Media Planning Essay Example

Media Planning Essay â€Å"Whoever controls the media controls the culture. † – ALLEN GINSBERG, POET â€Å"Information is the oxygen of the modern age. † – RONALD REAGAN, US PRESIDENT Media Today â€Å"Your TV is ringing. † Maybe you saw the Verizon ad that shows a cellphone with a TV attached to it—pointing out that you can talk on the phone and watch TV at the same time, on one piece of equipment. If you saw it, you might have said, â€Å"cool,† or â€Å"I want that,† or â€Å"what a ridiculous thing to do. † But Verizon could have gone further. The ad could have pointed out that some of the company’s cellphones also let you watch movies, play video games, download and listen to music, and read a newspaper or magazine. It’s an exciting time to study mass communication. None of the activities described above could have been attempted on a cellphone (call it a mobile device) just a few years ago. They raise questions about the impact that these and other technologies will have on us, our society, and the content of TV, movies, video games, music, newspapers, magazines, and movie companies. In fact, the transformations are so great that you have the opportunity to know more than conventional experts, to challenge traditional thinking, and to encourage fresh public discussions about media and society. Consider the mass media menu that Americans have today. Instead of three or four TV channels, most Americans receive more than fifty and a substantial number receive one hundred and fifty and more. Radio in urban areas delivers dozens of stations; satellite radio brings in hundreds more, and music streaming on the Web—sometimes called Internet radio—is carried out by countless broadcast and non-broadcast entities. We will write a custom essay sample on Media Planning specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Media Planning specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Media Planning specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The advent of home computers, VCRs, CD players, DVDs, and DBS has brought far more channels of sights and sounds into people’s lives than ever before. So has the Internet and the World Wide Web, the computer network that Americans use to interact with information, news and entertainment from all over the nation and the world. Research indicates that Americans typically spend an enormous amount of time with mass media. 1 Think about your own media habits. How close do you come to the average 32 hours a week (about 4. hours a day) of television that Americans view on the traditional TV set as well as online? What about radio? Studies suggest that Americans listen to around 15 hours a week of radio in the regular broadcast mode, via satellite channels or from their online feeds. Do you do that, or do you instead listen to recorded music on your iPod or on your MP3 or CD player? Studies show that Americans spend an average of about 3. 5 hours a week with recorded music, but colleg e students undoubtedly do more of it. And what about your time reading books, newspapers and magazines? Data show that on average Americans spend about 8 hours a week with one or another of these, both their printed versions and their websites. Just a few years ago, media such as television, radio, books and newspapers seemed pretty separate. It was clear what content from each medium looked or sounded like, and it would have been foolish to suggest that newspaper articles and television programs would show up on the same channel. Today, with the rise of new computer technologies that we will explain in the coming pages, this â€Å"foolishness† is exactly what has happened. The access people have on the Internet to content from different types of media is part of a process called convergence. Convergence takes place when content that has traditionally been confined to one medium appears on multiple media channels. The media of mass communication, then, are an integral part of our lives, occurring in a wide variety of settings. In this chapter, we will explore and define communication, media, and culture, and we will consider how the relationships among them affect us and the world in which we live. We will also consider why the term mass communication remains relevant in the twenty-first century, contrary to what some writers say. In fact, the changes taking place in the media system actually make a rethought and redefined version of the term more important than ever. U N D E R S T A N D I N G T H E N A T U R E O F M A S S M E D I A Varieties of Communication onvergence when content that has traditionally been confined to one medium appears on multiple media channels audience fragmentation the process of dividing audience members into segments based on background and lifestyle in order to send them messages targeted to their specific characteristics mass production process the industrial process that creates the potential for reaching millions, even billions, of diverse, anonymous people at around the same time industrial nature what distinguishes mass communication from other forms of communication is the industrialized—or mass production—process that is involved in creating the message material. This industrial process creates the potential for reaching billions of diverse, anonymous people simultaneously. The traditional notion of the audience as a large mass of anonymous individuals has given way beneath the fragmenting of audiences to reveal smaller, specially targeted media audiences made up of individuals who are segmented by any number of characteristics. To understand why some writers suggest that the term mass communication doesn’t connect to what’s going on in today’s world, we have to look at how the term has traditionally been used. Over the past one hundred years, people who wrote about mass communication tended to relate it to the size of the audience. That made a lot of sense back then. From the mid-nineteenth century onward, new technologies such as high-speed newspaper presses, radio, movies, and television provided access to the huge â€Å"masses† of people. Not only were those audiences very large, they were dispersed geographically, quite diverse (that is, made up of different types of people), and typically anonymous to the companies that created the material. The essential reason newspapers, radio, television, and other such media were considered different from other means of communication had to do with the size and composition of the audience. This perspective on mass communication worked very well until the past couple of decades when the key aspects of the traditional definition of mass communication as reaching huge, diverse groups no longer fit. The reason is that the arrival of media channels—including the growing number of radio and TV stations, the rise of the VCR, the multiplication of cable networks, and the rise of the Web— led to audience fragmentation (see Figure 1. 1). That is, as people watched or read these new channels, there were fewer people using any one of them. Because these new media channels do not necessarily individually reach large numbers of people—the â€Å"masses†Ã¢â‚¬â€some writers suggested that we can abandon the term mass communication. However, the view in this book is that mass communication is still a critically important part of society. In our view, what really separates mass communication from other forms of communication is not the size of the audience—it can be large or small. Rather, what makes mass communication special is the way the content of the communication message is created. Mass communication is carried out by organizations working together in industries to produce and circulate a wide range of content—from entertainment to news to educational materials. It is this industrial, mass production process that creates the potential for reaching millions, even billions, of diverse, anonymous people at around the same time (say, through televising the Olympic games). And it is the industrial nature of the process—for example, the various companies that work together within the television or Internet industries—that makes mass communication different from other forms of communication even when 6 U N D E R S T A N D I N G M A S S M E D I A Figure 1. 1 Audience Fragmentation The arrival of the diverse Media channel A array of media channels has had a fragmenting effect on audiences—as audience members move to watch, read, or listen to a new channel, fewer people use any single channel. Media channel B Media channel E Media channel C Media channel F Media channel D C Media channel G C the audience is relatively small and even one-to-one. To help you understand how mass communication relates to other forms of communication, let’s take a closer look. Communication Defined Different types of communication are a basic feature of human life. In general, the word communication refers to people interacting in ways that at least one of the parties involved understands as messages. What are messages? Messages are collections of symbols that appear purposefully organized (meaningful) to those sending or receiving them. Think about the many ways that you signal to others what you want to do or how much you care about them. The signals are often verbal but they can also be through body language. When Jane shouts excitedly to her friend Jack and leaps with joy into his arms after she wins a tennis match, that’s a form of communication. It’s likely that Jack, whose arms she almost broke, realizes that she wants to tell him something. People who study communication would typically call the interaction just described interpersonal communication, a form that involves two or three individuals signaling to each other using their voices, facial and hand gestures, and other signs (even clothes) that they use to convey meaning. When you talk to your parents about your coursework, discuss a recent movie over dinner with friends, or converse with your professor during her office hours, you are participating in the interpersonal form of communication. ommunication refers to people interacting in ways that at least one of the parties involved understands as messages messages collections of symbols that appear purposefully organized (meaningful) to those sending or receiving them interpersonal communication a form of communication that involves two or three individuals signaling to each other using their voices, facial, and hand gestures, and other signs (even clothes) that they use to convey meaning 7 U N D E R S T A N D I N G T H E N A T U R E O F M A S S M E D I A Mediated Interpersonal Communication Breakdown When tragedy strikes, it is not unusual for people to lose their sense of security in the world—at least temporarily. Yet large-scale crises may also prompt people to lose faith in the communication systems that they have come to depend on for information. During the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, many media channels were inaccessible. Phone lines were jammed for hours, and some local radio and television stations were knocked off the air. In addition, a number of websites crashed while others failed to provide information about the attacks, leading one reporter to declare that â€Å"the Internet failed miserably. † In 2007 during the shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, dis, cussions resurfaced about communication during crises. This time, however, the focus was not on the technology but on the way people were using it, particularly new media formats such as mobile devices, blogs, and social networking sites. C U L T U R E T O D A Y As the attacks unfolded, many students used their Facebook and MySpace pages to let family and friends know they were okay. In fact, science reporter Alan Boyle remarked that â€Å"the media methods employed during [the] crisis broke new ground—and undoubtedly saved lives in the process. Others, meanwhile, questioned why Virginia Tech authorities did not take advantage of communication technologies to immediately alert members of the campus community that they were in danger. Andrew Kantor, a technology reporter for USA Today, saw this event and its aftermath as evidence that people have yet to adapt fully to new types of communication. Sources: Alan Boyle, â€Å"How Smart Mobs Coped with a Massacre, † MSNBC, accessed on 6/11/07, http://www. msnbc. msn. com/ id/18184075/; Andrew Kantor, â€Å"Virginia Tech Tragedy Highlights Differences between Old, New Media, USA Today, accessed on † 6/11/07, www. usatoday. com; Jen Muehlbauer, â€Å"Reporting the Unthinkable, The Industry Standard’s Media Grok, accessed on † 9/12/01, http://www. nettime. rg/Lists-Archives/nettime-bold-0109/ msg00273. html. mediated interpersonal communication a specialized type of interpersonal communication that is assisted by a device, such as a pen or pencil, a computer, or a telephone intrapersonal communication an individual â€Å"talking† to himself or herself small group communication communication among three or more individuals organizational communication the interactions of individuals in a formal working environment Mediated interpersonal communication, which is a specialized type of interpersonal communication, can be described as interpersonal communication that is assisted by a device, such as a pen, a computer, or a telephone. When you write a thank you note to your grandmother, send an email to your graduate teaching assistant, or call a friend on the phone, you are participating in the mediated form of interpersonal communication. In this form of communication, the people you are interacting with can’t touch you and you can’t touch them. You might even be thousands of miles from each other. The technology—the pen and paper, the computer, the telephone—becomes the vehicle (the medium) that allows you to interact with them. Communication scholars also differentiate among other forms of communication. Some write about intrapersonal communication, which involves an individual â€Å"talking† to himself or herself—for example, an internal â€Å"conversation† that weighs the pros and cons of a decision. Other researchers write about small group communication, organizational communication, or public communication. Small group communication involves communication among three or more individuals. Think of the deliberations of five friends who get together to plan a ski trip. Organizational communication involves the interaction of individuals in a formal working environment. When an executive sends messages down the chain of command, this is a form of orga- 8 U N D E R S T A N D I N G M A S S M E D I A nizational communication. Public communication involves one person who speaks to a large number of people—for instance, a professor speaking to students, or a candidate for public office talking to a crowd at a rally. Note that hese forms of communication can each take place interpersonally or they can be mediated. A group planning a ski group can meet face-to-face or can interact through email. The boss could talk to her department heads in her office, or leave a message on their phone mail system. A professor can talk in front of the class, or leave a video of himself or herself for the students to watch. While the types of communication described above have their differences, they have a central similarity: they involve messages. Seven major elements are involved in every interaction that involves messages. These elements are the source, encoder, transmitter, channel, decoder, receiver, and feedback. Let’s take them one at a time. In communication, the source is the originator of a message. public communication one person who speaks to a large number of people Source The source is the originator of the message. The source may be a person (when Jane speaks to Jack), or several people (a choir singing). But the source can also be an organization. For example, suppose you receive a notice in your mailbox from your bank. While individuals who work there created and sent the notice, from your standpoint, â€Å"the bank† was the source of the message. The source may or may not have knowledge about the intended receiver of the message, but it does have a thought or idea to transmit to some other person or organization. Encoding Encoding is the process by which the source translates the thoughts and ideas so that they can be perceived by the human senses—these are primarily sight and sound, but may also include smell, taste, and touch. A source creates or encodes a message in anticipation of its transmission to a receiver. When the source is an individual, the encoding goes on in the individual’s brain. When the source is an organization, encoding takes place when people in the organization create messages. Transmitting The transmitter performs the physical activity of actually sending out the message. Picture an employee apologizing to a supervisor for taking an unauthorized day off from work. The employee’s vocal cords and face muscles— in fact, his entire body—will be involved in the transmission of the words, tone, and physical movements that the supervisor standing in front of him will understand as meaningful. Now, picture this same employee apologizing to his supervisor, not in person, but over the phone. In this case, a second type of transmitter operates along with the vocal cords. That second transmitter is the telephone, which turns sound waves from the vocal cords into electrical impulses that can travel across the phone lines. The telephone is an example of a mediating technology, or medium, of communication. A medium is part of a technical system that helps in the transmission, ource the originator of the message which may be a person, several people or an organization encoding the process by which the source translates the thoughts and ideas so that they can be perceived by the human senses— primarily sight and sound, but may also include smell, taste, and touch transmitter performs the physical activity of distributing the message medium part of a technical system that helps in the transmission, distribution, or reception of messages 9 U N D E R S T A N D I N G T H E N A T U R E O F M A S S M E D I A 1 The source encodes a message using the brain and transmits it through the air waves (a medium) using parts of the body (vocal cords, facial muscles). 2 The receiver hears the source’s voice, decodes the message using the senses, and prepares to encode an answer. This process of responding is called interpersonal feedback. The message travels through the air (the channel ) to reach the other person (the receiver ). 6 The former source is now the receiver. The receiver decodes the message and prepares to encode an answer (more interpersonal feedback ). In this way the interpersonal communication episode continues. 5 4 The receiver encodes a response using the brain and transmits it (the feedback) using pa rts of the body. When transmitting, the receiver becomes a source. The message travels through the air (the channel ) to reach the other person. Figure 1. 2 A Model of Interpersonal Communication In this model of interpersonal communication, information moves from a starting point at the source, through the transmitter, via the channel, to the receiver for decoding. channels the pathways through which the transmitter sends all features of the message, whether they involve sight, sound, smell, or touch distribution, or reception of messages. It helps communication take place when senders and receivers are not face-to-face. The Internet is an example of a medium, as are the radio, CD, television, and DVD. (Note that the term medium is singular; it refers to one technological vehicle for communication. The plural is media. ) Channel All communication, whether mediated or not, takes place through channels. Channels are the pathways through which the transmitter sends all features of the message, whether they involve sight, sound, smell, or touch. When a man on the street walks up to you and shouts at you in a way that you can hardly understand, the channel is the air through which the sound waves move from the man’s vocal cords. If your roommate yells at you through the phone, two channels are at work: one channel is the air that vibrates the phone mechanism, and the other is the wire through which the electrical impulses move toward you. Decoding Before a receiver can hear (and make sense of) a source’s message, the transmitted impulses must be converted to signs that the brain can perceive as meaningful. Decoding is the way in which this is done. It is the reverse of the encoding process—it is the process by which the receiver translates the source’s thoughts and ideas so that they have meaning. In the case of the interpersonal communication, the decoder is biological: the brain is the decoder. When the telephone is involved, the electrical impulses that traveled through the phone lines must be decoded into sound waves before they can be decoded by the brain. In fact, all media require this sort of decoding. When you play music on an MP3 player or iPod, it decodes the impulses that have been laid down on the disk so that you can hear the tunes. Similarly, the television is the decoding the process by which the receiver translates the source’s thoughts and ideas so that they have meaning 10 U N D E R S T A N D I N G M A S S M E D I A The source (a person) encodes a message using the brain and transmits it through the telephone (a medium) using parts of the body (vocal cords, facial muscles). The phone enco des the message as electrical signals. 2 The message travels through the air, phone, and phone lines (the media channels) to reach the other person (the receiver). 3 The phone (a receiver medium) rings. A human receiver (a person) answers the phone. The phone decodes the electrical transmission into sound, and the human receiver decodes the human source’s message using the senses and prepares to encode an answer. This process of responding is called interpersonal feedback. 6 The former source is now the receiver. The receiver (a person) decodes the message and prepares to encode an answer (more interpersonal feedback). In this way the mediated interpersonal communication episode continues. 5 4 The receiver (a person) encodes a response using the brain and transmits it (the feedback) using parts of the body and the phone. When transmitting, the receiver becomes a source. The message travels through the air, phone, and phone lines (the media channels) to reach the other person. Figure 1. 3 decoder that takes the electrical impulses from the air or cable and converts them into the programs you watch. A Model of Mediated Interpersonal Communication In this model of mediated interpersonal communication, information moves from a starting point to a source, who encodes a message. The message is transmitted through channels to the receiver, who decodes the message. receiver the person or organization that gets the message feedback when the receiver responds to the message with what the sender perceives as a message Receiver As suggested above, the receiver is the person or organization that gets the message. Sometimes the source’s message will reach its intended receiver; sometimes it reaches another receiver altogether. But even if someone other than the intended receiver receives the message, communication has still taken place. Say, for example, that you assume that your friend Brad is in the next room and, as a result, you shout your opinion about his new girlfriend, Keiko. Even if it turns out that Brad wasn’t in the next room at all and did not hear (receive) the message you sent him, but instead his girlfriend, Keiko, was in the next room, the episode can still be considered interpersonal communication: your message was encoded, transmitted via your vocal cords, sent through the channel of the air, decoded by the receiver (although not the one you intended), and received. Feedback Feedback occurs when the receiver responds to the message with what the sender perceives as a message. When Keiko, your friend’s girlfriend, tells you, â€Å"I never knew you felt that way about me, you jerk,† that is feedback. In fact, this sort of feedback continues the interpersonal communication process. As Figure 1. shows, two people continue their communication by continually receiving and responding to each other’s messages. The same thing happens with mediated interpersonal communication, as shown in Figure 1. 3. The communication â€Å" episode† 11 U N D E R S T A N D I N G T H E N A T U R E O F M A S S M E D I A between the two ends when one of them sends no more feedback to the other (the person walks away, the parties hang up the phone). Feedback doesn’t always take place immediately, especially in mediated interpersonal communication. Say you send your friend an email. Keiko reads it, gets embarrassed by something you wrote and decides to write you a reply. You read the note and then, after thinking about it for a day, write back directly to her. Her email and your response are examples of delayed feedback. noise is an environmental, mechanical, and semantic sound in the communication situation that interferes with the delivery of the message. Environmental noise comes from the setting where the source and receiver are communicating. Mechanical noise comes from the medium through which the communication is taking place. Semantic noise involves language that one or more of the participants doesn’t understand. Noise Noise is an environmental, mechanical, and semantic sound in the communication situation that interferes with the delivery of the message. Environmental noise comes from the setting where the source and receiver are communicating. In an interpersonal communication situation, Ahmed, the source, may be at a cricket match trying to talk on the phone, and Sally, the receiver, might be at an auction where people are screaming bids. Mechanical noise comes from the medium through which the communication is taking place. Say there is static on the phone—that would be mechanical noise that would add to the environmental noise. Semantic noise involves language that one or more of the participants doesn’t understand. Let’s say Ahmed tells Sally that â€Å"the bowler attempted a bouncer that turned into a beamer. † Even when Ahmed repeats the words three times through the environmental and mechanical noise so that she hears them, Sally has no idea what Ahmed is talking about, since she knows little about the sport of cricket. From Communication to Mass Communication One way to understand mass communication is to show its similarities to and differences from other forms of communication. One similarity is that mass communication takes place through media. Small groups can come together in virtual chat rooms that are connected by wired networks, organizations can connect their far-flung employees via video conference facilities that are linked through cables and satellites, and professors who deliver public lectures can record them for projection from a computer server to different classes at different times. In other words, the channels used in mediated forms of interpersonal, group, organizational and public communication are sometimes similar to those used in mass communication. Yet another similarity between these other forms of communication and mass communication is that we can describe mass communication using the same terms of source, encoder, transmitter, channel, decoder, receiver, feedback, and noise that are shown in Table 1. 1. But here is also where we begin to see differences. The most important differences relate to the source of the message, its transmitter and the way feedback takes place. Differences in the Source In the other forms of communication we’ve discussed, individuals are the source of the message that scholars study. In mass communication, by contrast, complex organizations, often companies, take responsibility for the activity. The source is an organization such as a company, not a single person. To get a strong grasp of the difference, think of Jon Stewart delivering his version of the news on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. If Jon were in the same room as you telling you about what he just read in the paper, that would be a clear case of interpersonal communication and Stewart would be a source. If your friend were to record that conversation on his video camera and his brother were to watch 12 U N D E R S T A N D I N G M A S S M E D I A Ta b l e 1 . 1 Differences in Types of Communication Interpersonal Communication Message Source Encoding Uses all the senses An individual By an individual’s brain Mediated Interpersonal Communication Typically verbal and/or visual An individual By an individual’s brain and technology The air, technology A few or many individuals in the same location By technology and an individual’s brain Immediate or delayed; generally direct Mass Communication Typically verbal and/or visual One or more organizations By an organization and technology The air, technology Typically, many people in different locations By technology and an individual’s brain Immediate or delayed; generally indirect Environmental, mechanical, and semantic, sometimes caused by organizations Channel Receiver The air A few individuals in the same location By an individual’s brain Decoding Feedback Immediate and direct Noise Environmental, mechanical, and semantic Environmental, mechanical, and semantic, with environmental sometimes caused by organizations the video of Jon talking about the news, that is an example of mediated interpersonal communication where Jon is still the source. The difference between these two examples of the source and Jon’s appearance on The Daily Show is that behind Stewart is an organization that is creating the news satire for him to present. Sure, Jon is reading the messages, and so it may seem that he should be called â€Å"the source. † But employees of The Daily Show helped him write his script, produced and edited the videos he introduces, and prepared his set for the broadcast. Moreover, the photos and clips he satirizes sometimes come from news firms, such as ABC News. So Jon is really just the most visible representative of an organizational source. Differences in Transmission The critical role of organizations in mass communication compared to other communication forms also shows up in the transmission of the message. In interpersonal, small group, and public communication, an individual sender or a committee takes responsibility for transmittingthe message—perhaps using microphones when speaking to a crowd or telephones when speaking at a distance. In mass communication, however, transmission is too complex to be accomplished by an indi- Mediated forms of interpersonal, group, organizational, and public communication may use channels similar to those used in mass communication. 13 U N D E R S T A N D I N G T H E N A T U R E O F M A S S M E D I A Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show, isn’t a oneman band. It takes the entire Comedy Central organization—writers, producers, engineers, stage managers, sound technicians, camera people (to name a few)—to create each evening’s program. Stewart is the most visible representative of the organizational source that creates The Daily Show. vidual or even a few people. That is because transmission involves distributing the material to several locations and presenting the material (that is, exhibiting it) at those locations. Instead of a few individuals, a number of organizations (usually large ones) are typically involved in the process. Think of our Daily Show example again. When Jon reads the script on The Daily Show, his vocal cords transmit the words into a microphone; the air and electric current ar

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Effects of Type 1 Diabetes on Pregnancy Introduction Diabetes mellitus is a serious endocrine disorder caused by a deficiency or diminished effectiveness of the hormone insulin and is categorized into two sub-categories, type 1 and type 2, together with the lesser known variant gestational diabetes (Burden, 2003, pp30-32). Type 1 diabetes is thought to be a genetically controlled autoimmune disorder that presents in childhood and is also know as juvenile onset diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in older, obese individuals; however, this type of diabetes is becoming increasingly more common among children and adolescents. Debatably, this is because of the increase in childhood obesity because of the sedentary lifestyle some children are adopting in today’s society. There is also an hereditary predisposition to type 2 diabetes. If one or both parents have type 2 diabetes the offspring is at an increased risk of getting the condition (Rosenbloom et al, 1999, pp345). It is important to note that g estational diabetes that is a complication of pregnancy is different from the pre-existing diabetes in pregnancy that will be discussed in this essay. It is thought that approximately three to five percent of pregnancies are complicated by type 1 diabetes. During pregnancy diabetes mellitus can have a damaging detrimental affect on both maternal and foetal health. Conversely, diabetes is affected by the physiological changes that take place during pregnancy (Bewley, 2002, pp47-48). This essay will examine the effects of type 1 diabetes on a seventeen year old (Carol) that is six weeks pregnant. The essay will start by investigating the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in order to acquire a global picture of the disease. The aetiology and physiology of type 1 diabetes will then be discussed. This essay will then go on to consider the signs and symptoms of the condition and its effects on Carol now and in the future. Next the complications of diabetes in general and during pregnancy will be discussed, considering the effects on Carol and her unborn child. The effects of type 1 diabetes on the developing embryo, foetus and mother will be addressed. Finally, the hereditary link for type 1 diabetes will be considered and the essay will then be concluded. Epidemiology Diabetes mellitus is a growing global and public health problem. The World Health Organisation (2006, p1) estimates that the problem could escalate to an estimated three hundred million people by 2025. It is thought that approximately one and a half million people in the United Kingdom have diabetes mellitus. Type 1 accounts for approximately twenty percent of cases of diabetes mellitus. Type 2 diabetes accounts for more than eighty percent of cases with more than one million people diagnosed in the United Kingdom (Burden, 2003, pp30-32). The aetiology and physiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus This section focuses on the causes of disease and the biological aspects of diabetes mellitus. As mentioned type 1 diabetes results from the complete absence of the hormone insulin that is involved in glucose metabolism. It is thought that it is an autoimmune disease in which the bodys immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans that are embedded in the tissues of the pancreas (See diagram 1). Diagram 1, this shows the islets of Langerhans that are deeply embedded with the tissues of the exocrine pancreas (http://cal.man.ac.uk/student_projects/2000/mnby7lc2/pancreas.htm). Diagram 1 The pancreas has two functions the exocrine cells produce digestive fluids and the endocrine cells produce hormones. It is the endocrine insulin producing beta cells that are important in the role of diabetes mellitus. The beta cells (see diagram 2) make insulin and when the body’s immune system attacks it results in the destruction of these cells. As the cells die insulin production stops and the consequences of this are impairment in function of, and damage to many of the organs in the body. Diagram 2 shows the insulin producing beta cells that are found in the islets of Langerhans (http://cal.man.ac.uk/student_projects/2000/mnby7lc2/pancreas.htm). Diagram 2 It is not known exactly what triggers this immune attack, but susceptibility to the disease might be inherited. The autoimmune attack may be triggered by reaction to a virus infection. The attack is thought to be carried out by the T cells of the immune system (Waugh and Grant, 2001, p234). In Diabetes mellitus there is too much glucose in the blood. When carbohydrates are eaten they are broken down into glucose. This process is known as gluconeogenesis and occurs in the liver and kidneys. The level of glucose in the blood is regulated by the naturally occurring hormone insulin. Insulin promotes transport and entry of glucose into the body’s cell and tissues. Glucose is essential to the production of energy within the cells and without it cellular death will occur (Tortora and Grabowski, 2003, p627). Signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes mellitus This section will examine the signs and symptoms that Carol would have exhibited before diagnosis and during the course of the condition. The initial clinical indication of untreated diabetes relates to elevated blood sugar levels, and loss of glucose in the urine. When there are excessive amounts of glucose in the urine, water is taken out of the body in large amounts by the process of osmosis (Waugh and Grant, 2001, p235). This results in polyuria (increased urine output) and that leads to dehydration. Dehydration causes polydipsia (increased thirst) leading to increased fluid consumption. The inability to utilise glucose energy eventually leads to weight loss despite excessive hunger (polyphagia). Dramatic weight loss would have been a clinical sign exhibited by Carol. Some patients also complain of fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Patients with diabetes are prone to developing infections of the bladder, skin, and vaginal areas; this is because hyperglycaemia can disrupt the action o f phagocytes that are help to fight infection. The immune system in diabetes sufferers is suppressed and this limits the body’s ability to resist invasion by bacteria or viruses. Fluctuations in blood glucose levels can lead to blurred vision and extremely elevated glucose levels can lead to lethargy. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious medical condition resulting from uncontrolled diabetes. Ketoacidosis is caused by lack of insulin and occurs when the body uses fat as an energy source and ketones build up in the blood. Ketoacidosis starts slowly and builds up to a life-threatening condition that can result in coma and possible death (Burden, 2003, pp30-32). Carol may have exhibited all or some of these symptoms when first diagnosed and she is exhibiting symptoms of weight loss, tiredness and mood changes at present. Debatably, this is because here blood glucose levels are uncontrolled due to her pregnancy. Having said this however, research has found that adolescents (in particularly girls) are not vigilant in all aspects of managing their condition. Having a certain level of hyperglycaemia will enable a person to eat, yet remain thin. In today’s society that is obsessed with thinness teenage girls might undertake such an action (Carson, 2000, pp36-37). Complications of diabetes mellitus in general and during pregnancy There are many long-term clinical complications of diabetes that affect various systems and organs of the body. Having diabetes mellitus increases the risk of developing irreversible microvascular or macrovascular disease. Microvascular diseases include retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy and macrovascular diseases include ischemic heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. These disease are all a result of poor glycaemic control (Donnelly et al., 2000, pp1062-1066). Diabetic retinal and renal disease will be discussed in more detail as pregnancy can result in further complications and poor pregnancy outcome. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that can lead to blindness. The longer a person is diabetic, the higher the chances are of developing the condition. It is thought that prolonged periods of hyperglycaemia cause damage to the blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye. Diabetic retinal disease can deteriorate during pregnancy and poor glycaemic control in the first trimester is associated with the progression of retinopathy (Hill, 2004, p40-44, Donnelly et al, 2000, pp1062-1066). Carol should have her retinas examined at the start of her pregnancy to establish if she has pre-existing retinopathy. If retinopathy is diagnosed than Carol will need to have regular eye tests to monitor the condition. Continuous good glycaemic control will stop the condition from progressing. Diabetic renal disease or nephropathy is again caused by hyperglycaemia resulting in damage to the capillaries in the kidneys. The kidneys are then unable to undertake filtration of amino acids and this leads to hypertensive disease. Women who have pre-existing nephropathy are at an increased risk of poorer pregnancy outcomes. This is because high blood pressure as a direct result of nephropathy can cause pre-eclampsia. This in turn can cause premature delivery and maternal death (Donnelly et al, 2000, pp1062-1066, Hill, 2004, pp40-44). It is important therefore, that Carol’s blood pressure is monitored throughout her pregnancy as hypertension is a sign of pre-eclampsia (Bewley, 2002, p50). Effects of type 1 diabetes on the developing embryo, foetus and mother It is suggested that type 1 diabetes mellitus in pregnancy puts the foetus and the developing baby at far greater risk than is imposed on the mother. Various, potentially damaging problems can arise from foetal reactions to maternal glucose levels. Therefore, if a mothers glucose levels are high, the foetus will have correspondingly high levels (Bewley, 2002, p51). If a mothers blood glucose levels are continuously high (hyperglycaemia) during the first-trimester there is an increased risk of congenital anomalies such as neural tube defects that include spina bifida, abnormalities of the heart and anatomical abnormalities of the bones (Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health, CEMACH, 2005, p37). Neural tube defects are major birth defects of a baby’s brain or spine. They happen when the neural tube (that later turns into the brain and spine) does not develop in a correct anatomical manner resulting in damage to the brain or spine (Tortora and Grabowski, 2003, p1073). This happens within the first few weeks that a woman is pregnant, often before a woman knows that she is pregnant. Another condition that is attributed to maternal diabetes is that of Polyhydramnios. This is the medical condition of too much amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac. Polyhydramnios is generally due to maternal diabetes and is thought to be caused by increased foetal urination. This is caused by the elevated amount of glucose in the mothers blood that cross the placenta and makes the blood of the foetus hyperglycaemic. This results in increased urine output from the foetus. In pregnancies affected by Polyhydramnios, approximately twenty percent of the neonates are born with a congenital anomaly of some type. There are a number of risks that are increased in polyhydramnios including cord prolapse, placental abruption and perinatal death (Pilu Nicolaides, 2006) Other adverse neonatal conditions that are attributed to maternal diabetes are neonatal mortality, premature birth, hypoglycaemia and an increased risk of respiratory distress syndrome (Bewley, 2002, p51). There is also an increased risk of macrosomia that can lead to an augmented possibility of shoulder dystocia and an assisted delivery. Macrosomia is related to maternal hyperglycaemia and is characterised by larger-than-normal birth weight in a newborn at over 4500 grams (10 pounds). High levels of glucose in the mothers blood readily pass through the placenta to the developing baby stimulating insulin production in the baby. Insulin is a potent growth hormone and so fat is deposited which can result in a large baby. This can cause shoulder dystocia and birth trauma because the baby will not easily fit through the birth canal. Postpartum, the newborn continues to produce excessive quantities of insulin that can result in the infant being hypoglycaemic.The mother has an increased pr evalence of pre-eclampsia, postpartum infection, postpartum bleeding, and caesarean section (Reece et al, 2004, p169) . It appears from the research indicated that Carol needs to have optimum glucose control for her own health and for that of her baby. Women with type 1 diabetes should have a pre-conception glucose level within normal limits that is an HbA1c of below 7 percent. The management of pregnancies complicated by pre-existing diabetes mellitus should begin prior to conception (Reece et al, 2004, pp481). However, at seventeen it is quite possible that Carol’s pregnancy was unplanned. Is type 1 diabetes mellitus hereditary? It is thought that there may be a genetic or inherited susceptibility to diabetes. If a parent has type 1 diabetes, the chance that their children will be affected is about twenty-five to forty percent. In the instance of type 1 diabetes various genes have been indentifyed that might predispose an individual to the disease. Therefore, it is suggested that this genetic mutation might incline an individual to diabetes. It is debated that a genetic element is not, in itself enough to cause autoimmunity. It is suggested that external influences such as a viral infection are thought to trigger the disorder. It can be said that type 1 diabetes is an immunological disease that has a genetic background cause (Littorin, 2001, pp1033-37). It is possible therefore, that Carol has inherited a genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes from her mother, but environmental factors might activate the actual disease. Conclusion Diabetes is an increasingly common disease that if not controlled can cause a number of disabling lasting complications that can have a destructive influence on both quality and quantity of life. Type 1 diabetes is thought to be an autoimmune disease that leads to the complete destruction of the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. Insulin is needed to help glucose enter the cells of the body. Glucose is required in the cells to produce energy for normal cell function. It is possible that there is an hereditary link that predisposes an individual to the condition. As Carol was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus at the age of seven and she has had difficulty in controlling her blood glucose levels, she is at an increased risk of developing diabetic complications. It appears that her pregnancy will also intensify the effects of some of the complications affecting both her own health and that of her baby. It is suggested that Carol needs to attain good glycaemic control for her own health and for the health of her baby. Bibliography Bewley C (2002) Diabetes in pregnancy. Nursing Standard, 16, 25, 47-52. Burden M (2003) Diabetes: signs, symptoms and making a diagnosis. Nursing Times, 99, 1, 30-32. Carson C (2000) Managing adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Nursing Times, 96, 45, 36-37 Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health: Pregnancy in Women with Type 1and Type 2 diabetes in 2002-03, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. London: CEMACH; 2005. Diagram 1 and Diagram 2 http://cal.man.ac.uk/student_projects/2000/mnby7lc2/pancreas.htm, date accessed 23/11/2006. Donnelly R, Emslie-Smith AM, Gardner ID and Morris AD (2000) Vascular complications of diabetes. British Medical Journal, 320, 1062-1066. Hill J (2004) Identifying and managing the complications of diabetes. Nursing Times, 100, 34, 40-44. Littorin B (2001) Family Characteristics and Life Events Before the Onset of Autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes in Young Adults: A nationwide study. Diabetes Care, 24, 1033-1037. Pilu G and Nicolaides KH (2006) The 18-23 week scan: Polyhydramnios. http://www.fetalmedicine.com/18-23scanbook/Chapter14/chap14-03.htm, date accessed 23/11/2006. Reece EA, Coustan DR and Gabbe SG (2004) Diabetes in Women: Adolescence, Pregnancy and Menopause. 3rd edition, Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Rosenbloom AL, Young RS, Joe JR and Winter WE (1999) Emerging Epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes in Youth. Diabetes Care, 22, (2), 345-354. Tortora GJ and Grabowski SR (2003) Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 10th edition, New Jersey, John Wiley Sons, Inc. Waugh A and Grant A (2001) Ross and Wilson Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness. 9th edition, London, Churchill Livingstone. World Health Organisation (2006) Diabetes. Fact sheet NÂ °312, September 2006, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/ date accessed 23/11/2006.

A Note Regarding Paul de Mans The Intention Structure of the Romantic Image :: Essays Papers

A Note Regarding Paul de Man's The Intention Structure of the Romantic Image In "The Intentional Structure of the Romantic Image," one encounters a piece of the twentieth-century discussion of the philosophical considerations of language. One can say that Paul de Man really takes the view of Romanticism akin to that of Martin Heidegger's view of poetry in general. Heidegger states that poetry must be a kind of "speaking being" or the creation of something "new" through language.(Note 1) Language itself stands upon itself in poetry according to Heidegger. De Man picks up the broad discussion of what language is with his discussion of the Romantic image. The main thesis of this essay lies in the difference between the everyday consciousness that one has of the concrete world and the consciousness which one achieves through the Romantic image. De Man says that these two functions of the consciousness differ and that the objects one finds in concrete nature are essentially different from those found in Romantic imagery. Paul de Man begins with a discussion of how the simile works in Romantic literature. In order to illustrate his point, he provides a simile from Holderlin. The English translation of this simile may be rendered in two ways according to helpful footnote on page 67. One may either translate, "Words will originate that are like flowers," or, "Words will have to originate in the same way that flowers originate." (Note 2) The latter rendering, that with which da Man concerns himself, provides a relationship between the origination of flowers and the origination of words. This simile relates something which is natural or found in nature, the origination of flowers, to something which does not have the same "objective" existence, the formation of words. This simile of words "originating like flowers" gives one an image which will not correspond to the "natural object," the flowers, as they exist in one's everyday experience of the world. One can take note of flowers blooming in a field, but one cannot sensibly see words blooming in a poem. In order to make his point clear, da Man discusses the difference between what he calls the natural object and the image. According to da Man, the natural object rests "safe in its immediate being." (Note 3) The concreteness of the natural object provides stability in its very being. The natural object does not need to be qualified in the same way that a word does.

Overcoming Prejudices and Self Acceptance-the Color Purple

Overcoming Prejudices for Self Acceptance Throughout Alice Walker’s novel, The Color Purple, the main character, Celie, reveals all of the hardships she has endured during her life. Celie confides in her younger sister, Nettie, and God to express the way she feels in certain situations. As the story progresses, Celie eventually finds her voice and breaks away from all the men who oppressed her during her life. For the duration of the novel, prejudice becomes a reoccurring theme. Not only does Celie struggle with the external prejudices of sexism and racism, but she also struggles with the internal prejudices toward herself.By using Celie’s struggles as an example, Walker teaches the reader that one must overcome prejudices in order to accept themselves. Sexism becomes one of the main external struggles throughout the novel. With the use of the name â€Å"Mr. __† for Celie’s husband, Albert, Walker shows the reader Celie’s growing resentment towards him. The use of this name â€Å"suggests fearful effacement of an identity too dangerous to reveal† (Heglar). She begins to show bitterness when she says, â€Å"I scurry bout, doing this, doing that. Mr. __ sit by the door gazing here and there† (Walker 43). Celie takes the traditional roll of caring for the house while Mr. _ sits by and tends to his own needs and not the needs of the family. Celie’s dislike towards him grows throughout the novel as he becomes more selfish. Sexism occurs again with the use of gender roles in Harpo and Sofia’s relationship. Sofia represents a strong woman who does not let men dominate her. She and Harpo struggle with these roles throughout the novel. Sophia takes on a more masculine roll and Celie describes their arguments as â€Å"fighting like two mens† (Walker 38). Harpo believes that he should beat Sofia because she does not act like Celie in the sense that she does not give in to his every command.Finally, the use of gender violence is passed down through the generations. Gerri Bates stated that â€Å"The act of gender violence is almost handed down from father to son† (97). When the conflicts between Sofia and Harpo begin, Mr. __ encourages Harpo to beat Sofia so that she will give in to his ways. He uses Celie as an example because she never fights back and remains very obedient. With the use of sexism throughout the novel, Walker shows the reader all of the struggles Celie faced during this time period and how she overcame them. Racism also becomes a major external struggle during this novel.During this time period, whites embodied the image of higher class citizens. Many of the women in this novel aspire to look like white women in order to become more sophisticated. The white women of this time period wore an array of bright and vibrant colors that stood out from the rest. Celie describes the barrier between the races when she says, â€Å"Us dress Squeak like she a white woma n, only her clothes patch† (Walker 95). This quotation depicts the difference between the races at the time, and how even though they tried to bring Squeak up in society, they couldn’t quite reach that level because of their race.The role of racism occurs again when the mayor’s wife treats Sofia’s children like animals. While walking around town one day, the mayor’s wife approaches Sofia and her children and begins petting them like animals and saying â€Å"and such strong white teef† (Walker 87); she looks down on the family because of their race and treats them like animals. This again builds the wall between the races and shows that the white race believed that they were superior to the black race. The theme of racism contributes to the plot again with the roles of blacks and whites within society.When Sofia begins to work for the mayor and his wife, she is discriminated against solely for her race. This act is seen when she says, â€Å"H ave you even seen a white person and a colored sitting side by side in a car, when one of ’em isn’t showing the other how to drive or clean it? † (Walker 99). This quotation demonstrates the separation between the races during this time period. The mayor’s family â€Å"continually expect her to behave according to their cultural representations of the black mother† (Selzer). Whites and blacks could not create friendships and could not talk unless it was for business purposes.The roles of races play a major role in understanding the attitudes during this time period. With the understanding of the roles that the blacks and whites played in society, one can infer that Celie had to overcome more struggles than what she had originally dealt with in order to blossom and become herself. In ultimately finding herself at the end of the novel, Celie had to overcome the internal prejudices against herself. With the use of Shug Avery in the novel, Walker displa ys the hardships Celie must face with her new found sexuality.Because this relationship uses different and new feelings it â€Å"evokes so profound an erotic awakening that Celie believes she was â€Å"still a virgin† prior to it† (Hankinson). When Celie begins to have feelings for Shug, they start out innocent and then become more serious. She describes a night that they spent together when she says, â€Å"Me and Shug sound asleep. Her back to me, my arms round her waist† (Walker 116). Celie begins to allow her feelings with Shug to become reality and shows that she does not have the shy personality that everyone thinks she does.Celie breaks out of her inner prejudices again when she confides in her sister, Nettie. Celie begins to yell at the dinner table one night when she could no longer take the verbal abuse from Mr. __ and stated â€Å"You took my sister Nettie away from me, I say. And she was the only person love me in the world† (Walker 202). Celie believed that she could only confide in Nettie and God during difficult times, but she began to realize that all of her friendships would help her out in the end to become a strong, independent woman.Lastly, the growth of Celie throughout the novel is shown through all of the women that help her along the journey in becoming herself. Although Celie tries to discover herself, â€Å"Shug Avery and Sophia Butler provide the major alternative influences that allow Celie to grow and develop† (Heglar). All of the female relationships throughout the novel help Celie to realize that women do not need men to control their lives. She also realizes that women can become self-sufficient and brave without the help from other people.With help from all the women in the novel, Celie discovers herself and comes to realize that the support of a man is not necessary in the journey to happiness. By using Celie’s difficulties as a model, Alice Walker teaches the reader that self acceptanc e comes over time and that one must overcome prejudices in order to find themselves. During the course of the novel, Celie struggles with both internal and external prejudices. In the end she conquers them all and becomes the person that she truly wants to be. She realizes this when she says â€Å"I am so happy. I got love, I got work, I got money, friends and time† (Walker 218).Walker teaches the reader that no matter what other people think, what truly matters is the beauty within and being able to handle one’s self in the worst of situations. Works Cited Bates, Gerri. Alice Walker A Critical Companion. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press: 2005. Print. Hankinson, Stacie Lynn. â€Å"From Monotheism to Pantheism: Liberation from Patriarchy in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. † Midwest Quarterly. 38. 3. Gale, 2003. Literary Resource Center. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. Heglar, Charles J. â€Å"Named and Nameless: Alice Walker's Pattern of Surnames in The Color Pu rple. ANQ 13. 1 (Winter 2000): 38-41. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 167. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. inchell, Donna Haisty. Alice Walker. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1992. Print. Selzer, Linda. â€Å"Race and Domesticity in The Color Purple. † African American Review 29. 1 (Spring 1995): 67-82. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 167. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. Harcourt, Inc. 2003. Print.

Balance of a Busy Life Essay

The average American has a million things on their plate. Many of them are full time student, parents and hold a job. From personal experience I can tell you that balancing school, a job and my personal life is no walk in the park. With all the things that are going on in your life, being organized, making a flexible schedule and communicating with your boss, teachers and family members, help you balance all three and still have time for yourself. The first step in balancing school, work and a busy life is making a schedule. When deciding to juggle a busy life you have to be prepared to have school assignments, run errands, and to be called off schedule at work. First creating a plan that can be used all times will help you keep these things in place. Second in the beginning of the week set a timetable for work, studying and family time. By doing this you will have a clear mind set of how your time should be spent. You’re not going to successfully juggle work with your other priorities unless you exercise a little discipline. This doesn’t have to be as painful and no fun as it sounds. Before you take on a new job, sit down and write down all of your priorities, followed by about how much time they take up each week. Estimate on the high end. Then decipher how much time you require to chill out with your BFF, tweet your heart out, etc. Now crunch the numbers and visually perceive how much time you’ll have to work. Even if it’s only enough for a shift or two a week of work, that’s fine. That is of course, unless you require working a certain amount each month to pay for rent and other cost-of-living expenses, in which case you might be obliged to skimp on socializing time. Once you have your schedule sorted out, it’s important to stick to the rules. If you decided the only way to make it all work is to devote one weekend night each week to doing school work, utilize this time efficiently and don’t get distracted by a â€Å"16 and Pregnant† marathon. By developing these time management skills now, you’ll be ready down the road when life throws even more responsibilities your way. The next step to balancing school, work and a busy life is to be organized. When having a lot on your plate it is very crucial to keeping a calendar to mark upcoming tests, deadlines and meetings can be helpful. First writing down all your assignment and their due date can help you keep everything up to date. Second have all your paperwork in separate labels folder can making getting to assignments quick and easy. If you know you have a conference coming up in a fortnight and a paper due in three, you won’t have any exculpation not to acquire that paper finished on time, and you won’t miss any of the exhilaration at your conference. Endeavor utilizing a day planner, or even an online calendar to manage your tasks. Surprises and extemporaneous events virtually always pop up, but if you’re flexible with your time and stay on top of your assignments for work and for school, emergencies won’t disrupt your entire schedule as dramatically. The last step to balancing school, work and a busy life is communication. When you have a busy lifestyle it’s very hard to keep everything in order without communication. First when you are late on, an assignment, contacting your teachers can let them know what is going on and also show them that you are very responsible student. Next letting your boss knows when important school assignment comes up. As a busy person I know how hard it is to keep up. Keeping constant communication with teachers, bosses and family members will help you keep everything in order. Your managers aren’t mind readers. Speak up and let them know that your job is important to you but that you also have school and family as priorities, and they’ll be more liable to be flexible. Particularly if you have a spouse and children, it’s critical that you communicate your schedule so everyone is on the same page. That way, if you have a final exam coming up, you can orchestrate dinner and nighttime responsibilities together accordingly. An online calendar program works well, so you can update it in real time. Likewise, keep an online or handwritten to do list to help you prioritize tasks and stay organized daily. Having a busy schedule isn’t an easy thing to handle. If you are not prepared it can feel like a whole lot or work is being pulled up. Being organized, making a flexible schedule and communicating with your boss, teachers and family members, can help you efficiently keep everything together.

Economic factors that affect Tourism

Economic factors that affect Tourism Introduction Tourism is an essential element of economic growth and development of any given country in the contemporary world. A majority of developing countries rely heavily on tourism for government’s revenue. Tourism sector ranks as the leading sector in the creation of jobs, source of foreign exchange, and cultural development in many developing countries.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Economic factors that affect Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are three major types of tourism, which include leisure, exploration, and educational tourism (Sustaining Tourism 2013). Leisure tourism is the most common type of tourism where tourists visit attractive places for holiday and relaxation purposes. Exploration tourism is a type of tourism that is often undertaken by researchers and scientists for exploration purposes in different parts of the world (Balaguer Cantavell-Jorda 2002). Exploration tourism is often associated with discovery tours whereby a tourist is more after discovering new things rather than having pleasure. Finally, educational tourism is the most common type of tourism that is undertaken by young people in different types of the world. Its main aim lies in educational purposes in a selected destination country and visas expire after the ending of the educational course being undertaken. Various economic factors affect tourism either directly or indirectly, but they depend largely on the nature of tourism as shown in this paper. Economic Factors That Affect Tourism A tour operator should consider various economic factors in the selection of a tourist destination for holidays, education, and exploration. However, some factors are directly related to the economic growth and development of the country of destination, but these factors have an indirect influence in the relationship between economic factors and tourism. The first economic factor that needs to be considered is the political environment of the destination country (World Bank 2005). Politics play a major role in the growth and development of any country in the world. Nature of politics determines the behaviours of stock and foreign exchange markets in the sense that stable political environment attract foreign investors, while unstable political arena forces foreign investors to pull out of the economy. The case is the same for tourism whereby stable political environment is conducive for tourism activities, whereas unstable politics pose insecurity threats to the tourism sector (Todaro 2005).Advertising Looking for assessment on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hence, a prudent tourist operator cannot recommend such a destination due to low demand of international and domestic tourism. Developing nations are worst hit by political crises and especially during the electioneering period s. During such periods, the political environments are unstable and unpredictable, and in most cases, such an environment creates anxiety in economic activities (Lokman Hatemi 2005). In such situations, countries with bad historical politics are worst hit by economic downturns as foreign investors and other locals suspend their economic activities for fear of adverse effects of bad politics. Hence, demand for tourism declines rapidly during such periods until when there is an assurance of political stability. Secondly, international security is a great factor that determines the nature of demand for both foreign and local tourism. International security is mostly determined by two crucial elements, which include political environment and threats of terror. Political environment that poses a threat to international security comes from civic wars whereby governments engage in local battles with militia and rebels like the current situation in Syria. In such a case, international comm unity is obliged to move into the rescue of the oppressed, and thus posing international security threat (Arellano Bond 2002). On the other hand, threats of terror attacks are currently the leading cause of security threat across the world. Any given country is a potential target for terror attacks, but awareness depends on international security intelligence and wherever a warning is issued on potentiality of a country being attacked by terrorists, tourist operators do not recommend for tourism activities in such destinations. Terrorism attacks have long-term adverse effects on the tourism industry for a county takes a long time to assure foreigners of its security (Ardahaey 2011). In additional to security matters, individual security is also a matter of great concern in selecting a tourist destination. Security has a direct relationship to both the economic growth and development and tourism. There have been cases where locals have attacked and robbed tourists of their belonging s and in such cases, tourist operators do not recommend for such destinations. Tourism sector is very sensitive to security matters and it is always recommendable for governments to ensure that effective security policies are in place for assuring tourism safety.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Economic factors that affect Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thirdly, economic growth and development of a tourist destination is an important factor used in determining a tourist destination by the tourism operators. Economic growth and development is the mother of all other factors of tourism destinations, but looking on the trend, economic recession implies that economic growth is deteriorating and hence a threat to tourism. In such situations, foreign investors pull out of markets, thus causing a major blow to economic stability. Worst still, economic recession often leads to political instability and in cas e of economic stability and boom trends, tourists are attracted into an economy. The fourth important factor of tourism is the nature of the hospitality industry at the tourist destination in question. This aspect mostly affects leisure tourism whereby tourists demand an environment that is peaceful for relaxation. Hospitality is necessary for assurance of security and goodness of wellbeing to tourists (Visit Britain 2013. It is important to have excellent hotels that are located nearby the tourist attraction sites in order for tourists to consider such a tourist destination. Hospitality industry is directly related to the economic growth of a country for an economically stable country is capable of offering high quality hospitality services to tourists. The world’s most developed countries are leading in the hospitality industry, as they are capable of building excellent hotels that offer excellent accommodation facilities to the tourists (Durbarry 2004). This case is very d ifferent for most of the third world economies. The fifth crucial economic factor that affects tourism is the infrastructural conditions in the tourist destination countries. It is necessary to have good infrastructure at the points of tourist accommodation, which would include availability of power, clean water supply, and excellent transport network. In addition, health infrastructure is also a matter of concern for tourists and it should be considered when selecting the tourism destination. The developed nations are better placed for the provision of good infrastructure that is necessary for tourists than their counterparts.Advertising Looking for assessment on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Tourists require excellent facilities that meet the international standards; unfortunately, such facilities are not easily available in the third world countries (Mason 2002). Third world countries are often forced to allocate more funds to developing the tourism industry than other crucial sectors and thus creating an imbalance of government spending, but the case is different for the developed countries. The sixth economic factor that affects tourism is the nature of tourist attraction sites in a given destination. For the case of leisure tourism, a tourist is often motivated by the nature of attraction sites at the destination. In the modern world, few tourist attraction sites are in their natural states, thus implying that economic conditions have contributed in the development of major attraction sites in the world (Dieke 2004). Third world countries enjoy the natural tourist attraction sites such as wildlife, sunny and sandy beaches, and attractive geographical features. Vario us studies indicate that these countries have done very little to modify these sites from their natural states, but done a lot to conserve them (Cunado Garcia 2006). However, the case is different for the majority of developed countries that have artificial tourist attraction sites such as artificial islands, hotels, and mega structures. The difference between the two classes of economy has played a major role in the development of tourist attraction sites. The seventh economic factor of tourism is the foreign exchange rates at the destination. Foreign exchange and bank interest rates are in most cases determined by demand and supply of foreign exchange in an economy (Greene William 2000). This aspect has a direct effect to the cost of tourism in a destination. For the cases of strong local currency, the foreign tourists are required to pay for goods and services and hence may evade such destinations. Studies have shown that third world counties are the cheapest destinations for fo reign tourists as they often have weaker currencies when compared to the currencies of the developed countries (Raymond 2001). This aspect explains the major reason why tourists rarely visit economies with strong currencies as they have expensive goods and services to customers. However, the case is different for first class hotel industries, which have standardised the costs of services. The eighth economic factor that affects tourism is the social factors that have direct effects on the tourism industry. Social factors include health of the locals, public hospitality, and social development in terms of literacy. Social wellbeing depends on the state of a country’s economic status and thus this factor is linked to economic determinants of a tourism destination. A flourished economy often has good social wellbeing that is conducive for tourism activities in an economy. A country that cannot ensure good health for its citizens cannot be recommended as a destination that is con ducive for tourism due to exposure to health risks. Countries whose citizens are known to be welcoming to tourists such as Kenya are more likely to attract tourists than those countries whose citizens are not welcoming. Literacy level is crucial for the tourism sector as tourists use international languages for communication (Cunado Garcia 2006). Illiteracy hinders effective communication between tourists and the locals and this aspect could discourage tourists from visiting a destination. Conclusion The growth and development of tourism depends entirely on the economic and development of a tourist destination. However, other crucial factors affect tourism, and such factors are more related to the social and political aspects that also have a direct relationship with the economic growth and development of a destination. It would be prudent to state that tourism is largely determined by economic factors since economic factors determine all other crucial factors that are necessary fo r tourism. Reference List Ardahaey, F 2011, ‘Economic Impacts of Tourism Industry’, International Journal of Business and Management, vol. 6 no. 8, pp. 123-145. Arellano, M Bond, S 2002, Panel Data Estimation using DPD for Oxford, Nuffield College Publishers, Oxford. Balaguer, J Cantavell-Jorda, M 2002, ‘Tourism as a Long-run Growth Factor: The Spanish Case’, Applied Economics, vo.34 no. 7, pp.877-884. Cunado, J Garcia, F 2006, ‘Real Convergence in Africa in the second-half of the 20th century,’ Journal of Economics and Business, vol.58 no. 8, pp.153-167. Dieke, P 2004, ‘Tourism in Africa’s Economic Development: Policy Implication’, Management Decision, vol.41 no.3, pp.287-295. Durbarry, R 2004, ‘Tourism and Economic Growth: The Case of Mauritius’, Tourism Economics, vol.10 no.3, pp.389-401. Greene, A William, H 2000, Econometric Analysis, Prentice Hall, London. Lokman, G Hatemi, A 2005, ‘Is the touri sm-led growth hypothesis valid for Turkey’, Applied Economics, vol.12 no. 2, pp. 499-504. Mason, J 2002, Qualitative Researching, SAGE, London. Raymond Y 2001, ‘Estimating the impact of economic factors on tourism: evidence from Hong Kong’, Tourism Economics, vol.7 no. 3, pp.277–293. Sustaining Tourism: Demand for Sustainable Tourism 2013, Web. Todaro, M 2005, Economic Development, Addison-Wesley Publishers, London. World Bank 2005, World Development Indicators 2005, World Bank, Washington, DC. Visit Britain: Traveller Tips 2013. Web.

The ethical and moral concerns ignored by the three Tobacco companies Essay

The ethical and moral concerns ignored by the three Tobacco companies - Essay Example The researcher states that companies that are operative all over the world have to follow certain ethical standards in order to protect their consumers from any health related negative consequences. There are certain codes of ethics that the business companies should accept and implement in their working setups. It is really essential for all the organizations whether they are working globally or nationally. By following ethical and moral concerns, the companies can benefit not only the consumers, but in the long run, themselves by making strong relationships with the consumers. Philip Morris, Reynolds and Liggett, the three renowned tobacco companies are accused of deceiving the public with incorrect information about their products. U.S Department of Justice held responsible the three companies of forming Tobacco Industry Research Committee (TIRC), which ensured that smoking is not injurious to health, which is wrong. The Tobacco companies denied addictive capacity of nicotine and cigarette being the cause of lung cancer. The companies are also accused of targeting children as users of their products. According to the charge, the companies were ethically responsible for testing their products and providing the tested information to their consumers. Tobacco being enough risky and dangerous should be fully informed to the consumers. In place of informing the current and potential consumers, the companies concealed the harmful effects of their products, which were addictive, risky and eventually killing. Last, but not the least, the companies’ targeting of children as potential consumers of tobacco products cannot be approved as negligible issue. Objectives of the Assignment To evaluate the ethical and moral concerns ignored by the three Tobacco companies. To apply various ethical theories to evaluate organizations’ duties to consumers. To implement the ethical theories on the case of Tobacco companies. Critical Discussion of Organization’s Duties to Consumers Theories on Duties to Consumers Social Contract Theory Study of the cited theory indicates it as a classical example, which addresses the individual’s ethical and political responsibilities, which is implied or comes out through an agreement with the other individual of the society. It can be in the form of laws, written and unwritten agreement, social norms and customs of the society (Binmore 1998, p. 57). However, the essential moral duty of a company is to own its customers and to provide its products that live up with the dreams of customers’ expectations so that they may enter into agreement with them for a multiple choice. It may be expressed or implied that a seller should identify the quality of its products to its purchasers (Binmore 1998, p. 57). It is the moral duty of a seller when he enters into contract with any customer, he should disclose what he or she intends to buy and what the terms of sales are (Lessnoff 1990, p. 79). The seller is duty bound to intimate the customer of any characteristic of the product (good or bad), which could be instrumental in deciding about the product’s precise value. He should also inform the customer about ingredients, operational cost, its rating besides other applicable standards. Nonetheless, misrepresentation about the product may cause confusion for the customer in selecting the right product as per his needs (Lessnoff 1990, p. 79). Due Care Theory The Due Care theory is in favour of manufacturer’

E-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

E-commerce - Essay Example (Chaffey, 2004) This internet culture has resulted in the germination of certain expectations amongst customers. Customers’, due to the evolution of internet technology have come to expect online services for purchasing goods and services, connecting with colleagues and even maintain business relationship with vendors, customers, and employees. This new internet culture is global and is even connecting business partners which are situated across the globe (Chaffey and Smith, 2008). This age of information is propelled by the information technology. Information technology refers to all of the computer-based information systems used by an organisation, along with their underlying technologies. These information technologies and systems are slowly but gradually revolutionising the operations of the firms, industries and markets. In order for a business to keep pace with this information age, it needs to understand the transformation process and identify the opportunities which th is process is creating (Darby, Jones, and AL Madani, 2003). Since the emergence of this information age, information technology has become the largest component of capital investment for many firms. In many industries survival and existence without extensive use of information systems has become totally impossible. ... Experts believe that in this information age, there is a growing interdependence between a firm’s ability to use information technology and its ability to implement corporate strategies and achieve corporate goals. Corporate objectives are heavily dependent upon the depth of their systems. In order for a business to increase its market share, become a high quality or low-cost producer, developing new products and increasing employee productivity is now heavily dependent upon the variety and performance capabilities of the information systems of the organisation (Souder and Sherman, 1994). The more the firm understands this relationship the more valuable it will be in its industry. This information age has also created the utility for the information systems to cope with governmental regulations or other environmental changes (Deitel, Deitel, and Steinbuhler, 2001). A substantial and growing body of research is supporting the fact that information technology is playing a vital role in increasing organisational productivity and providing a fertile ground for cultivating an innovative environment. If a firm needs to take advantage of an opportunity in its marketplace, create new product, and come up with new services, than it needs to commit itself to make a substantial investment in information technology (Stair and Reynolds, 2009). Also, if a firm needs to differentiate itself from its competitors’ in the domain of business practices and management than it needs to employ information systems which enable it to indentify these minute opportunities (Fillis, Johannson, and Wagner, 2004). Having realised the importance of