The Tragedy of Othello

William Shakespeare’s work titled The tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, is thought to have been based on an Italian short story Un Capitano Moro (Jones 2). Un Capitano Moro, means ‘a Moorish captain’. The tragedy of Othello has four main characters. They include Othello, who is the lead actor; Desdemona, Othello’s wife; Cassio, Othello’s lieutenant; and Iago a junior officer in the army (Jones 2).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Tragedy of Othello specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Shakespeare depicts Othello as a Moorish general in the Venetian army, with immense power. Shakespeare’s work, The tragedy of Othello, has four main themes: racism, love, jealousy, and betrayal (Jones 2). This paper endeavors to discuss what makes Othello a tragic figure and whether or not his tragedy is self inflicted or it is beyond his control. William Shakespeare’s in troduces the audience to his literal work by highlighting a confrontation between Roderigo, who is depicted as a wealthy and corrupt gentleman, and Iago. Apparently, Roderigo questions Iago as to why he had not informed him about the secret marriage between Othello and Desdemona. Roderigo had initially requested Senator Brabantio, Desdemona’s father for permission to marry his daughter. As such, Roderigo feels unhappy with the turnaround of events and he finds it hard to accept the fact that he had lost Desdemona to Othello. During the confrontation, it is evident that Iago is unhappy with the action taken by Othello to promote Cassio to a higher rank. In addition, Iago paints a picture that Othello had gone to bed with his wife, Emilia. Iago vows to fight back and his aim is to impair Othello’s power. Since Iago and Roderigo had one common enemy, Othello, they decided to work together with the main goal of punishing their enemy. Thus, Iago convinces Roderigo to inform Desdemona’s father about Desdemona’s secret marriage to Othello. Iago secretly plans a confrontation between Othello and Senator Brabantio. He informs Othello that his father in law is on the way. However, before Senator Brabantio had arrived, Othello is summoned by the senate to plan on how to counter an alleged attack from their neighbors, the Turks. Upon his arrival, â€Å"Desdemona’s father accuses his son in law before the senate of using witchcraft to seduce his daughter† (Nabil 5). However, Othello disagrees with his father in law’s accusations and states that Desdemona loves him. The senate believes Othello’s side of the story and he is excused to focus on the impeding war. Senator Brabantio exits but warns Othello that Desdemona will betray him. Othello is ordered by his superior Duke to go and command the Venetian army against the Turks. Othello goes along with his wife, Cassio, Iago, and Emilia.Advertising Looking for resear ch paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Upon their arrival at the battleground, they find that their enemies had been destroyed by a heavy storm. Othello, as the commander of the Venetian army calls for a general celebration. The party gives Iago a chance to scheme his vengeance against Othello and Cassio. Iago intends to spoil the relationship between Othello and Cassio, so he uses Roderigo to achieve his mission. Iago ensures that Cassio has taken excess wine and becomes drank. This makes it easy for Roderigo to engage Cassio in a fight. A disturbance erupts following the fight between Cassio and Roderigo, and Othello is forced to calm the situation. Othello is unhappy with Cassio and demotes him. This action demoralizes Cassio. Iago finds another chance to inflict his revenge on Cassio and Othello. Iago asks Cassio to request Desdemona to be the mediator between him and Othello so that she can talk to her husband and ask Othello to reinstate him. Iago cements his scheme by informing Othello to be weary of a growing relationship between Desdemona and Cassio. Cassio finds a prostitute called Bianca to sooth him following the stress he had after being demoted. Desdemona accidentally drops a handkerchief, which Othello had given her as a symbol of their love. Emilia takes the handkerchief an aware of its significance. Iago request Emilia to give him the handkerchief. Iago uses it to paint a picture that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. He then secretly places the handkerchief in Cassio’s bedroom. Iago then informs Othello about this incident. He request Othello to stand at a distance as he questions Cassio about the handkerchief. During their discussion, Cassio speaks bout the name of Bianca so quietly that Othello believes he is truly having an affair with Desdemona. However, Iago’s scheme almost suffers a setback. As he discusses the handkerchief issue with Cas sio, Bianca arrives and accuses Cassio for allegedly cheating on her with Desdemona. Othello realizes this development and gives his wife’s infidelity allegations a second thought. However, Iago successfully manages to convince him that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. Othello vows to kill Desdemona. He also asks Iago to get rid off Cassio. Out of anger, Othello mistreats his Wife and even hits her before her family. Roderigo gives up on his pursuit of Desdemona but Iago encourages him to continue with his aim. At the same time, Cassio is appointed the governor of Cyprus. Iago uses this development to ask Roderigo to go on with his pursuit (Nabil 5). Iago asks Roderigo to kill Cassio. Iago informs Roderigo that he should continue pursing Desdemona because Othello and Desdemona are likely to leave the country if Cassio assumes office thus limiting his chances of getting Desdemona. Roderigo sees the sense and continues with his pursuit.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Tragedy of Othello specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Roderigo attacks Cassio as he leaves Bianca’s house. Iago takes the opportunity during the fight between Cassio and Roderigo to cut Cassio’s leg from behind. Iago disguises himself such that no one notices him. Iago then joins passers by who had come to rescue Cassio. However, Cassio recognizes Roderigo as one of those who had assaulted him. On realizing this, Iago secretly gets rid off Roderigo in fear of the fact that Roderigo might confess. During the same night, Othello kills his wife and Emilia arrives in time and witnesses the act (Nabil 5). Othello tries to make Emilia see the reasons as to why he had killed Desdemona. However, Emilia screams for help. This draws the attention of the governor, Iago and Cassio. Emilia explains to the astonished audience about Othello’s heinous act. Othello tries to justify his act by reve aling the incident of the handkerchief. After Othello’s testimony, Emilia realizes that Iago had used the handkerchief to scheme the allegation that Cassio and Desdemona had an affair. Emilia reveals to the others what Iago had done. Unfortunately, Iago kills her for exposing him. At the same time, Othello is left devastated because he realizes that his wife was innocent. Out of anger, he attacks Iago but he decided not to kill him so that Iago would live with guilt. Iago states that he would not reveal his motives. Both Iago and Othello are apprehended. However, Othello commits suicide by stubbing himself with a sword on their way to the custody. Iago is taken to custody and at the same time Cassio takes his position as the governor of Cyprus. Having looked at the plot The Tragedy of Othello, it is evident that Othello’s tragedy is not self inflicted and it was not within his control. In addition, it was as a result of his tragic law. Othello appears strong from the o utside but actually he is weak inside. His love for Desdemona is the biggest weakness and his enemies take advantage of this weakness. Othello loved his wife so dearly that he could not bear seeing her with another man. Iago takes advantage of this situation to get back at Othello for having promoted his junior Cassio, and for allegedly sleeping with his wife, Emilia. Iago schemes traps in which Othello falls unknowingly. Experts argue that is blind and people who are in love are likely to make irrational decisions. This is often true in cases whereby a lover is weak inside. Othello is a perfect example. Iago made Othello believe that his wife, Desdemona was having an affair with his assistant, Cassio. The mistake that Othello did was he failed to investigate those allegations. He relied heavily on hearsay from Iago. Othello’s tragic ending can also be attributed to his tragic law. He made the mistake of believing in Iago rather than his soul mate. Othello fell in Iagoâ€℠¢s trap on two critical occasions (Young 4). In the first occasion, Othello was made to believe that it was Cassio who started the fight at the party. This incident formed a fertile ground for the execution of Iago’s schemes.Advertising Looking for research paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It also makes Othello and Cassio lock horns. Othello was unhappy with Cassio and he demoted him. This action demoralizes Cassio. Iago finds another chance to inflict his revenge on Cassio and Othello (Young 4). This gave Iago a perfect opportunity to execute his second plan. In the second incident, Othello was made to believe that Cassio had an affair with his wife, Desdemona. Iago successfully used a handkerchief gift which Othello had given to Desdemona to propagate his scheme. Othello had the opportunity to find the opportunity to uncover the truth when he overheard Bianca confronting Cassio. Again, Othello fell in Iago’s trap when Iago successfully made him believe that his wife, Desdemona was cheating on him with Cassio. This paper sought to find out whether or not Othello’s tragedy is self inflicted or it was beyond his control. Having examined the plot of the story, it is evident that Othello’s tragedy is not self inflicted and it was not within his contr ol. On top of that, it was as a result of his tragic law. Othello appears strong from the outside but actually he is weak inside. His love for Desdemona is the biggest weakness and his enemies take advantage of this weakness. He relied heavily on hearsay from Iago. Othello cultivated his tragic law on two critical occasions: Othello was made to believe that it was Cassio who started the fight at the party; Othello was made to believe that Cassio had an affair with his wife, Desdemona. Works Cited Jones, Eldred. Othello’s Countrymen. Charlottesville: Univ of Virginia Press, 1971.Print. Nabil, Matar. Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Stage Moor. London: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 2004.Print. Young, John. â€Å"Essay: What Is Creativity.† Multimedia Magazine 1.2 Wed. October 2008: 1-5. Print. This research paper on The Tragedy of Othello was written and submitted by user Ellen Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Three Things You Can Do to Help Your Child Do Better in School

Three Things You Can Do to Help Your Child Do Better in School Importance of education The place of education cannot be overestimated in the modern world. Elder people understand that knowledge is one of the main ways for success in the future. Those who have profound knowledge in different spheres and specialize in one specific field can achieve high results in their careers.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Three Things You Can Do to Help Your Child Do Better in School specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But, this information is available and understood by parents, children are not so conversant with this issue. Thus, it is possible to conclude that parents are those who should encourage and help their children study. There are a lot of different strategies which may be helpful for parents in this question, but there are three main things each parent should do to help a child to do better at school. Children’s success depends on their parents One cannot reject that each c hild has a right to attend public school and succeed there. All parents want their children to be prosperous and they are to help them. School education is the process which should be guided by parents. Much research has been provided in the sphere of the connection between school and home. Scientists have proved that school-home collaboration in the questions of a child’s studying is useful. Close connection between school and home enhance students’ desire to study as they see that parents support them in this difficult but really interesting initiative.[1] The research conducted by Jan Hughes and Oi-man Kwok[2] shows that children study better when they see collaboration between parents and school. Thus, if children’s success also depends on the actions of their parents, they should act. We would like to offer a list of three main things parents should do to help their children do better at school. First of all, parents should make sure that their children use modern textbooks, up-to-date sources and innovative technologies, like computers and the Internet. Second, parents should motivate their children to study and explain that school is not the only place where they can learn. It is necessary to deliver the idea that learning is an interesting and exciting process which does not finish with leaving school. Third, parents should create special room for studying and set particular hours for this process. These actions help parents influence their children’s psychological needs and make those interested in studying on unconscious level.[3] Up-to-date information and innovative technologies Innovative technologies have entered human life so strong that it is impossible to imagine a house without a computer and the Internet. The Internet allows students get new information as soon as possible. Moreover, fast change of the information becomes available for students.Advertising Looking for article on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In comparison with the time when the Internet was not created, students had to buy books and use those for many years. Nowadays, many books and other sources are republished almost every year. Parents should check the books their children use and do all possible to get the most recent editions. Parents should follow this process. Furthermore, parents have an opportunity to sign for journals with the necessary information. At the same time, it is important to check what information children read. Having too much available data, parents should set control on the sites children visit and the sources they download. Thus, having personal computers children should provide their parents with free access. The use of the innovative technologies in the educational process should be supported. Parents are to consider children’s curriculum and try to get additional programs and software aimed at increasing student s’ knowledge in the form of games. There are also a lot of tests which may be used as additional source of knowledge.[4] But, using this kind of software parents should not go too far. Children should use the Internet as the source of entertainment as well, otherwise, they will lose the interest and the studying will become a torture for them, even with the use of the innovative technologies.[5] So, the first thing parents should do to help their children is to provide those with the most recent information and direct the use of the computers and the Internet to the learning purposes. Strong motivation Parents play important part in students’ motivation. There are a lot of different ways how they can influence their children. Personal experience, school recollections, reasonable arguments and other means of motivation may be used for encouraging children study better. Motivation is a strong factor in education. Parents should remember that they are to encourage their c hildren for studying constantly reminding them that their success depends on knowledge they are able to get at school. Motivation is the basis for any action and students should be reminded the main purpose of their school attendance.[6] Parents are free to motivate their children in different ways. They should remind that school is not the final stage of education and the whole life will bring children new lessons to study. Children should feel that education is not only obligatory, it is the thing they like and are ready to accept as nothing is made without the desire.[7] Parents, who were successful in school, have managed to get good education and now remain successful in their careers and social life positively influenced their children.[8] The difference between vocational and academic education dos not play crucial role in the motivational reasoning. It is important that parents should have positive recollections and great achievements in the present time. Children in this ca se will desire to repeat the success their children have.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Three Things You Can Do to Help Your Child Do Better in School specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is like the behavior on the basis of the personal experience, but deeper. Children not only try to copy the behavior of their parents relaying on parental guarantees that it is useful, they have an opportunity to see that success at school gave them an opportunity to achieve high results in their careers. The ability to observe the connection is a good motivator for children. Thus, appropriate motivation is the second way for improving children’s success in school and parental role in this process. Special room and particular time It is natural that each individual should have its personal space. Looking deeper at the problem it may be stated that each person should also have space for particular activities. If students have specific place where they make their homework and parents control time children spend on this process, the results are going to be great. Parents should help their children create successful environment at home. The atmosphere of studying may encourage children for better ideas, the general mood of studying should be present. Parents are responsible for this. It is appropriate if parents have an opportunity to connect this place with school it would be better as students will feel as it at classes and at the same time at home. Time scheduling is also important. When parents set specific time for homework, children know that they should spend it with profit. When this time is over, children will have time to do all they want. Three aspects of parental success When parents try o help their children with studying, they should remember that they must not be too insistent. To make the process of parental intrusion into children’s learning natural, parents should follow these steps. First, parents should provide their children with the information about how strategies and sources should be used. It is important not to teach but to offer the suggestive ideas about the use of the received information, not the information itself. The second stage of parental intrusion is an attempt to deliver the necessary information by means of trying to check children’s level of understanding and speciation of the information parents want to provide to their children. The final stage of parental intrusion is emotional one. Parents should show that they care about their children and about their emotional condition. It is important to make children understand that self regulation is one of the best ways to remain in good mood and be able to cope with the tasks.[9] Therefore, it may be concluded that the role of parents in the learning of their children is great, but parents should not insist on direct participation in it. It is important to supply children with nec essary information, provide those with required tools and follow the conditions they study in without forgetting about constant motivation and encouraging. Endnotes Anthony Feiler, et al, The Home School Knowledge Exchange Project: linking home and school to improve childrens literacy (Support for Learning, 23(1), 2008) 17. Jan Hughes Oi-man Kwok, Influence of student-teacher and parent-teacher relationships on lower achieving readers engagement and achievement in the primary grades (Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(1), 2007) 46. C. McBryde, J. Ziviani, M. Cuskelly, School readiness and factors that influence decision making (Occupational Therapy International, 11(4), 2004) 194. Kathleen Vail, School technology grows up (American School Board Journal, 190(9), 2003) 36. Teklu AbateBekele, Motivation and Satisfaction in Internet-Supported Learning Environments: A Review (Journal of Educational Technology Society, 13(2), 2010) 124. Abrudan Caciora Simona Veronica, Motivation i n language learning (Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 17(1), 2008) 558. Carin Neitzel, Anne Dopkins Stright, Mothers scaffolding of childrens problem solving: Establishing a foundation of academic self-regulatory competence (Journal of Family Psychology, 17(1), 2003) 156. Hannu Rty, Parents own school recollections influence their perception of the functioning of their childs school (European Journal of Psychology of Education EJPE (Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada), 22(3), 2007) 395. Anne Dopkins Stright, Carin Neitzel, Kathy Garza Sears, Linds Hoke-Sinex, Instruction begins in the home: Relations between parental instruction and childrens self-regulation in the classroom (Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(3), 2001) 457. Reference List Bekele, T. (2010). Motivation and Satisfaction in Internet-Supported Learning Environments: A Review. Journal of Educational Technology Society, 13(2), 116-127.Advertising Looking for article on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Feiler, A., Andrews, J., Greenhough, P., Hughes, M., Johnson, D., Scanlan, M., Yee, C. W. (2008). The Home School Knowledge Exchange Project: linking home and school to improve childrens literacy. Support for Learning, 23(1), 12-18. Hughes, J., Kwok, O. (2007). Influence of student-teacher and parent-teacher relationships on lower achieving readers engagement and achievement in the primary grades. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(1), 39-51. McBryde, C., Ziviani, J., Cuskelly, M. (2004). School readiness and factors that influence decision making. Occupational Therapy International, 11(4), 193-208. Neitzel, C., Stright, A. (2003). Mothers scaffolding of childrens problem solving: Establishing a foundation of academic self-regulatory competence. Journal of Family Psychology, 17(1), 147-159. Rty, H. (2007). Parents own school recollections influence their perception of the functioning of their childs school. European Journal of Psychology of Education EJPE (Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada), 22(3), 387-398. Stright, A., Neitzel, C., Sears, K., Hoke-Sinex, L. (2001). Instruction begins in the home: Relations between parental instruction and childrens self-regulation in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(3), 456-466. Vail, K. (2003). School technology grows up. American School Board Journal, 190(9), 34-37. Veronica, A. (2008). Motivation in language learning. Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 17(1), 557-562.

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS PAPER - Essay Example Westthorp (2010) summarized the fact that some hostels observed a decline of nearly ‘40 % against last business year’ while others reported business of ‘just 30 % capacity’. Moreover, the appreciation of Australian Dollar against world’s major currencies such as British Pound, Euro, US Dollar has also hampered growth because foreign tourists receive much lesser after exchange than what they used to get last year. In simple, they are now unable to spend greater number of days in Gold Coast Backpackers amid inflation and exchange fluctuations. In short, potential customers are now demand higher quality goods and services from administration in Gold Coast Backpackers industry sector at relatively lower prices. It is recommended that various Gold Coast Backpackers and resorts should also adopt a rational pricing strategy to entice maximum customers (Westthorp, 2010). The bargaining power of specific suppliers (raw materials and input providers such as furniture, hostel goods, food etc.) is reduced because of decrease in total business activities and surplus capacity of resorts and hostels. Indeed, suppliers’ business is directly dependent on Backpackers’ business and failure of the latter would also adversely impact the sales of suppliers (Jamieson, 2010). Indeed, the steep fall in aggregate demand of backpackers by tourists and adventurists has compelled potential investors to forgo their aim of entering and investing in tourism and hospitality businesses. It should be highlighted that threat of potential new entrants in this sector is low because of relatively lower returns and weak consumer response because of decline in real income and purchasing power. However, Backpackers have been facing increased competition from Asian Backpackers because of their cheap offers to tourists (Jamieson, 2010). The threat of substitute products is relatively higher because existing Gold Coast Backpackers and resorts

Sexism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sexism - Essay Example Women have nothing to prove but there are still several men who believe that women are inferior to men and should be suppressed. This feeling can also be a result of insecurity, several women have the ability to outperform men in almost every field, this is why men feel the need to suppress women. Men make sexist remarks because they believe that women are inferior, Andy Gray’s example is very appropriate here, he thought that a lineswoman can never perform as well as a linesman and this is why he made sexist remarks and was later sacked. Saying anything inappropriate about women is called sexism, for instance several men think that when a woman employee gets promoted she gets her promotion by going out of her ways and giving sexual favors to her boss, this is a fine example of sexism. They use language which is beyond the pale; such things should be kept under perfect control in an organization. Women get raped so frequently in Asian countries, this is because of misogyny. Women haters rape them not for sexual interest but to inflict pain on them. Breaking down a woman physically and psychologically is more often than not the main aim of a perpetrator. Women should be treated fairly and they should be given respect, there is no reason as to why they should not be respected in the society. They have already proved themselves and need not prove themselves any further. Domestic labor is taken for granted; Karl Marx had serious problems with this. He said that women should be paid for domestic labor, women work indefatigably but we fail to acknowledge their contribution. They raise children but do not get enough credit for it. To conclude it is very fair to say that sexism in any form should be discouraged, our society would become so much better should we start treating women with respect. They deserve to be respected and not to be raped and exploited. Andy Gray Sacked (2011).

Christian Science Monitor Essay Example for Free

Christian Science Monitor Essay An article in the Christian Science Monitor last January tries to educate consumers about the value of carbon offset programs and whether they have any real effect on global warming. The article, published January 10, 2007, discusses the concept of carbon offsets and the efforts of some companies to become carbon neutral. The ideal are based on the idea that as consumers we emit a certain amount of greenhouse gases or are responsibility for having been emitted. In an effort to reduce that amount, the so-called â€Å"Carbon footprint†, consumers are being offered the chance to buy â€Å"carbon offsets†, a process by which a company takes some action to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted. If enough offsets are purchased, the person or company can become â€Å"carbon neutral† meaning that their actions are not increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the world. This article, â€Å"Do Carbon Offsets Live Up to Their Promise? †, is about the first report by someone trying to evaluate whether this is a good environmental effort or a giant fraud. The report, by the non-profit organization Clean Air-Cool Planet, argues that three-quarters of the 30 companies currently selling carbon offsets are doing a less than mediocre job of it. The companies were ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, 75 percent ranked less than a five. The article also details what criteria were used to evaluate the carbon offset programs. The intended reader of this article is the highly-informed readership of the Christian Science Monitor. The newspaper is one of the most well-respected in the country for journalistic excellence and assumes a certain amount of base knowledge in its readership. As such, the article could have been better at explaining some of the basic terms it used, but appeared to be scientifically accurate. Surprisingly, many of the article’s sources were people active in the environmental community. This would seem like an inherent bias in the article, but many of those people were willing to point out flaws in the carbon offset system. One representative of the Sierra Club told the Monitor that if carbon offsets were viewed like papal indulgences and people used them as an excuse to keep polluting, they could potentially be harmful to the planet. The article was also peppered with scientific facts including the idea that methane is a more dangerous greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide without feeling like a science lecture. This article made me angry because it seemed to make it clear that carbon offsets are a sham. The article indicated that one criteria of the evaluation done by Clean Air-Cool Planet was to determine how many of these greenhouse gas reducing activities would have taken place regardless of whether the offsets were purchased. For companies who use producing alternate fuel sources as a carbon offset, it appears that this new trend is simply a way to capitalize their projects and make even more money. Other companies called planting trees their â€Å"carbon offset†. Since trees are a renewable resource, I am skeptical about when and where these trees were being planted. If they were planted to replace a forest that had just been clear cut for the local paper mill, then calling them a â€Å"carbon offset† is fraudulent and ridiculous. This article made me very leery of those who use carbon offsets in general, as it appears that this may indeed be a way for the indulgent to continue their polluting ways, never change their lifestyles to reflect the needs of the planet, and feel better about themselves while nothing is being done to stop global warming. This article left me with the impression that much of the hype about stopping global warming has been just that, hype, and that we will realize in a few years that the problem is getting exponentially worse despite our â€Å"efforts† to fix it.

Travel And Tourism Industry Of Greece Tourism Essay

Travel And Tourism Industry Of Greece Tourism Essay Greece is one of the most popular destinations in the world. Greece comes in the 15th place in the world rating of tourist destinations, since, according to the National Statistical Service of Greece, it receives more than 15 million tourists every year, after countries such as the USA, China, Spain and Great Britain. According to the 2009 Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum, Greece holds the 24th overall position among 133 countries, 3rd place in the prioritization of travel tourism subindex, 9th place in the number of World Heritage cultural sites, 5th place in tourism infrastructure and 1st place in the physician density subindex.. Demand Supply: Total demand: The number of international tourism visit over has been steady increase from 14.2 million in 2004 to 17 million in 2008. It is expected to reach 20 million in next few years, almost twice the countrys population. Tourist Arrivals http://www.investingreece.gov.gr/files/sectors/charts/tourism/tourism_arrivals1_en.jpg Source: Greek National Tourism Organization and National Statistical Services of Greece Key markets Source regions Greece has today managed to become one of the most favourite tourist destinations among Europeans, Asians and Americans. Approximately 85% of arrivals originate in Western Europe: 21.2% from the United Kingdom, 17.5% from Germany, 8.8% from Italy, 5.3% from France, 5.2% from Holland, and 7.5% from the Scandinavian countries. However, significant numbers of visitors from Eastern Europe, USA and China are making Greece their preferred destination. According to a survey conducted in China in 2005, Greece was voted as the Chinese peoples number one choice as a tourist destination. In November 2006, Austria, like China, announced that Greece was the favourite tourist destination for its citizens. It creates a wider base of origin countries and new demands for services, facilities, and attractions. Supply: Currently, more than 9,000 hotels operate in Greece. According to the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, the number of hotels in Greece was by classification (bedplaces): Star rating Number Beds 5 star 176 64,913 4 star 994 176,631 3 star 1,804 163,077 2 star 4,460 231,333 1 star 1,677 57,298 Total 9,111 693,252 535 hotels were built under Development Law 3299/04 in the period of 2005 to 2009 in Greece, with a total budget of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 2.6 bn, 44% (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ ~1.2 bn.) of which was subsidized by the government. The number of beds added through these investments is approximately 50,000. The breakdown per hotel category is as follows: Below are key statistics about cost per room and subsidies paid out by the government, per hotel category The Greek government has announced plans for a new Development Law, providing financial incentives for investment in Greece in the form of extensive tax breaks and subsidies of up to 50%. Economic Impacts GDP Contribution: Greeces TT Direct Industry is expected to contribute 7.0% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2010 (EUR15.4bn or US$22.8bn), rising in nominal terms to EUR27.9bn or US$36.4bn (8% of total) by 2020. The TT Economy contribution (% of total) should rise from 15.5% (EUR33.9bn or US$50.2bn) to 17.3% (EUR60.7bn or US$79.1bn) in this same period. Employment Greeces 418,000 TT Direct Industry jobs account for 10% of total employment in 2010 and are forecast to total 483,000 jobs or 11.1% of the total by 2020.The contribution of the Travel Tourism Economy to employment is expected to rise from 18.8% of total employment, 785,000 jobs or 1 in every 5.3 jobs in 2010, to 21% of total employment, 916,000 jobs, or 1 in every 4.8 jobs by 2020. Industry Challenges Greek travel and tourism is affected by economic crisis in 2009 The number of arrivals to Greece was decreased affected by the 2009 economic crisis. In Q3 2010 number of international arrival in Athens drop by 5.2% in compare to 2009 leading to a ytd drop of 5.3% The RevPAR in Athens dropped by -11.3% in Q3 leading to a ytd drop in the RevPAR of -6%. The RevPAR in Thessaloniki continued its sharp drop, -22% Resort hotels, however, showed a significant improvement in their Total RevPAR, by 5.1%, leading to a reversal of the previously negative trend in the ytd figure, which improved by 4.4%, compared to -4.0% in Q2. Therefore, fears that Greek tourism would collapse this year did not materialise. Greece 2010 debt crisis The Greece debt crisis, which started at the beginning of 2010, exacerbated the effects of the global economic crisis on the Greek travel and tourism industry. The debt crisis will certainly affect consumer confidence in the country and is expected to negatively impact outbound and domestic tourist flows in 2010, especially as the bailout has involved the European Union combined with the IMF. Other difficulties expected: The further increase of the VAT on hospitality services to 11% from July 1st, 2010 (from 9% at the beginning of the year) will have a negative impact on the profitability of the industry overall, particularly in combination with the price reductions taking place due to current market conditions. The Hotel Federation and the Hotel Employees Union have announced that they have reached a 3 year agreement on labour relations; salary increases will be 1% in 2010 and a further 1% in 2012. Industry Competitiveness: Most of the hotels in Greece are categorized as 1- and 2-starhotels, meaning there is plenty of room for investors to establish 4-and 5-star properties. According to the Greek Hotel Branding Report, branded hotels in Greece account for 4% of the total number of hotels and 19% of total availability of rooms, while in other European countries this figure lies between 25 and 40%. Infrastructure Infrastructure in Greece is very developed with 40 airports throughout Greece of which 15 are international and well-designed national highway system. Investment Incentives Law: Greeces newly implemented PPP (Public Private Partnership) scheme provides significant opportunities to investors to participate in new infrastructure projects, including marinas and thermal springs. The National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) for the years 2007-2013 establishes the broad priorities for EU Structural Funds Programmes in Greece. For tourism, NSRF provides significant financial support, with a budget of more than 500 million Euros until 2013 A draft Investment Law has been issued by the government including financial incentives in the form of subsidies up to 50% or equivalent incentives in the form of tax breaks for companies carrying out new investments or buying assets of companies that have seized operations. Human Resources Because Greece, a country of 11 million inhabitants, hosts more than 17 million visitors, education and training in tourism services is paramount. The workforce is multilingual, well versed in the tourism sector, and willing to respond to new challenges. From management to catering, human resources for tourism enterprises is a Greek strength. Hotel Chain Project Company background : Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the largest hotel companies in the world. As of December 31, 2009, Starwood Hotel Resorts Worldwide, Inc owned, managed or franchised 992 properties under its nine owned brands. It has 145,000 employees worldwide, of whom approximately 34% were employed in the United States. W Hotels is Starwoods luxury boutique hotel brand. The hotel brand, which generally markets towards a younger crowd, was launched in 1998 with its first property, W New York. The brand has expanded internationally with properties opening first in Mexico City, Seoul, and Istanbul. The W Barcelona hotel was the Ws first in Western Europe and opened in October 2009. The W plans to double its number of properties by 2011 with hotels planned in Austin, Texas (2010); Taipei, Taiwan (2010); Marrakech, Morocco (2011); Guangzhou, China (2011); Bangkok, Thailand (2011); Paris, France (2011); Athens, Greece (2011); St. Petersburg, Russia (2011); and London, England (2011) Investment project: W Athens Astir Palace Beach is going to open on 1 April 2012. It is a part of Astir Palace Resort beside Arion, a Luxury Collection Resort Spa and The Westin Athens. W Athens is converted from the 165-room Aphrodite Hotel under an extensive refurbishment. Sustainable Concerns : Fearing the spread of Greek debt crisis, the EU and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have agreed to launch a bailout package worth nearly $ 1,000 billion. However, the key issue here is not just saving Greece from a short-term debt crisis, or cut the budget deficit of the Greek government, but the country economics growth in future According to the ease of doing business index of the World Bank (WB), Greece is ranked 109, after countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia and Lebanon. In rating the business environment of high-income countries, Greece is almost bottom, just above Equatorial Guinea The Euros is stronger than the currency of other countries those are not in Eurozone, therefore cost to travel in Greece is more expensive. However, Greece does not have enough luxury hotels, golf courses, and resort for that difference in cost Expensive prices of goods and service in Greece created by the strength of euro, has weakened the countrys competitiveness on international market. This problem will become worse if the labor productivity of countries such as Germany and France growing constantly and increase value of the euro. It will push the price of Greek exports higher that market realities. Greece should change to another currency that is weaker than Euro to increase their competitiveness. Cà ³ mà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢t già ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £i phà ¡p khà ´ng dà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ dà  ng Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ »Ã†â€™ Hy Là ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡p thoà ¡t khà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ i tà ¬nh trà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡ng tià ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿n thoà ¡i lÆ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¡ng nan nà  y. Ä Ãƒ ³ là   tà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡o ra mà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢t và ²ng xoà ¡y già ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £m phà ¡t già ¡ cà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £ và   tià ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ n lÆ °Ãƒâ€ Ã‚ ¡ng. NhÆ °ng, ngÆ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ i dà ¢n Hy Là ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡p thà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ i gian qua Ä‘Ã £ lià ªn tà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¥c Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ ra Ä‘Æ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ng Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ »Ã†â€™ gà ¢y à ¡p là ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ±c buà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢c chà ­nh phà ¡Ã‚ » duy trà ¬ chà ­nh sà ¡ch tià ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ n lÆ °Ãƒâ€ Ã‚ ¡ng và   phà ºc là ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ £i, do Ä‘Ã ³, vià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡c à ¡p dà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¥ng bià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡n phà ¡p già ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £m phà ¡t sà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ½ khà ³ duy trà ¬ Ä‘Æ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ £c trong bà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¥t kà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ³ trÆ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ng hà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ £p nà  o. Chà ­nh phà ¡Ã‚ » Hy Là ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡p ngà  y 23/12 Ä‘Ã £ thà ´ng qua kà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿ hoà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡ch ngà ¢n sà ¡ch khà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¯c khà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ 2011 nhà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ±m Ä‘Ã ¡p à ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ©ng nhà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¯ng Ä‘ià ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ u kià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡n khà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¯t khe do Lià ªn minh chà ¢u Âu (EU) và   QÃ…Â ©y tià ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ n tà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ quà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬Ëœc tà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿ (IMF) Ä‘Æ °a ra Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ »Ã†â€™ nhà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ­n Ä‘Æ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ £c gà ³i cà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ©u trà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ £ tà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ « cà ¡c tà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ chà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ©c nà  y. Kà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿ hoà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡ch nà  y Ä‘Ã £ Ä‘Æ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ £c quà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬Ëœc hà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢i Hy Là ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡p thà ´ng qua và ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ºi 156 phià ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿u à ¡Ã‚ »ng hà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢ và   142 phià ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿u phà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £n Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬Ëœi. Thà ¡Ã‚ » tÆ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ºng Hy Là ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡p Georges Papandrà ©ou hi và ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ng rà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ±ng, kà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿ hoà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡ch nà  y thà ¡Ã‚ »Ã†â€™ hià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡n sà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ± quyà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿t tà ¢m thà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ±c hià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡n nhà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¯ng bià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡n phà ¡p cà ¡Ã‚ ºn thià ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿t Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ »Ã†â€™ Ä‘Æ °a kinh tà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿ Hy Là ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡p thoà ¡t khà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ i khà ¡Ã‚ »ng hoà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £ng. Theo Ä‘Ã ³, ngà ¢n sà ¡ch năm 2011 sà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ½ già ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £m tà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ « mà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ©c 9,4% tà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ng sà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £n phà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ©m quà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬Ëœc nà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢i (GDP) dà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ± kià ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿n năm nay xuà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬Ëœng cà ²n 7,4%. Và   trong 3 năm tià ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿p theo, nÆ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ºc nà  y  phà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¥n Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¥u già ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £m thà ¢m hà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¥t xuà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬Ëœng cà ²n 3%. Vià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡c cà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¯t già ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £m sà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ½ tà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ­p trung và  o lÄ ©nh và ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ±c cà ´ng, bao gà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬Å"m: y tà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿, già ¡o dà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¥c, cà ´ng trà ¬nh cà ´ng cà ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢ng nhÆ ° Ä‘Æ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ng sà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¯t và   cà ¡c loà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡i hà ¬nh và ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ­n tà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ £i khà ¡c.

Marketing – Delta Faucets

Delta Faucets – Final Project One of the most luxurious and exquisite brands in the world of faucets and bathroom fittings is Delta Faucets. The branding of Delta has been a very remarkable process – it targets the highest niche of the market with its products that have the highest finish and technological innovation. It is compelling to think how technology could be introduced in bathroom fittings and faucets. Delta faucets are embedded with technologically innovative ideas and thus are distinctive in nature from all of its competitor products. Marketing Mix Analysis Overview Established in 1954 as a home improvement and building products, Delta Faucet Company is a subsidiary of Masco Corporation. This company is one of the largest manufacturers of home fittings and building products. The company has been very innovative in the faucets business and its business philosophy has made it adopt an innovative approach to the traditional business of manufacturing home fittings. The company manufactures a wide range of home fitting products but apart from that, it has a list of patented designs and products to its credit. This includes a variety of breakthrough technologies and innovative ideas that have led to faucets being more intelligent than just ordinary home fittings. Targeted distinctively for corporate offices and exquisite homes, Delta Faucet products are not for the ordinary people. The products marketing campaign is equally exquisite and yet simple. The website of the company shows the innovative ideas that have been the reason for its success in the business and a targeted marketing strategy for corporate offices has been the key to its distinguishment from other products in the marketplace. This paper will analyze the marketing mix of Delta Faucets and dissect the different elements of its marketing strategy that have been crucial to its success. Product Delta Faucet products are home fittings and building materials that simply defy the convention. The products of Delta Faucet are value-added in that they are the result of innovation and technological embedding – Delta Faucets enabling it to be the market leader in innovative faucets and fittings patent most of these designs. The product comes in lavish packaging however, since Delta Faucet hones the â€Å"green† paradigm, the packaging is biodegradable but manages to provide the buyer an exquisite image well. Pricing Bathroom fittings and kitchen fittings that cost as much as tyre cars are the norm for Delta Faucet products. It should be remembered that Delta does not target a large population – rather it skims the top most segment of the market. It would rather be that Delta Faucets are used for corporate bathrooms than for private home fittings (Etzel, Walker, Walker & Stanton, 2003). Delta Faucet prices well above its nearest competitors enabling it to reach the premiums of high pricing. Placement Delta Faucet is not short of outlets for placing its faucets. It operates in more than 53 countries using an efficient supply chain network with reduced lead-time. The company has an extensive network of distributors and retailers that sell Delta Faucets products throughout North America and Europe. The use of information systems in its supply chain network has been one of the strongest plus factors for Delta Faucet enabling it to strengthen its placement strategies (Pelyco, 2003). Promotional Mix Delta Faucet manages to market its products using a variety of strategies: in spite of being a luxury product, Delta Faucet has been able to stir its demand over the years using corporate magazine marketing as the primary tool (About Delta, 2009). A combination of viral marketing amongst the corporate world (through secretaries of executives) is the most relied upon form of promotion at Delta Faucets. It also houses exquisite showrooms and display centers for the people that are abounded by physical marketing and the â€Å"touch and feel† of things. It is perhaps this strategy that is the most consistent with Delta Faucets. Overall, Delta Faucet has been very pervasive in its marketing and promotional strategies. It has strived to make sure that it is chosen by the top-notch sector of the society by constantly dwelling on copyright technology and innovation. Delta Faucet projects itself as a brand that is for the elite; keeping this into view, it can be concluded that the price and promotional strategy of the product are well in tandem with the products image and nature (Pride & Ferrell, 2007). Delta Faucet needs no revision of its marketing strategy: it only needs to broaden its horizons. Turning from an exquisite product to a luxury product high in demand amongst wider elite would be a better strategy for the company – and this is what Delta Faucets should be eyeing for in the near future in order to stand out against its competitors in this fiery era of globalization and expand its profitability. References About Delta (2009). Delta Faucet Company: Who are We? Retrieved on December 15, 2009 from: http://www. deltafaucetcompany. com/company/whoweare. html Etzel, M. J. , Walker, B. J. , Walker, S. , & Stanton, W. J. (2000). Marketing. New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Pelyco (2003). Delta Faucet Company achieves continued success with Peyco Supply Chain visibility solution. Retrieved on December 15, 2009 from: http://www. pelyco. com/press_release_02_20_03. htm Pride, W. , Ferrell, O. C. (2007). Foundations of Marketing: Revised Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Space Defining Architecture

Lynda Nwankwo Humanities 101-011 11/9/2012 SPACE DEFINING ARCHITECTURE An average population of the world views space and structure through the visual elements provided. Brick, tree, corridor, door, window, trim and carpet are only a few of these visual elements. All of the elements combine to allow us to experience a space. These experiences should be the designer’s goal when conceiving the space in question. Some spaces are created to encourage social interaction while others are designed to encourage silence and reflection.Think about the space that you are in now. If you are in an office, most likely it is institutionalized with a nominal amount of light and large capacity for production. Let’s say you are in a municipal park. Most likely you are relaxed and enjoying time away from the office and other stresses of life. It is the purpose of this paper to explore the relationships between these elements and how you experience a space. â€Å"Behind all seen things li es something vaster; everything is but a path, a portal or a window opening on something other than itself. ? Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Wind, Sand, and Stars :Harcourt Brace Javanovich, New York, 1967 We spend our lives inside buildings, our thoughts shaped by their walls. Nevertheless, there’s surprisingly little research on the psychological implications of architecture. How do different spaces influence cognition? Is there an ideal kind of architectural structure for different kinds of thinking? To begin I would like to define architecture and explain why it is important to design with experience in mind.Here at New Jersey Institute Of Technology, it is engrained into architecture students that our definition of architecture is the following: â€Å"Architecture is the blend of science, art and technology to provide a meaningful interaction between an audience and the space that they occupy. † Color can have a large variety of effects on the occupants of a space. As a designer conceives a space, the color should be used as a function of the space as much as the walls or ceilings. Yellow, for instance is a color that tends to grab attention more than other colors.This would make it a good color to use in corridors to show occupants where to go next. Since it also tends to increase metabolism, yellow should also be used in dining spaces such as restaurants. Along with color, spatial qualities can play a large role in how we experience a space. At the moment, I think we’re only beginning to grasp the relevant variables of design. Christian Jarrett, for instance, highlights a new study on curved versus rectilinear furniture. The study itself was simple: subjects viewed a series of rooms filled with different kinds of couches and lounge chairs.Needless to say, we’re only beginning to grasp how the insides of buildings influence the inside of the mind. For now, it’s safe to say that tasks involving accuracy and focus – say , copyediting a manuscript, or doing some algebra – are best suited for short spaces with red walls. In contrast, tasks that require a little bit of creativity and abstract thinking benefit from high ceilings, lots of windows and bright blue walls that match the sky. The point is that architecture has real cognitive consequences, even if we’re just beginning to learn what they are.

An Analysis of Dranove’s The Economic Evolution of American Healthcare Essay Example

An Analysis of Dranove’s The Economic Evolution of American Healthcare Essay Example An Analysis of Dranove’s The Economic Evolution of American Healthcare Paper An Analysis of Dranove’s The Economic Evolution of American Healthcare Paper The Economic Evolution of American Health Care: from Marcus Welby to managed care was written by David Dranove. The book, published in 2002, was written to explore the history of health care in America and outline the changes that occurred beginning from the traditional health care practice that Dranove called as â€Å"Marcus Welby medicine† to the more modern managed care, all from the economic perspective. The paper covers a brief summary of the chapters and points made by Dranove and critical analysis with close attention to highlighting the main arguments of Dranove. Among the various points emphasized by Dranove in the book, the paper will discuss three ideas: the importance of trust in the patient-physician relationship, the valuable role of managed care in increasing access to health care services, and the means to ensure that managed care organizations deliver quality health care services and do not take advantage of Brief Summary The first chapter, The Rise of Managed Care, discussed traditional health care as portrayed in a television show Marcus Welby, M.D. The television show became popular in the 1960s and was about Marcus Welby, a primary care physician or PCP. The Marcus Welby medicine placed the physician as â€Å"the center of a medical care system† (p. 7). The physician manages an independent medical clinic, does house calls, make referrals, and make important decisions in the hospital setting. In traditional health care, the physician was instilled the right to make autonomous decisions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After several decades, however, managed care was introduced and the physician was displaced as the policy and decision-maker. Dranove called managed care as â€Å"dispassionate and depersonalized†. The close and personal relationship between the physician and the patient was less prioritized and managed care organizations or MCOs became key policy and decision-makers. At this point, Dranove highlighted the shopping problem. The shopping problem caused a dilemma on the part of individuals who are unsure from where to seek medical care. In traditional health care, patients rely entirely on the decisions, advises, and referrals of the physician,   until managed care stepped in and   the commercialization of health products and services made health care a shopping culture that creates problems for patients, also considered as consumers. In the second and third chapters, The Origins of Managed Care and The Government Steps In respectively, Dranove discussed how managed care began especially the various factors that transformed the traditional health care system to a modern and economic-centered one. Managed care began as an outcome of traditional health care. Managed care organizations or MCOs became the middlemen between physicians and patients, consequently solving the shopping problem and issues concerning costly health care services. MCOs identified the needs of patients and fulfilled the responsibility of selecting health care services for them while promising cut rates to lower cost. The second part of the book talks about the modern health economy, primarily in the 20th century. The 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of part two introduced very important details that stressed the advantages but most importantly the disadvantages of MCOs and why there is a need to address them. The modern health economy, according to Dranove, may have offered the American people accessible health care services primarily from health insurances, but the problem with managed care is the quality of services being provided by MCOs, the cost that individuals are paying for these services, and the depersonalization of business. The American people have already lost their trust on MCOs. In the remaining chapters of the book, Dranove (2002) discussed some important points about managed care and introduced several ways in order to address the problems and disadvantages of managed care. The Patient-Physician Relationship One of the most important issues that Dranove pointed out was the importance of developing a desirable patient-physician relationship. More than once, Dranove mentioned that the transition from traditional health care to managed care has led to the depersonalization of health care services. Furthermore, the negative side of managed care has caused the American people to lose their trust on the health care system. Most individuals believe that the health of the American people is not the first priority of MCOs. In fact, MCOs have created a new health care system where individuals needed to rely on the decisions of MCOs and simply choose from the goods and services that MCOs have to offer. The argument of Dranove is agreeable but the current health care system, and even the traditional health care system, cannot address trust issues. The Marcus Webley medicine did gained the trust of people. The relationship between the physician and the patient was ideal. The patient goes to a trusted physician and relied on him for advice, referrals, and recommendations. The physician, on the other hand, was hands-on and attentive to the needs of patients. As Dranove described it, the physician was the center of the health care system. The physician is also the center of the patient’s health. Dranove described the relationship between the physician and the patient as something that should be built on trust. Dranove quoted James Coleman, â€Å"in which the risk one takes depends on the performance of another actor† (p. 14). Patient trust also comes in different forms: 1. Trust that providers will act unselfishly, putting patients’ interests above their own; 2. Trust that providers have the technical competence necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment; and 3. Trust that providers can control and coordinate the resources necessary to deliver quality care. Patients entrust their lives to the hands of physicians and the latter should respond to the patients’ trust by providing them the best quality care. According to Dranove, the best advantage of the Marcus Welby medicine is that physicians value the trust that patients give them and provide the best possible quality of health care to them. â€Å"But the great advantage of the traditional health economy was that economics never stood in the way of quality† (p. 84) The problem, however, is the cost of health care services then. Being independent physicians who were in charge of almost everything, the cost of services asked of patients was too high. According to Dranove, from the 1960s until the early 1990s, health care was what Dranove the economy of the United States. The high cost of health care services became the primary source of revenue in the country, but on the contrary, limited access to these services. Health care services should be for all, as is the goal of the US government when it comes to health policies. Expensive health care services mean that not everyone will be able to afford health care. Readings of other books support this idea. The discussion by Brannon Feist (2009) on health care covered the ideas that Dranove discussed and I agree with, that expensive health care means limited access to it. â€Å"The cost of health care prevents many people from receiving proper treatment and care† (p. 59).

Bracero Program essays

Bracero Program essays It was during World War II that the United States was in need of Mexico and its laborers. Americans were at war and labor was needed in order to supply the soldiers with food and keep the countries agriculture going. It was in 1942 when the United States and Mexico negotiated an agreement that was known as the bracero program. For Mexicans it was a chance to get a better life and an opportunity that could change their lives. For Americans, on the other hand, it was the help they needed to keep the country going after the war. It was the lost of manpower during World War II that stopped the deportation of Mexicans that had been going on during the prior years. The United States had done a complete turnaround. Before they had tried to stop Mexican immigrants from entering their country. Now they had open up the doors. It was a time of need for the United States. The majority of the working class was out fighting in the war or working of war related jobs. The United States had to turn to their neighbors for help. On August 14, 1942, President Manuel Avila Camacho and Frank Delano Roosevelt signed an agreement that was officially known as the bracero program. This program was to allow a controlled number of Mexican immigrants to enter the United States and work. They would be allowed in the United States when workers were needed and when their work was done, they were expected to return to Mexico. The agreement provided Mexican workers for nondiscriminatory conditions. They were to receive the same benefits that any white American had, and were supposed to be paid the same. To employers this meant they would be expending money to provide for the workers, to Mexicans it meant an opportunity for a better life. Many Mexicans sought the American dream and they thought that by going to work in the United States they would gain that life they wanted. Things didnt go as planned for the Mexicans. The protec...

History term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History term paper - Essay Example He won his first election in 1881 as a member of the Republican Party to the state assembly of Albany, New York. As a state legislator he won respect for exposing a judge but also earned the ill will of his party members. Mistrusted by both liberals and party leaders, Roosevelt remained unsure of his career in politics. Although he socialized with America’s upper crust, he looked after the interests of the working class Americans. After family mishaps he returned to politics as a Republican reformist in 1989 where he served on the US Civil Service Commission (DesertUSA, 1998). In 1895, he became New York City Police Commissioner, and two years later, he was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Known popularly as the Rough Rider, he resigned navy to join the military. Returning home from the war as a hero in 1898, Roosevelt was elected governor of New York. He then ran as the Republican Party’s vice presidential candidate in 1900 and less than a year later following the assassination of President William McKinley, Roosevelt became the youngest ever President in history. President Roosevelt inherited an empire-in-the-making when he assumed office in 1901. He influenced foreign policy even before he came to power. After the Spanish-American war the empire that America had, comprised of Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, Cuba and Hawaii. Roosevelt anted to make America the world power. He wanted to spread the American values and ideals all over the world. His diplomatic maxim was to ‘speak softly and carry a big stick’ (Millercenter, 2006). He maintained that a chief executive must have the quality both to use force and the art of persuasion to be used as the situation demands. He was very active in foreign affairs and attempted to end the relative isolationism, following the footsteps of his predecessor. When

Freemasons Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Freemasons - Research Paper Example In a matter of three decades, the Masonic fraternity had multiplied all over the Old World and the New World colonies. Freemasonry particularly became popular in the colonies of America. Great men in American history, such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere and Joseph Warren, became members of the fraternity. Other illustrious Masonic members who participated in the founding of America were John Paul Jones, Lafayette, Nathanael Greene and John Hancock. Chief Justice John Marshall, who was also a Mason, formed the Supreme Court into its modern structure (York 1993). Majority of the Masonic historians and scholars agree that Freemasonry, in its present structure, perhaps developed as an accessory from stonemasons from the Middle Ages through the period until the formation of the Operative Stone Masons Guilds. However, it is still uncertain how or when the conversion occurred from Operative Guild Free-Stone Masonry to scholarly Speculative Freemasonry or those making use of tools of stonemasons, garments and practices as symbolic supports to teach their principles, even though Scottish Lodge Kilwinnings documentations confirming admitted non Operatives by just about 1672 and several Lodges in England were completely non Operative at least by 1646, the time of Elias Ashmole (Jacob 1991). Stonemasons are remarkable. They acquired extraordinary skills to construct the cathedrals, castles and the essential sculpted forms and adornments ordered of their masters. This kind of skill must have looked like almost supernatural to the huge uneducated masses. They were evidently the cream of the crop of the labor force, possessed secret practices and symbols and would have fascinated and attracted several of the most skilled non-educated enlistments (Doan 1993). Though, provided with the intricacy and the focus on morality of the different