanner really see? Bild. 22 July 2010. Web. 8 April 2014 Tessler, Joelle. Airport full-body scanners have benefits, and limits. The Denver Post. 31 December 2009. Web. 8 April 2014 Transportation Security Administration, TSA. Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT). 12 February 2014. Web. 8 April 2014 Source document