Ethnography of Starbucks

For my ethnography project, I decided to observe the Starbucks on Rockside Road in Independence, Ohio. My plan was to observe the subculture of Starbucks’ customers. A subculture is defined as a â€Å"structured social inequality or, more specifically, systematic inequalities between groups of people that arise as intended or unintended consequences of social processes and relationships. † My question was twofold. Does Starbucks appeal to certain social statuses? And if so, does Starbucks serve as another example of social inequality? The City of Independence has approximately 7,000 residents. The City is a hub for business, the majority of which are primarily based on Rockside Road. There are a variety of businesses, many of which include law firms, medical offices, and accounting firms. These busy professionals are just the type of clientele that I observed patronize Starbucks. The Starbucks on Rockside Road is located in a mid-size strip mall. The mall itself is very clean and has ample parking. Starbucks is flanked by other restaurants including Heidi’s, Zoup, Chipotle, Winking Lizard, Quiznos, and Thai Gourmet. All of the surrounding restaurants also cater to working professionals who have limited time available for food in their hectic days. The strip mall also contains non-food businesses that complete the full-service atmosphere. The additional stores include a large Kinko’s, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, a second printing shop, and a nail salon. The Starbucks is located right next to Kinko’s. It announces its presence with a large, tripod chalkboard that subtly invites passersby to reminisce of childhood. Indeed, the chalkboard notices offer some form of comfort in an otherwise hectic life. I first walked past the chalkboard on October 30th, a crisp Saturday in Northern Ohio. The chalkboard sign confirmed that it was in fact fall. The sign was decorated with orange and brown ribbons and offers of â€Å"Toffee Mocha† or a â€Å"Pumpkin Spiced Latte† along with a â€Å"homemade† glazed donut. As I pushed open the glass door, with the immediately recognizable green and white Starbuck’s logo, I was met with a warm breeze. The scent of chocolate and coffee beans filled the store. The sound of Wilco and grinding coffee beans invaded my ears. The store was about 500 sq. ft. in size. It contained a long, dark green counter behind which had two smiling twenty-something â€Å"baristas† who were ready and waiting to take my order. Several Espresso machines were situated along the counter. There was also a large display case which contained what appeared to be delicious donuts, cookies, and various pastries. The store also offered â€Å"Ethos† water which informs potential purchasers that a portion of the money goes to ensure clean drinking water in less fortunate countries. Patrons could also purchase organic non-coffee drinks, coffee mugs, ground Starbucks coffee, and iTunes music downloads. The store had an interior designed for comfort. Sixteen wooden tables filed the area. The floor was a deep cherry faux wood. There were multiple pictures on the walls, some of which depicted the different countries that Starbucks gets its coffee. The store was decorated for fall. Two sequenced pumpkins sat on the counter—one at the register and one at the pickup station. The pumpkins matched the pumpkin chalk on the outside display. The color orange was splashed around the store. There were already other patrons when I arrived. One table was occupied by a twenty-something male, typing away on his Macintosh laptop. A young couple occupied another table. The remainder of the store contained a scattered group of males and females, all with laptops, who appeared to be working on some kind of project. I chose a table situated near the middle of the store and began gathering my observations. Over the span of two weekends (the weekends of October 23rd and October 30th) I had an opportunity to observe the type of people who purchased the Starbucks â€Å"logo. † On both Fridays I conducted my observations between the hours of 6 and 8pm, and on each Saturday between 11am to 1pm. I found that the majority of the clientele appeared to be middle or upper class individuals. It became apparent that Starbucks appealed to people of a certain socioeconomic status through their thoughtful use of products, language, decor, and location. Socioeconomic status (SES) is defined as â€Å"an individual’s position in a stratified social order,† meaning upper middle, or lower class. SES is primarily determined by income. The remainder of this paper will look at the different ways that Starbucks caters to the more privileged. First, Starbucks products are clearly designed for those with a disposable income. Realistically, who would spend almost three dollars for a small cup of coffee when you can get a jumbo coffee for . 99 cents at a gas station? One reason could be quality. Starbucks claims to use high-quality whole bean coffee and sells them in a traditionally European style. But the products are not limited to coffee. Starbucks also offered a full array of organic drinks, socially conscious products, outrageously priced coffee mugs—some of which are plastic versions that prominently display their logo, and music downloads. There were two available downloads that I observed. One was a new release by a famous artist. The other was a new release by an â€Å"undiscovered† new group. Similar to the music, my observations revealed that the Starbucks patrons primarily fit into two categories. The first were businessmen and women, who entered in suits with cellphones in hand, and hastily ordered a latte before running out the door. The second were twenty-something’s who ordered a drink and settled in to work on their laptops. These observations suggest that primarily busy, preoccupied people only have time to grab a cup of coffee and get back to work, and since Starbucks offers quick quality, it’s the store of choice. Second, Starbucks has a language reminiscent of an Italian coffee shop. Instead of small, medium, or large, Starbucks uses â€Å"tall† for small, â€Å"grande† for medium, and â€Å"venti† for large sizes. This variation in language may indicate that in order to buy Starbucks coffee, you must have a basic knowledge of foreign languages which could reflect one’s educational attainment. The change in language may add an air of sophistication to their products as well. Instead of ordering a large coffee, someone could order a â€Å"venti carmel macchiato. † The language barrier at Starbucks may reflect a culture that only certain people with a certain educational level are able to recognize and adjust accordingly. This would apply to the middle and upper classes which are typically associated with higher educational levels and which could indicate a more cultured person. Third, Starbucks uses its decor to appeal to people with a higher socioeconomic status. What is Starbucks trying to sell besides coffee? An experience. The atmosphere of Starbucks is warm and enticing. The store uses mainly earth-tone colors to give the customer a sense of comfort. The lighting is dim and sets a mood for relaxation and is reminiscent of a library at night. The lighting is designed to highlight certain products in the same way that an expensive restaurant showcases its food. The decor also contained a worldly feel. The artwork was meant to evoke an exotic getaway. The store was exceptionally clean and the â€Å"baristas† were friendly. Through its decor, Starbucks is trying to sell an experience where customers enter a sophisticated yet understated store to purchase products that they would have had to travel the globe to obtain. This experience is indicative of the values and lifestyles commonly associated with the middle and upper class; education and travel. Fourth, Starbucks chooses its store locations as a means of attracting a certain type of clientele. According to David Firestone, director or real estate for Starbucks, there are two ground rules the company uses when deciding on locations: one, always open near an upscale nchor, two, there’s no such thing as too many coffee franchises if pedestrian levels are high enough. Through Starbucks. com website store locator, the search for Starbucks in downtown Cleveland showed over twenty locations in the area, while a search in the less-affluent East Cleveland area found no store locations. This stratified market may suggest that Starbucks chooses locations in areas that would predominantly draw customers from middle and upper classes. Also, for more technology savvy customers, Starbucks designed an iPhone app that avigates the nearest Starbucks for any destination the customer is at, around the world. Through a combination of selective store placement and easy access, Starbucks makes its stores accessible to some, but not to all. In conclusion I’ve found that Starbucks tries to sell its idea of â€Å"cool† to the middle and upper classes through its sleek products, unique language, smooth decor, and specific store locations. Since Starbucks makes a great effort to appeal to people of higher socioeconomic statuses, the subculture of the storeà ¢â‚¬â„¢s customers follows suit. The subculture’s distinct cultural values and behavioral patterns are those associated with â€Å"high society† living, like wealth, education, and privilege. So, it appears that Starbucks serves as yet another chain of social inequality in the world of commercial business through its specific attention to a target audience that consists heavily of wealth, power, and prestige. This ethnography helped me to better understand that certain marketing strategies appeal to certain subcultures, which relay back to specific socioeconomic statuses. And in a world run by money, status is everything.

Arguments Against Mandatory Voting Essay

Popular participation is often cited as one of the fundamental principles of democracy. The right to vote being a freedom that has, and continues to be, sought after by people all over the world. Despite the value of many political systems’ movement toward universal suffrage, the few countries that have confused the right to vote, with a requirement to, have arguably deteriorated the significance of this achievement. Australia is part of a considerable minority that implement obligatory voting laws, and of an even smaller subset that enforce them. Although the proponents of mandatory voting will be considered, the incompatibility of compulsory voting with implied freedoms, with broad theories of democracy and the overall inefficacy of producing a more engaged public, serve as perspectives that substantiate the notion that voting should no longer be compulsory in Australia. The Australian Constitution raises a number of questions about the constitutional validity of mandatory voting. Given this evaluation of an issue so pertinent to political rights, the implications of these challenges coming from a source as authoritative as this cannot be understated. The existence of a legal responsibility to vote can be perceived as incongruous with the implied freedom of political communication that was proved in Australian Capital TV v Commonwealth 1992 and recognised ever since. This inconsistency extends to the right to vote being proved as an implicit right in s7 and s24 of the Constitution, which, as reported by Dr. Anthony Gray, is an entitlement to vote that includes the freedom not to. Whilst advocates for the current system of compulsion may contend that voting is a civic duty, such reasoning can be seen as unconvincing as it fails to acknowledge that abstention is a perfectly valid form of political expression. Through an analysis of mandatory voting from a wider democratic perspective, the idea that compulsion is an infringement of free will becomes increasingly apparent. In addition to the obvious paradox that a democratic country forces its constituents to vote, a truly free nation should allow for the demonstration of dissatisfaction and make provisions for a refusal  to identify political beliefs. Although commentators in favour of compulsion may assert that the ability to provide an informal or ‘donkey’ vote facilitates this, the inefficiencies these contribute to as well as its inherent irrationality, given they are discounted, are persuasive arguments against such an opinion. Moreover, although there is a certain degree of legitimacy in the claim that obligatory voting serves to augment the democratic ideals of equality and participation, compelling a person to vote is ultimately, according to academic Katherine Swenson, antithetical to the concept of individual freedom. A common belief maintained by supporters of compulsory voting is that it creates a more politically active electorate. Whilst in theory this is conceivable, its practical limitations make the alleviation of indifference a distant reality. In support of this, a 2007 experiment conducted by Peter Loewen et al. in a Quebec election found that required voting had â€Å"little or no effect† on the knowledge and engagement of its participants. In the Australian context, despite the assumption that the problem of participation is solved by mandatory laws, in the last election around one-fifth of eligible Australians failed to cast a usable vote. It is argued that candidates and parties rely on these laws to get voters to the ballot. If this is the case, perhaps the solution is to abandon compulsory voting and thus force parties to organically incite a politically active populace through enticing and innovative policies. The dichotomy of democracy is that it demands both individual freedoms and equality. A great difficulty of modern politics has been the ability to strike a balance between these paradigms, and to determine at what point one must be truncated to enhance the other. Through an analysis of compulsory voting through a constitutional, democratic and practical context, it has become clear that such a regime has no place in a society that strives to exist as an epitome of democracy. The time has now come for Australia to abandon its paternalistic voting laws and entrust its political future with the voluntary voice of the Australian public, and not in a piece of legislation that commands it to speak. REFERENCE LIST/ BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. Chong, D, Davidson, S & Fry, T 2005, ‘It’s an Evil Thing to Oblige People to Vote’, Policy (St Leonard’s NSW), vol. 21 no. 4, pp. 10-16. 2.Gray, A 2012, ‘The Constitutionality of Australia’s Compulsory Voting System’, Australian Journal of Politics & History, vol. 58, no. 4, pp. 591-608. 3.Hoffman, R & Lazaridis, D 2013, ‘The Limits of Compulsion: Demographic Influences on Voter Turnout in Australian State Elections’, Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 28-43. 4.Krishna, V & Morgan, J 2012, ‘Voluntary voting: Costs and benefits’, Journal of Economic Theory, vol. 147, no. 6, pp. 2083-2123. 5.Lever, A 2010, ‘Compulsory Voting: A Critical Perspective’, British Journal of Political Science, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 897-915. 6.Loewen, PJ, Milner, H & Hicks, BM 2008, ‘Does Compulsory Voting Lead to More Informed and Engaged Citizens? An Experimental Test’, Canadian Journal of Political Science, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 655-672. 7.Singh, S 2011, ‘How Compelling is Compulsory Voting? A Multilevel Analysis of Turnout’, Political Behaviour, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 95-111. 8.Swenson, KM 2007, ‘Sticks, carrots, donkey votes, and true choice: a rationale for abolishing compulsory voting in Australia’, Minnesota Journal of International Law, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 525-552. Gordon, SB & Gary MS 1997, ‘Cross-National Variation in the Political Sophistication of Individuals: Capability or Choice?’, Journal of Politics, vol. 59, no. ?, pp. 126-147. Hooghe, M & Koen,P 1998, ‘Compulsory Voting in Belgium: an Application of the Lijphart Thesis’, Electoral Studies vol. 17?, no. ?, pp.419-424.

Tuesdays with Morrie

Christina An Weiss AIC September 9, 2010 Tuesdays with Morrie Love is a powerful emotion and an essential human need. Without loving the ones around them and their community, people are unable to live their lives to the fullest. In Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie, love is a most meaningful and dominant message. We feel comfort and connection with love in our lives. As Morrie says, if we devote love into our lives, we are able to fulfill our lives. In reality, many people work up until their last breath to have more and more money. However, when they look back, they realized they never lived their lives with fulfillment.Money may buy them materialistic needs but love and affection are able to bring purpose and meaning. According to Morrie, â€Å"The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning† (43). By devoting himse lf to love the others around him, Morrie was able to create â€Å"a cocoon of human activities – conversations, interaction, affection – and it filled his life like an overflowing soup bowl† (43).The humans believe only money can compose accomplished lives. However, they do not notice how powerful love can be; love itself is able to aid them into creating their own world, a world they wanted. If they devote their love to their community and the ones around them, they will be surprised how fulfilling their lives can become. Love is not only just pouring affection to others; understanding, guidance, comfort are also needed. These are small step people must take to create their own world.Humans need connection and comfort from the ones around us. Despite the far distance, love is still possible. I lived in 2 different places. I was born in Korea and lived for 8 years. Then I moved to Toronto, Canada, and lived for about 4 years. Now I live in Naperville, Illinois. We are still able to feel love among us because we created our friendship deep enough that where ever we are, we still feel the connection and comfort. If this world did not have love among people, the humans would be nothing but heartless robots.One of my favorite books is The Great Gatsby. This novel talk about how a man, Gatsby, becomes rich just for the girl, Daisy, he fell in love with. Even though he has a lot of money and throws ravishing parties every day, nothing can fill his life except for the love from his girl. Gatsby has a huge, exquisite house. It was big yet empty. His house was always full of people who came to his party. Gatsby does not mind random people coming to his party. He just wanted his life to be filled with people. However, that never happened.He house was filled, but never his life. His life only chased his love for Daisy, and never for the people around him. Gatsby’s materialistic things never satisfied his life. He never tried to make friends an d therefore, he was never happy. Gatsby’s ravishing yet empty life shows us, that his outer shows others wealth and power. Nonetheless, his inside was just a hollow body. We can learn that even when people have the money they can spend on anything, money does not create a fulfilled life that everyone dreams of.People can fulfill their lives if they just took the time to look back and created more deep relationships. Love is not just for couples, or marriages. It is also significant in the communities and the ones who are always there. People around the world want so many materialistic things. But when they look back again, they want more friends and more relationships. Everyone will soon realize how much time they might have wasted running toward for materialistic things. If the humans let love come in, they realize that â€Å"love is the only rational act† (52). Tuesdays with morrie Mitch Album July 12, 2014 â€Å"My old professor, meanwhile, was stunned by the normalcy of the day around him. Shouldn't the world stop? Don't they know what has happened to me? † ;Mitch (pig 8) Morris's death sentence came in the summer of 1994. This meant an end to Morris's dancing. Following that came Memoir beginning to walk with a walker, the end to driving, swimming and most of all teaching. Memoir was diagnosed with ALLS, which is a brutal illness of the neurological system. 1 . What does this quote mean or suggest to you? Peoples problems range from bad to not so bad.Many In the world don't know what others have to go through on a dally basis. I feel people should take that Into consideration when making decisions and/or dealing with their problems. Memoir was diagnosed with ALLS, a terminal sickness, meanwhile there are people who are taking their lives and becoming depressed for silly reasons. Memoir has every right to be upset but he looks at his sickness as a new beginning, to look at life a different way. I believe that's how everyone should look at life no matter what the situation is. 2. What is the authors attitude toward the ideas, events, or characters he/she is resenting?Explain your reasoning. The author has a positive attitude toward the events in the story. One of Memories students, Mitch, eulogies him. When Mitch found out about his sickness, he contacted him immediately. However, when he arrived he didn't even want to get out of the car. Visiting Memoir became a ritual, he would fly to see him every Tuesday. As each Tuesday passed, Match's attitude toward Morris's situation changed for the better. Each Tuesday he would bring food from the market and even though as time passed Memoir couldn't eat food unless it was mushy, he still brought it.Memories costive outlook on life and his happiness influenced Mitch and made him realize there is so no reason to be negative and unhappy. July 132014 â€Å"In fact, I lost contact with most of the people I knew in college, including my beer drinking friends and the first woman I ever woke up with I the morning. â€Å"-Mitch (pig Match's life after hugging his professor last wasn't that Interesting. His dream was to be a musician, but after several unsuccessful gigs that dream faded. Mitch had his first encounter with death, his uncle that taught him many things, who he looked up to, died from cancer at a young age.HIS uncle asked him one night If he would be year. After his funeral, time suddenly became precious and he didn't want to Joke around anymore. What does this quote mean or suggest to you? This quote suggests to me that people leave, you move on and things that was once important don't mean as much anymore. Although you move on, you shouldn't loose touch because something so deadly can come out of no where and hurt a loved one. For example, Match's uncle. Mitch looked up to his uncle, he taught him how to drive, throw a football and teased him about girls. He wanted to be him exactly when he grew up and sadly he wasn't around for long.In conclusion, moving on is fine but don't move on to the point you loose touch completely with a loved one because you will regret it. 2. What are the implications of this idea, I'm the story and/or beyond it? This quote represents the idea of moving on, how it has it pros and cons. This ideas implied in the story because Mitch moved on and forgot about his dear professor and all of a sudden he found out he was diagnosed with a terminal disease. Mitch reunited with his professor, no and they began to meet every Tuesday to catch up and for Memoir to teach his last lesson about life.Like I said in my revises answer, when moving on don't detach completely because a loved on May not be with you for long. â€Å"Yeah he refused to be depressed. Instead, Memoir had become a lightning rod of ideas. He Jotted down his thoughts on yellow pads, envelopes, folders, scrap paper†¦ â€Å"Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others†; â€Å"Don't assume that it's too late to get involved. â€Å"†-Mitch/Memoir (pig 18) Morris's health isn't getting any better; he has to use a wheelchair full time; his legs were dead. Yet he refused to be depressed.He began to Jot down every idea that came to mind. One of his friends, Maurice Stein, was so taken by his words that he .NET them to a Boston Globe reporter, who came and wrote a story on him. It was called, The Professor's Final Course: His Own Death. How does the quote connect to other ideas in the story? Memoir is faced with a lot of obstacles throughout the book, however he doesn't let it stop him. This quote connects to other ideas in the story because Memoir is constantly thinking positive. After a while, he has had over fifty â€Å"aphorisms†.Since Maurice Stein showed the world Memoir, and Copper reached out to him; he has now fame in his life. Fame is constantly showing up in his life, for example, he gets letters, p eople want to meet him and he has been on Gospel's show more than once. 2. Why do you think this quote is important, to you personally and/or characters he/ she is presenting? Explain your reasoning. I think this quote is important to the character Mitch is presenting because if Memoir didn't have positivist during this roller coaster, then it would be a lot harder to are dying, you begin to live your life.Although Memoir can't live his life actively, he is living his life emotionally talking to people, sharing his story and most of all helping them. July 14, 2014 â€Å"The eighties happened. The nineties happened. Death and sickness and getting fat and going bald happened. I traded lots of dreams for a bigger paycheck, and I never even realized I was doing it. † -Mitch (pig 33) Mitch is thinking to himself about how he would of felt if he didn't see Memoir before he died. He said he only had one excuse, it was a good excuse, but he became wrapped up in his own life.Memoir ke pt talking to him as if it has Just been a long vacation but during that vacation Mitch found Jobs and got married. Mitch feels bad, he felt that he became someone he never wanted to become. His days were full, but he spent the day doing things that left him unsatisfied. This quote suggests to that Mitch only cared about money, and luxurious objects. Rather than love, family and friends. He never wanted to end up like this, he never expected to loose contact with Memoir. But time began to fly by; his dreams disappeared and his world became revolved around money and his Job. . Elaborate on how or why the characters remind you of anyone else, in fiction, history, or your own life. Mitch reminds me of a majority of today's society. Many teens and adults are only worried about money and what they have. Yet, the car they drive or their salary isn't going to keep their loved ones around. Sometimes you realize when it's too late. Many peoples dreams become unrealistic when they get caught up in their ego. They could of achieved their goals if they weren't too busy worrying about money and more about what matters, such as family, friends and school.July 15, 2014 â€Å"The discussions give me an excuse to talk to him, fatherly conversations I cannot have with my own father, who would like me to be a lawyer† -Mitch (pig 47) Memoir and Mitch became very close which was unusual for Mitch because he wasn't a relative yet, he didn't mind. Mitch and his father don't really get along cause he has a different future planned for him. Match's dad wants him to be a lawyer, Mitch is in luck because Memoir doesn't like lawyers. Instead he wanted to. Be a musician, and Memoir supported that; which made him feel like a father.Elaborate on how or why the characters remind you of anyone else, in fiction, history, or your own life. Mitch reminds me of my own life because my dad and I don't really get along either. I have a person that is like a father figure to me and he supports me more than my own dad does. Unlike Match's dad having different goals for him, my dad college and how much stress comes out from it. . Why do you think this quote is important, to you personally and/or the whole story? Since Mitch doesn't have a great bond with his father, it influences his relationship with Mitch and Memoir.It makes their relationship stronger. Mitch isn't afraid to tell Memoir what he is feeling and what he wants in life. If Mitch were to have these kind of talks with his dad, it wouldn't go over so well. July 16, 2014 â€Å"Because it's the ultimate sign of dependency. Someone wiping your bottom. But I'm working on it. I'm trying to enjoy the process. Enjoy it? â€Å"Yes. After all, I get to be a baby one more time. â€Å"† -Memoir (pig 49) Mitch and Memoir are Tuesday people, therefore Mitch only visits him on Tuesday. On the first Tuesday they talk about the world. Talking to Memoir was similar to their old college dialogues.Memoir asking questions and listening to Match's responses. During one of marries interviews with Ted Copper, he told him that his lowest point in life will be when he has to have someone to wipe his ass. He thinks that because it is the ultimate sign of dependency, and Memoir doesn't like to depend on people. What is reveled about the character(s) through this quote? Q This quote reveals that Memoir has a positive outlook on everything he is going to o through. Although he doesn't like the idea of depending on someone to wipe his ass, he take s the negativity and turns it into positivist.Memoir thinks that he is getting another chance to be a baby, which is a weird but good way to look at it. If Memoir focused on the fact that he is getting weaker, he would become unhappy. It's impossible for Memoir to be unhappy about anything. 2. How does this quote connect to other ideas in the story? This quote connects to the other disadvantages Memoir is being handed through the story. Such as, using a walker, danci ng, swimming and so on. No Neater how setting stopping what used to be an everyday activity, he keeps his head up. Memoir is always positive when normally he should be upset.Nothing can stop Memoir from smiling. July 17, 2014 â€Å"The next Tuesday, I arrived with the normal bags of food- pasta with corn, potato salad, apple cobbler- and something else: a Sony tape recorder,† -Mitch (pig 62) On the third Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talk about regrets. Since Memoir is getting sicker and time is going very fast; Mitch decided to bring a tape recorder so he could remember what they were talking about. Memoir has patience, courage, humor and pennies; he is looking at life from a very different place than anyone else. The tapes were like photographs, a desperate attempt to steal something from death's suitcase.Mitch has a positive attitude when dealing with the tape recorder. He doesn't want to forget about the countless amount of Tuesdays he spent with his favorite professor. Mitch wants to be able to listen to Morris's voice after he passes; although he denies that when confronted. Memoir wants to be able to tell him his story before he runs out of time, and Mitch is perfectly fine with that. 2. Why do you think this quote is important to you personally and/or the whole story? I think this quote is important to the whole story because it represents the fact that Memoir is an influential person.He impacts many lives and decisions. The tape recorder proves to Memoir that he will never be forgotten. A part in the story, Memoir talks about if he will be forgotten when he passes. He will not. Too many love and care for him as a person and his personality to forget him. â€Å"We all need teachers in our lives. And mine was sitting in front of me† -Mitch (pig 65) Mitch is worrying about if he should be consumed with sad thoughts and regrets of what he has missed. Memoir says that's what everyone is worried about, they are all rapped up in their family, caree r, money, meeting the mortgage and so on.Yet, they don't stand back and say, â€Å"Is this all? â€Å". People need to probe you in the right direction and that's what Memoir is doing. What works of art, music, dance or film does it remind you of? How? How does making the connection help you get more out of the question? This quote reminds me of the film, Mantilla. Mantilla was adopted into a very discouraging family, who didn't care for her. When she met her teacher Ms. Honey, she began to realize what life has to offer. This is the same situation with Memoir and Mitch, Memoir opened up Match's and made him realize what's right in front of him. . What does this quote mean or suggest to you? This quote suggests that you should always have an intelligent, influencing person in your life you can always go to to help point you in the right direction. Having that second option makes decision making a lot easier, and I feel everyone should have a person like Memoir. I've had several fr iends in my life, that always point me in the right direction and I'm very thankful to have them. July 18, 2014 â€Å"†Everyone knows they're going to die,† he said again, â€Å"but nobody believes it. If we id, we would do things differently. † -Memoir (pig 81) On the fourth Tuesday, they talked about death. Memoir is now on a machine, helping him breath and Mitch hates it. Yet, once again Memoir looks at it differently. He says that everyone needs to accept that they are going to die one day and that they should've prepared at any time. Therefore, you can be more involved in your life ask it if today's the day and if they are ready. Memoir then turned to his shoulder and asked the bird if today is the day I die. What are the implications of this idea, in the story and/or beyond it? The idea of accepting death is implied throughout the story.Memoir accepts the fact that he will be dying soon, therefore he lives his life differently. He lives his life to the full est, and doesn't let negativity and unhappiness prevent him. Although, Memoir has hit his lowest point, dependency, he doesn't allow that to prevent him from sharing his life story and his optimism with visitors and Mitch. If the quote suggests a conflict, what might have caused the problem? What solution(s) might exist? This quote suggests the conflict of internal vs.. Acceptance of death. The idea of believing you're invincible causes this problem.The only solution that exists, is to accept that you will die one day. Accepting that idea will result in a better life. You will begin to live life to its fullest, and you will achieve more things. â€Å"You know what the Buddhists say? Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent. † -Memoir (pig 103) It is the sixth Tuesday and Memoir and Mitch are talking about Emotions. Memoir is beginning to struggle much more as the days pass, but no matter what he will be happy to see Mitch. Mitch still brings a bag of food ever y time he visits, but Memoir would never hurt his feelings and tell him he can't chew it.Memoir begins the Tuesday by telling Mitch that he has to detach himself from experiences. Instead of letting the experience penetrate you, on the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. Why do you think this quote is important to you personally and/or to the whole story? I think this quote is important to me personally because this is something I have trouble with daily. Whenever someone comes into my life, I get attached very easily. Therefore, when it's time to detach I get hurt. I need to accept the fact that everyone will be temporary, and I can't let myself get hurt over that.Instead of thinking about the future together, I need to enjoy the experience with that person now and let the experience penetrate me fully. History or in your own life. As I stated in the last question, it's very difficult for me to detach from someone. I don't think I am the only one who deals with this problem. Some get extremely attached and when that person leaves they go insane and do something incredibly crazy things themselves or to the person. I read an article where a girl was arrested for stalking her boyfriend, sending an extraordinary amount of texts, emails, calls, voiceless and so on to him.This is the problem, some believe that it won't happen again; therefore they put all their trust into one person. When that person ends up being what they didn't expect they go crazy. Facedown on the tile floor, stayed there for hours†¦. What she mostly wanted, he learned was the same thing many people want-someone to notice she was there. † Mitch (pig 109-110) Memories inspirational and positive attitude was shaped by the years he spent working at a mental hospital. Morris's Job was to observe mental patients and record their treatments. This quote suggests the conflict of internal conflict vs.. Society.This conflict has been caused by a selfish society. The only solution that mi ght exist is if society would cake time to care about the people surround them. This quote represents a simple issue. She would lay on the floor everyday and everyone would walk all over her. All it took for her to get off the floor was for someone to notice her; and that person was Memoir. 2. Elaborate on how or why the characters remind you of anyone else, in fiction, in history or your own life. The character Memoir reminds me of a close friend of mine. Both of them are hardly negative and sad, and they will always put others before them.I admire her greatly. She is always there to help me and give me advice, which is exactly what Memoir does. People like Memoir don't get enough thanks, and they deserve the recognition. July 19, 2014 Memoir had aging in better perspective. Listen, I know what a misery being young can be, so don't tell me it's so great. All these kids who came to me which their struggles, their strife, and their feelings of inadequacy, their sense that life was mi serable,so be they wanted to kill themselves†¦ † -Memoir (pig 117) The seventh Tuesday, Memoir and Mitch talk about the fear of aging. Surprisingly Memoir isn't Aids of aging.Adapt first he felt letting someone wipe his behind would influence his mood for the worse, yet it didn't. He now enjoys his dependency, he enjoys someone rolling him over to his side and rubbing cream on his behind. Then they talked about the fear of aging. Mitch made the observation that on billboards on young and beautiful people are featured. None of the models could pass over 35. Why do you think this quote is important to you personally and/or the whole story? This quote is important to the whole story because It gives Memoir more of a reason to accept the fact he is growing old.Being young isn't fun anymore, it's all about how much money you have, what car you drive, who you are dating, how much you weigh and so on. Also the young are not wise and hardly understand life. The older you get, the wiser you are and the more you understand. People that are 2. If the quote suggests a conflict, what might have caused the problem? What The conflict of internal vs.. Society is represented through this quote. Judgmental people, high standards and high expectations causes this conflict. Teens are desperately trying to escape people's expectations.Life shouldn't be about what you have and who you talk to. This causes teens to be ignorant. The only solution to this problem is to live life to your fullest and forget about what others think. He smiled, you know what that reflects? Unsatisfied lives. Unfulfilled lives. Lives that haven't found meaning. Because if you've found meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more. You can't wait until you're sixty-five. † -Memoir (pig 118) The seventh Tuesday, Memoir and Mitch talk about aging. Aging is a very valuable and ignorant people don't understand that.Memoir states that if a ll young people are battling getting older, they will always be unhappy. Turning a year older opens a new door for all. Mitch doesn't understand how Memoir doesn't new young and healthy people. Memoir does new them being able to go to the health club or swimming but he detached himself. He envoys them, but he doesn't let it prevent him from living his life. This connection help you get more out of the question? The quote reminds me of the movie 17 Again. Each Effort is unsatisfied with his life, he was getting divorced, he kids wouldn't speak to him and he wasn't the hot Jack he used to be.This depression was very obvious, which resulted in a â€Å"Janitor† letting him go back in time to be 17 again. Although he was able to relive his teen life, no did fix certain problems he couldn't help but think about his wife. Each has to choose teen two choices, going to college and play basketball or go back to his age and win his wife back. He chose his wife. Even though staying young is fun, growing old is better and that can be represented in this movie. I feel that this quote can represent Mitch a little bit. Mitch is a very busy person, he is always doing something; yet he isn't happy doing it.Mitch obviously wishes he could go back to college, considering all the questions he is asking Memoir. However, Mitch makes Memoir realize how much of an advantage they both have. They may have wrinkles or bald spots but they are both getting more insightful as time passes. July 20, 2014 â€Å"You need food, you want a chocolate sundae. You have to be honest with yourself. You don't need the latest sports car, you don't need the biggest house. † -Memoir (pig 126) values in the wrong things which leads to broken lives. Memoir has good and sometimes bad days but no matter what, his love for music strengthens.Memoir then begins to talk about how the country is brainwashing everyone. For example, they say â€Å"Owning things is good. More money is good. More proper ty is good. More imperialism is good† and so on. Mitch and Memoir make their way towards marries study, everything is the same. When Memoir was told about his terminal illness, he lost interest in purchasing new items. This quote suggests to me that the world is revolved around money. It's always about what you have, not your personality. It shouldn't matter what car you drive, or the house you live in or what you look like.The materialistic things in life doesn't matter and people take that for advantage. Mitch was so caught up in his own life, worrying about his Job and how much money he was making instead of contacting his professor. Thankfully, he woke up from his nightmare and Memoir talked some sense into him. Now they spend every Tuesday having instructed conversations. Mitch reminds me of several people in my own life. They are all caught up in the materialistic things rather than the love in his life. The only thing to blame for this is society, and to break through f rom it you would have to become your own person.Break the standards and expectations the world has set. Focus on what really matters and that's your family. July 21, 2014 â€Å"So many people with far smaller problems are so self-absorbed, their eyes glaze over if you speak more than thirty seconds. † -Mitch (pig 136) The ninth Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talked about how love goes on. Mitch kept trying to get in touch with his brother that lives in Spain, yet he kept ignoring his calls. Memoir now isn't able to go to the bathroom on his own! A catheter was inserted. As each visit passed, his spine began to melt into the chair and take shape.Although he was becoming his weakest, he insisted on being wheeled to his study. This was represented by his new aphorism, â€Å"When you're in bed, you're dead. † So many people takes things to granted and don't understand that life can be worse, Memoir could Just sit in his bed and feel himself dying, yet he doesn't let death cause him to be selfish. The quote suggests internal conflict vs.. Self. Most are self-absorbed. Acting as if they are listening to what you're saying, but actually waiting for you to end so they can start talking. They don't care about other people, and sadly that's a majority of today's society.Only worried about their issues, but need to realize there are healthy they do. 2. How does this quote relate to others work of literature? In the novel, Ordinary People, the protagonist Conrad is going through a lot. He feels he was the cause of his brothers death and he doesn't feel good enough for his parents, therefore he turns to cutting. His mother, Beth Garret is very self-absorbed. She only cares about what others think of her. For example, she flipped when she found out from a friend that her son quit the swim team and not from her own son.This represents selfishness, her son is in pain and she only cares for her reputation. â€Å"Although she had never met Memoir, she took the phoneâ € ¦ † -Mitch (pig 143) The tenth Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talk about marriage. Memoir has always heard about Match's wife, Jeanine, but never met her. One day Mitch was on the phone with Memoir and Jeanine surprisingly took the phone from him. Instead of rejecting Morris's request, she decided to come with Mitch next Tuesday to see Memoir. As stated in this chapter, marriage is a very complicated thing and many have problems with it.However, many don't realize that having a loved one is very important to have. When you're in a situation like Memoir, going through it without a loved one is very hard. Going through it with friends is fine, but they won't be there when you're ill and coughing at night. But your soul mate will be. This quote makes me very happy because it represents kindness and peace towards everyone. Jeanine has never met Memoir, all she knows is stories Mitch has old her and that makes her more eager to meet such a man. All it takes to influence and be ones hero is a positive attitude when going through the worst.Memoir accepts the fact that he is dying, and he isn't depressed one bit. He may have his moments and days, but it doesn't let that stop him. This quote suggests that no matter what you are going through, it doesn't hurt to be positive; also it doesn't hurt to give people a chance. 2. What is reveled about the character(s) through this quote? I think this quote is important to the whole story because it represents the genuine characters. Not only Match's wife, but Mitch, Memoir, Morris wife and the handful of people that visit Memoir daily.Jasmine's actions and feelings forwards Memoir surprised Mitch very much. I feel that her characteristics made Mitch feel extremely happy and proved to Mitch that Morris's personality influences not Just him but people he didn't even meet. July 22, 2014 â€Å"Yes. For all the things we didn't do. All the things we should have done. You can't get stuck on the regrets of what should have happ ened. That doesn't help you when you get to where I am. † -Memoir (pig 166) On the twelfth Tuesday, Mitch and Memoir talk about forgiveness. A friend of

Creative writing assignment that use historical facts about Nevada 750

Creative writing that use historical facts about Nevada 750 words in RTF format - Assignment Example They were under the command of a young soldier John Fremont. He and his guide Kit Carson would later become famous in the history books. Well I showed them how to catch the long ear white rabbits, a delicious food. And besides the great buffalo which the soldiers had heard of, they were delighted by the pronghorn, a kind of horned deer special in the Nevada area, with tasty meat. That Kit Carson was a good scout, he had a nose for the mountains and the game. Both he and Fremont were good shots. I later found out the soldiers were there to explore that part of the west. I introduced them to the Paiute Indian Chief Paulina and then later the Washoe Indians further West. Fremont was a strong leader, he had direction. But it was getting late in summer and Carson wanted Fremont to cross the Western mountains to reach Sutter Fort in California. I brought Chief Naza, he was a Washoe Indian and I had done lots of trapping for beaver and rabbit with some of his men. Chief Naza warned Fremont winter was coming and food or game would be gone. But this man Fremont was a head strong man. He had heard a rumor of a beautiful large lake off at a distance down in front of the Sierra Nevada mountains. He said he had a desire to see that lake while making it to Fort Sutter. I didn't tell him I had crossed the mountains with the Washoe and had actually swam in that lake (Lake Tahoe).

Investigate the arguement for restricting trade and provide argunmats Essay

Investigate the arguement for restricting trade and provide argunmats for not restricting trade. Also list and explain some coun - Essay Example In time, trade has gone through revolutionizing changes with the advent of a legal tender system. This saw trade become widespread and global in perspective because of the new terms of valuation. These new terms of valuation made it easier to conduct trade because, unlike barter trade, it was easier to carry money for long distances than the actual goods. This paper aims at investigating the arguments for restricting trade and those for not restricting trade. Restrictive trade originated in the late 1800s where rich merchants involved in trade of high value products and services sought to create monopolies in the market so that they could control the market (GILLIES, 2004: 862). This amounted to restricting trade through the formation of international organisations for traders and manufacturers of a few select items that were of high value and demand in the market. An organisation like this is allied, by agreement, to control the natural elements of supply and demand, in the market. They achieve this by fixing prices and quotas for sales, divide markets and limit supply (GILLIES, 2004: 867). These restrictive trade practices end up eliminating competition in the market, which creates a precedent for consumer exploitation. Competition, in the market, keeps all the players, in check, by ensuring that they all strive to satisfy the consumers’ needs, or risk losing out to those who fulfil their customers’ needs. Without competition in the market place, the consumers would be faced, with the aspect exploitation from unscrupulous traders out, to make a profit at the expense of consumers. When a system of trade restricts trade practices among its players, it predisposes consumers to exorbitant and unaffordable prices. Consumers are supplied with substandard goods and services because there is no alternative source of the products they seek. Elimination of competition by restricting trade robs consumers of the freedom and right of choice regarding the qua lity and supply of commodities they desire and need (BRUCE, 2001: 56). Limitation of supply creates high demand for goods and services, which exposes consumers to abuse through over pricing. Restricting trade has seen a decline in trade volume because it reduces consumers’ purchasing power and decreases the number of traders allowed to participate, in a given trade. Restriction on trade has also contributed to protection of inefficient and unqualified traders in the market who add no value to consumers or the economy of the country. Restriction on trade has seen to the development of domestic and international organisations that operate like cartels because of their characteristic monopolising of markets of their interest (FRANK & BERNANKE, 2003: 419). Beneficiaries of these organisations advocate and support these cartels by arguing that they help protect participating firms that are weak thus shielding them from unfair competition. According to most studies, business entiti es that benefit from restricted trade systems postulate that this structure of trade helps these firms deal with limitations caused by high business operating tariffs (BRUCE, 2001: 78). Cartels created because of restrictive trade systems are able to distribute risks and profits equally amongst themselves which acts as a cushion against uncertainty in the market. This uncertainty can be

Criminal Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Criminal Law - Case Study Example In order to be able to advise Peeta, it is necessary to discuss the possible charges that might be brought against him and then examine any possible defenses. The starting point is to consider the necessary men's rea and actus reus of the offense of murder to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to charge Peeta with murder. From this, it will be necessary to consider the available defenses such as provocation, diminished responsibility, and automatism. It should then be possible to advise Peeta on the likelihood of the murder charge being reduced to manslaughter. When establishing a charge for murder the prosecution has to show that the defendant intended to kill the victim or to cause them serious bodily harm. The courts have accepted that the defendant has the necessary intention Where a person of sound mind and discretion, unlawfully kills any reasonable creature in being under the Queens Peace with intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm. (Archbold: 19-1, 2008). R v Moloney [1985] and R v Woollin [1998] have removed the need to prove the malice aforethought element of the offense. There is no longer a need to prove premeditation and charges for murder have been accepted where the prosecution can prove that the defendant intended to cause serious harm to the victim. In determining the guilt of the accused, juries are generally instructed to consider the foresight of the accused on the basis of what the accused ought to have foreseen not what they actual foresaw as a result of their actions.

Why Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why Violence - Essay Example any given social set up solving problems through fighting is not viewed as a philanthropic way of solving problems, it is quite true that in some instances violence is the solution. I agree with the author that violence is of great political importance to the society especially an effective method to solving problems of political dominance. For any kind of violence to be an effective solution to a given political problem, the people fighting should be more superior to their adversaries. It is a fact that the effect or threat of violence can compel acquiescence among people with different political views. Occasionally, peacefully expression of views or negotiations has always failed in finding a solution to political problems such as abuse of power, election problems, and power wrangles among others. The author does a great work by giving examples of countries and regimes where violence has been used as means to solving political problems. For instance, threats of violence led to the ousting of president Mubarak of Egypt by the protesters and Quddafi regime was only defeated through war (Ginsberg, 4). It is a fact that violence is also an important aspect of political and social change in any given society setup as expressed by Ginsberg in the article. Over the past years since the end of world wars, different nations have been driven to invent and make advanced weapons that can be used to subdue their adversaries and bring power balance. This in turn has led to changes in both the social and political arena among nations involved. For instance, Iraq has been seeking to make nuclear weapons to gain control over the Middle East, which has also led to the emergence of terror groups that function through blackmail of the entire process. In addition to such political changes, I agree with the author that violence played a significant role in addressing the problems and challenged faced by the African Americans in the United States. Although social injustices such as

Taking care of two kids and managing profession Essay

Taking care of two kids and managing profession - Essay Example My heart started beating fast. I had applied for a job at this firm in Jacksonville, as a Program Management Assistant, and it had been four days and I hadn’t heard for them. I eagerly checked my mail, and there it was; an email from that firm. My hands trembled as I moved the cursor and clicked on the mail. And then there it was, written clear as crystal. I had been selected and was invited to start work at the firm. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Was this really happening? I knew that it was too early to get excited, as I still had other issues to work out. I live in Hawaii, and moving to Florida was a huge and difficult step. I grew up in Hawaii and almost everyone in town knew me. Plus, I had friends and relatives here, and my children had become used to this place. My excitement was gradually waning, and I found myself lost in these thoughts.I knew that I couldn’t take this decision, without consulting my children, so I went to their bedroom and woke them up. S urprisingly, they did not react much to this news and took it quite calmly. I did emphasize that how important this job was to me, and that I was only doing it for them and to secure their future, but I didn’t put much pressure on them and asked them to take their time. After this, I ambled outside the room and waited. Not much time had passed by when the door creaked open and both my children walked out. This was one of the happiest moments of my life, and I was so thrilled to realize that how supportive my children were.

Use data Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Use data - Essay Example When enough experimental results confirm a hypothesis, a well-tested explanation known as a theory is developed. The theory is further subjected to more well-designed experiments and if there is continued regularity in results, scientists may accept the theory as a law (Shipman, Wilson and Todd). Statistical science explores the relationships between different variables for purposes of establishing the nature of the relationship between various aspects of nature. Statistical science requires that once data is collected, it becomes organized in a way that will enable others to experience the data which has been collected. For this purpose it makes use of specific models and tools such as graphs and charts. Statistical science, thus, evaluates and interprets confidence intervals and significance tests (Diggle and Chetwynd). Physical sciences use the scientific method of study to prove or disprove a theorem whereas statistical science is based on quantitative variables which are subjected to mathematical theorem for analysis

The Purpose of Life Is a Life of Purpose Essay Example for Free

The Purpose of Life Is a Life of Purpose Essay Throughout my life, I have persevered through much pain and misfortune; however, instead of using my experiences as reasons for a life of retribution and reparations, I used these tragedies as motivation to making other people’s lives better. Growing up I witnessed my grandmother assist anybody she saw struggling or needed help. During the 17 years she was a part of my life, I watched her nurse back to health approximately 300 foster children, because nobody else wanted the burden. Despite the odds against her, she went over and beyond to assure that these youth’s necessities were met. Growing up in this environment I constantly witnessed the joy in these kid’s hearts just to experience that feeling of love and support, despite being born in a world that told them they were worthless. I found it nearly impossible not to emulate my grandmother’s mindset and lifelong purpose. In spite of all my adversities, I knew I could overcome any and everything by focusing on improving the lives of others. This in turn brought me back to the abovementioned quote by author Robert Byrne which has intrigued me since I first read it many years ago. Overall I have found throughout my life that there are at least nine vital reasons for leading a life of purpose, which are: maturity, tranquility, buoyancy, confidence. Initially I believe the ultimate gift of leaving a purposeful life is overall maturity. Great American film director John McNaughton â€Å"Maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself. † Overall this is how I live my life. Oftentimes, there have been days where I’ve wanted to sleep all day instead of getting up going to class or even on the weekends, but every day I ask myself â€Å"if I don’t do it, who else will? † through all my pain and hard luck I’ve realized that its unnecessary to dwell on events beyond my control. So instead I use my pain as motivation to fuel my love and support for others. One of the greatest benefits of having a mature mind is peace and tranquility. Many times people overlook the joy of being peaceful, they overlook the nights full of uninterrupted sleep, the days of no emergency phone calls, or even the simple joy of having money in the bank with no bills. Tranquility can make a great difference in one’s life. Unfortunately tranquility can be the difference between suicide and being born again. The peace we develop from simple acts of kindness is beyond imagination. No words can express the joy and peace we feel when I realize I’ve helped somebody achieve something in life, when the world told them they were worthless. No words can express the peace I feel when I support someone who didn’t have the will to support themselves. In addition to being peaceful, living a life of purpose will guide many to overcome stereotypes and failures which otherwise would halt dreams. Having a sense of buoyancy is essential to anyone trying aspiring to achieve great things in life. A lot of times in my daily life, there will come times when initial plans or goals are sidetracked by a situation or event. This is where I rely on buoyancy to persevere through this lost and through this failure even though I didn’t accomplish what we wanted, when I wanted. Instead of pondering on the â€Å"what ifs†, I stay optimistic and work harder to get the job done the next time. Furthermore, when I made the decision to dedicate my life to a life of purpose, I also chose to live a life of resilience, tenacity, and unmatched and unscathed confidence. When you have experienced what I’ve experienced and survived what I’ve survived, you create an internal persona that specifically says â€Å"if I can overcome this, nothing short of God can stop me†. Many may take this as a sign of arrogance, but I have always felt that there’s an eventual reason for why I’ve suffered through all the blood, sweat and tears. When you’ve overcome situations that the healthiest, smartest or even the slyest couldn’t survive, then you really have no choice but to possess that feeling of unparalleled confidence. Finally throughout my brief but experienced life, I’ve come to realize that, every situation we go through leaves with a choice. On one hand we have the choice of using outcomes to broaden ourselves and the world around us. We can use these outcomes to the benefit of ourselves through personal growth and development and, we can also use these outcomes to the benefit of others through service, support and sacrifice. On the other hand we have the choice of using the situational outcomes as a reason to blame others, as a reason to be depressed and as a reason to give up on life. Ultimately I chose the better option. I chose to use my negativity and let it motivate me to working harder, focusing deeper, being optimistic regardless of what else happens. In the end this leads to a life of bliss, peace and maturity, and it’s a lot less painful or time consuming. What else could be a better purpose in life than leading a life with a purpose?

Safe System of Work for Equipment at Height

Safe System of Work for Equipment at Height Introduction Construction industry’s industrial accidents is more than other industries. The accident rate per 1000 workers was 35.9. Among which the highest number of deaths involved in working at height. Which were related to â€Å"fall of person from height†. Working at height in the construction work involving of temporary or transient working environment condition means a lot of inherent hazards and potential hazards. Construction work, safety in the work place is very important, it is essential. Therefore, must take the necessary security measures to ensure the safety operation. Background I am a manager of the Engineering Department of Excellent Property Management Limited. Recently, I observe that fatal accidents involving working at height is a major trend in 2013. While the workers of our company and the outsourced contractors in the estates and plazas are using various facilities in performing their jobs in working at heights. Objective A study of four commonly used equipment for working at height: ladders, mobile type tubular scaffolds, elevated working platforms and bamboo scaffolds. Analyze their function, limitations, risk and encountered in the work processes. Provide relating local safety legislations, Codes of Practices and guidance to the workers. It should to develop for the safe system of work. Which procedural inspected work tasks to find the potential hazards, Inherent risks. Providing the safety and heath policy or strategies in controlling the hazards and demonstrate the understanding of common health and safety management system. Equipment for working at height The common of equipment in working at height: ladders, mobile type tubular scaffolds, elevated working platforms and bamboo scaffolds. Ladders Ladders are the most common ancillary tools for working at height. A simple tools for gaining access to higher levels. Therefore, involving highest number of workers are injured while working at height. Functions of ladders: Portable, easy and convenient. Widely used in various construction units. Easy storage Limitations for use of ladders: Inspect the ladder before every times and regularly afterwards. Must check the ladder side and ladder steps has burst, it has broken rung ladder before use, and whether there are loose or anti-slide pedal to lose and so on. Indicate whether the ladder meets safety standards. Pay attention to the ladder’s safe working load, make sure not to exceed the load when using. Where a handhold is available on the ladder. Ladder placed on a firm and level ground Ladders must be firmly in supporting the matter, if not fastened to the ladder, the ladder should be located under one reference help. Ladders only for 2 meters below the lightweight work Not suitable for long duration or high frequency for work at height. Not suitable for long duration or high frequency for work at height. At a height of 2m or more, ladders only be used for access and egress, and not a place to work During ascent, work and descent on ladder, worker should be capable of retaining three points of contact with the ladder. Ladders must be at the proper angle eyes on the supports, the angle is too large or too small can lead to accidents. Strict compliance with the manufacture’s instructions and safety warnings. Risk for use ladders: fall of person from height The footwear is from mud or grease before climbing up a ladder. The ladder is unstable and resting on an uneven and soft soil ground. The insufficient space behind the steps to provide a proper footing. Never overload the ladder, more than one person is working from a ladder Which should be avoided as far as possible for using ladders: Use any ladder that is already bent or ladder steps has burst Connect short ladders together to form long ones. Overstretch the body to either sides of the ladder. Position the ladder at the place where working Paint something on ladder to cover up crack and defects. Ladders are used as a working platform. Not following the manufacture’s instructions and safety warnings. Not compliant with international safety standards. Training for worker: The worker for use ladder must have related safety training or supervise to guidance to the workers. The correct technique for climbing of ladder. (Three-point contact) Elevated Working Platforms The elevated working platforms is very convenient for ancillary tools for working at height. This is considered to be work equipment that prevents a fall. It is a manned to working at height, such as ceiling maintenance work , repair and cleaning the height air conditioning, lighting or external wall. Limitations for use of elevated working platform: Consider the work requirement the carrying capacity, height of elevation, mobility and stability. The elevated working platform should be match for operation site, on the road and environmental conditions and limitation. The safety passageway for access and egress from the elevated working platforms The important point is the manufacturer or the agents company provides training course on operations, inspection, identify risks, initial fault strain, Fault reporting mechanism and operation of the elevated working platforms. Start to inspect and test the platform before use every time Calculate and record the every time loading weight for manned and equipment to be ensure not exceed the limitation maximum safety work loading. Ensure the elevated working platforms have guard-rails is hard, stable and secure. Has a slip-resistant floor. Install of the toe-boards round at the edge of the platform. Ensure the operation is horizontal level during the rising and falling, does not occur uneven phenomenon. Enclosed working area of the elevated working platform to avoid endangering others persons Must wear safety harnesses with lanyards securely attached to platform’s anchorage points. Risk for use elevated working platforms: Fall of person from height for guard-rail loose or broken. The workers by injured on elevated working platform due to the platform move. The elevated working platform and worker are falling due to exceed the limitation maximum safety work loading. Which should be avoided as far as possible for using elevated working platforms: Move the elevated working platforms when the workers still on it Not secure all guard-rails of the elevated working platforms. Excessive dependence and sit on guard-rails of the elevated working platforms. Riding on the guard-rails up to higher level for working. Lean over out of the work platform outside. Ignore the examine, test and maintain the platform regularly. Work in the absence of adequate of adequate training and instructions Training for worker: The worker for use elevated working platform must have related safety training or supervise to guidance to the workers. The worker should be have the following knowledge, before starting to work: detailed safety operating procedures specified by the manufacturer; limitations on using the elevated working platform; limitations on working loading; items to check before using the elevated working platform; and demonstration and practice on the operating procedures. Mobile type tubular scaffolds Mobile type tubular scaffolds is for temporary structure to support work and access platforms. Mobile type tubular scaffolds can be used for different purposes in different construction activities. To building, dismantling and modifying of scaffolding must be carried out in compliance with the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations and Codes of Practice for Bamboo and Metal Scaffolding Safety of the Labour Department. Limitations for use of mobile type tubular scaffolds: The safety passageway for access and egress from the mobile type tubular scaffolds. Suitable tail: 900mm – 1150mm top rail, 450mm -600mm mid rail and minimum 200mm high toe board. Toe boards must rise at least 200mm. Has a fencing and outriggers in mobile tower Not suitable for outdoor work in strong winds and inclement weather. Provide enough supporting point to fixing the scaffolding to the building. That could have an adverse effect of weather conditions on the scaffolding work should be constantly monitored and should be taken and provide to maintain the stability of the scaffold and the plant, equipment and works. The Scaffolding should be provide and setting with double guard rails and toe boards. Additional measure such as nylon net is also required to prevent materials, tools or equipment falling. The boards and planks should be unpainted so that any defects are readily visible. To building, dismantling and modifying of scaffolding must be conducted by trained worker under the immediate supervision of a competent person. Boards and planks used in the construction of working platform should be protected against splitting. Mobile type tubular scaffolds placed on a firm and level ground, on different ground surface require different support: Hard surface – is sufficient hardness and thickness to support the scaffolding, but preferably to be placed on a base plate. Other surfaces – is any type of flooring or paving which would be penetrated by a standard with a base plate beneath it or if there is doubt about the surface, should be used base plates or metal packing plates at the bottom of the standards. The supports for a scaffold should be maintained in an adequate condition during the life of the scaffold. The width of working platform of the scaffold not less than 400mm. The group of boards across the width of the scaffold should be consistent with the same length, with all boards of the same thickness. The angle of ladder for the ratio of vertical with horizontal level not more than 4 to 1. Risk of toppling when using mobile type tubular scaffolds: Over the carrying capacity for the top of the working platform. A ladder is placed on the top of working platform to extend to gaining access higher level. The tower is placed on sloping or uneven ground. Which should be avoided as far as possible for using mobile type tubular scaffolds: Move the elevated working platforms when the workers still on it Climb a mobile type tubular scaffold when the wheels are unlocked. In windy or severe weather conditions to use a mobile type tubular scaffold for outdoor work. Move the mobile type tubular scaffold when workers or materials still on the working platform. Training for worker: A trained workman has satisfactorily completed a formal training in metal scaffolding works equivalent to any of those mentioned for a competent person or has satisfactorily passed the intermediate trade test for metal scaffolder of the CICTA and possesses at least 1 year of experience in metal scaffolding works. (Under the Construction Workers Registration Ordinance). Inspected by a competent person before being taken into use for the first time. Inspected by a competent person at regular intervals not exceeding 14 days immediately preceding each use of the scaffold. In respect of scaffolding safety, the worker are subject to the requirements of the following regulations: 38A, 38AA, 38B, 38C, 38D, 38E, 38F, 38H, 38I, 48, 49, 52, Bamboo scaffolds Bamboo scaffold is a temporary structure to work and access platforms. Common in the construction , renovation and repair work. Bamboo scaffold use natural material, cheap and can be recycled. While its flexibility suitable for use on any project, workers can quickly change or bamboo cut to the desired length and shape. Bamboo is lightweight, easy to transport, erect and modify and dismantle is shorter time than other type scaffolding. Limitations for use of bamboo scaffolds: Erection and dismantling the bamboo scaffolding must be in compliance with the Construction Sites (safety) Regulations and Codes of Practice of Bamboo and Metal Scaffolding Safety of the Labour Department. The bamboo higher than 15m, should be designed and approved by professional engineer. Should be provide sufficient support point to secure to the bamboo scaffold with the building or structure to prevent collapse. For avoid materials from material, tools and debris from falling should be erect catch-fans, nylon net and protection screen at the bamboo scaffold. Ensure the Form 5 is duly signed and valid. Suitable tail: 900mm – 1150mm top rail, 450mm -600mm mid rail and minimum 200mm high toe board. Risk of using bamboo scaffolds: Toppling when over the carrying capacity for the bamboo platform. Material or tool from falling when no provide sufficient additional measure to prevent from falling. Toppling when no provide sufficient measure to secured the bamboo scaffold to prevent severe weather. Which should be avoided as far as possible for using bamboo scaffolds: In windy or severe weather conditions to use bamboo scaffold for outdoor work. Working when the bamboo scaffolding is unfinished state. Use incorrect and unsafe method to dismantle bamboo scaffolds. Avoid the demolition bamboo falling on the ground directly and immediately, workers should be one pass one or use vertical transport measure to the ground. Training for worker: Erection, alteration and dismantling of bamboo scaffold must be conducted by trained workmen under the immediate supervision of a competent person. Trained workmen must have formal training in, and possess at least 3 years of experience of, bamboo scaffolding work. Legislative requirements and guidance materials Codes of Practice for Bamboo and Metal Scaffolding Safety Codes of Practice for Metal Scaffolding Safety Practical Guide to Working at Height: Ensuring Safe Work Practices Safe System of Work Safety Guide for Bamboo Scaffolding Work Safety at Work – A Guide to Ladders and Elevated Working Platforms Beware of Fall at Work Guidance Notes on Classification and Use of Safety Belts and their Anchorage System Construction Safety – Working at Height Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations Statutory General Duties Requirements under Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance –Section 6. Conclusion Recommendation For the above measure for working at height, there should be avoid working at outdoor when under windy or severe weather environment conditions. In tools, should be provide workers with tool straps to prevent the tools from falling and provide the tools can be extended to avoid: the worker to lean over out of the work platform outside; riding on the guard-rails up to higher level for working; overstretch the body to either sides of the ladder; connect short ladders together to form long ones. Mark the carrying capacity indicates on the measure prominently displayed to ensure not overload. Clean up the ground near at working at height to reduce the workers from falling additional damage. Use the ladders for working at height should be provide more one worker to accompanied the work, who is responsible for tool storage to avoid the ladder user loss of balance. Considering work preparation and authorization requires at the start of any job. Ensuring safe work methods and necessary measures and including a safe means of access and escape. References: Codes of Practice for Bamboo and Metal Scaffolding Safety (Labour Department) Codes of Practice for Metal Scaffolding Safety (Labour Department) Practical Guide to Working at Height: Ensuring Safe Work Practices (Hong Kong Housing Authority) Safety Guide for Bamboo Scaffolding Work (Labour Department) Safety at Work – A Guide to Ladders and Elevated Working Platforms (Labour Department) LC Paper No. CB(2)279/13-14(05) – (Legislative Council Panel on Manpower) Code of Practice on the Design and Construction of Tower Working Platforms – (Electrical and Mechanical Services Department) Industry-based Committees Bulletins 41th Issue, Safe Use or Mobile Aluminum Towers – (Occupational Safety’s Health Council)

Rivalry Among Firms In Global Hospitality

Rivalry Among Firms In Global Hospitality The Porters 5 forces framework is an outside-in approach whereby the industry forces affecting the business performance is analysed to facilitate managers in decisions to direct their resources in achieving maximum profitability. The 5 forces identified by Porter are the horizontal competition from substitutes, new entrants and existing rivals as well as the vertical competition from the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers (Porter, 1980). In this essay, the author would like to analyse the competitiveness of the hospitality industry by critically evaluating the strength of each force individually with relevant examples and identify the most influential force. 2.1 Threat of new entrants Threats of new entrants are one of the principal forces of Porters theory of five forces (Porter, 1980). Bain (1956) who initiated the study of entry barriers identified the major barriers as capital requirements, economies of scale, product differentiation, government approval and absolute costs. These barriers create constraints for new entrants to enter the industry, creating fewer competitors therefore retaining the market shares of existing firms to achieve higher profit (Botten and McManus, 1999). International hotel chains enjoy large economies of scale (Salinger, 1990) as they have huge numbers of hotel chains and brands therefore expanding their market power. The Hilton Worldwide brand shares the same source of supply through their supply management system and customer database through their technology platform, the OnQ system across all hotel chains (Hilton Worldwide, 2012; Hilton Franchise, 2012), forcing new entrants with small scales to accept the cost disadvantage which directly affects their profits and sustainability (Pearce and Robinson, 2009). Due to the analogous product and service offerings, brand identification is the best way for hotel chains to differentiate themselves from competitors (Dubà © Renaghan, 2000; Makadok, 2010). International hotel chains has succeeded in creating brand awareness through rapid expansions of brands such as Hilton and Holiday Inn (Okumus et al., 2010) with assurance of quality as well as the implementation of different loyalty programmes, causing new entrants the challenge to overcome customer loyalty (Kandampully and Suhartanto, 2000). Capital requirement of opening a new hotel is very high. It incurs high fixed costs (Chung, 2000) for the land and the construction plus renovation of the hotel. Huge amount of start-up and running cost is also required to recruit employees and roll-out marketing activities such as the development of the hotel brand through advertising as well as research and development activities (Matovic, 2002). Huge budgets must also be allocated for maintenance and u pkeep of the hotel property (Hall, 1987). Besides structural barriers which are influenced by the nature of the industry, there are also behavioural barriers which Sigfried and Evans (1994) describe as the retaliation strategies firms implements such as patents, predatory pricing, and exclusivity agreements with suppliers and distributors. However, the liberation of trade barriers by governments due to the trend of globalisation lowers the entry barriers especially in developing countries which do not have the resources to provide sufficient hospitality services and requires foreign firms to help develop the tourism sector (Hitt and Hoskisson, 1999). Conversely certain government do limit entries and provide exclusive rights to the local firms. Weighing the facts in this study, barriers of entry to the hospitality industry is still considered relatively high, especially to the luxury segment where more investment and development of brand is required, and customers loyalty in existing luxury brands are already high which is proved by the high prices the consumers are willing to pay for a hotel room. In the budget or midscale segment, new entrants could attempt price penetration but the sustainability of the business could be unfeasible if consumers choices are dependent on the pricing only (Graf, 2011). Generally the threat of new entrant is fairly low, but could increase if there is liberal trading policies and high concentration of the industry in the particular location. But once a new entrant decides to take the high risk of entering the industry and has the ability to innovate and make differentiation in products and services, they will aggressively pursue market share to cover the high fixed cost invested (Matovic, 200 2), raising the competition level in the industry. 2.2 Threat of substitutes Porter (1980) has also identified the threat of substitute in increasing intensity of rivalry. Substitutes give consumers more options often with better prices or value in achieving the same basic needs or wants. Substitutes are often not identified as primary rivals, making them difficult to be anticipated by firms (Magretta 2012). The presence of substitutes limits the profitability of firms by placing a ceiling in prices and increase price elasticity of the hotel product (Porter, 1980). When the pricing factor is considered, threats are formed when substitutes offer lower prices for the similar product, offer better quality products with a slight increase in price and when lower quality of products is provided with a significant drop in prices (Lewis et al., 1989). Technological advancement supported by the high speed of internet has posed significant threat to the meeting and conference facility of a hotel which are the main revenue source of business hotels with the availability of teleconferencing. Many corporate companies would consider teleconferencing to be an ideal choice as it eliminates the high cost incurred for flight tickets, lodging and rental of conference facilities and equipment as well as the time consuming trips (Leocha, 2009). Other potential substitutes for the business traveller segments could be corporate guesthouses and long stay hotels (Regal Wing, 2011) whereas leisure travellers could opt for cheaper alternatives such as rented apartments, informal lodging with friends or families, RVs, camping, simple capsule hotels or make plans for overnight rides by long hour flight, train or bus. Business of airport hotels are also affected by the availability of sleeping capsules and rooms in airports (USA today, 2009) which remo ves the need of transit passengers to rent day rooms in hotels. However, threats of substitutes in upper-scale luxury hotels are relatively low because consumers of this segment demands for exceptional comfort along with exclusive service standards, amenities and recognition which typical substitutes could not meet (Griffin et al., 1997). There are many substitutes in the hospitality industry except for the high end hotels. The author concludes that the overall threat of substitute is moderate as the availability of substitutes is very dependent on the location of the hotel and consumer preferences as hotel provides more comfort, convenience and security compared to the substitutes. 2.3 Power of suppliers The power of suppliers has direct impact on the profitability of hotels as it controls the input of the hotel which is vital for the operations of any hotel and provides flexibility to a hotel to give surplus to their customers. The hospitality industry is considered a matured industry (Martel 1974) and there are many suppliers who are readily in the market (Kim and Oh, 2004; Olsen and Roper 1998). Hotel suppliers include outsourced firms providing operational services such as accounting, maintenance, security, promotion and storage (Burt and Pinkerton, 1996) or even off-premise laundry services. Real estate agencies are important suppliers when hotels are planning their pipelines and there are many which are available and competing for businesses from hotels as the investment is very huge. With active mergers and acquisitions in the industry, many hotel chains are actually affiliated with real estate companies such as Hilton Worldwide, La Quita Inn and Motel 6 being acquired by Blackstone group with active real estate businesses (Wikipedia, 2012) eliminating the need of suppliers. However, power of a particular supplier would be high if hotels are searching for unique locations. Another main input of a hotel would be the employees. With the development of hotel schools and relevant courses, many qualified personnel are available for management trainee programmes and further contribute to the hotels. Hotels are often given credit to the ability to reduce unemployment rate of an area, proving that the ratio of supplier to firm is higher (Hassan, 2000). However hotels face the issue of shortage in manpower during peak seasons due to the employment strategies of hotel establishments to have a core of full time employees and employ casual and part-time labour to meet fluctuation of demand (Lufferty, 1998). The nature of part-time employment results in high turnover rates and high training resources. A centralised supply management system and is often integrated across brands of major hotel chains, giving strong negotiation power to the hotel, making business from hotels indispensable to suppliers (Cox, 1999). With the vast growth of the information technology sector, there are many property management systems without significant product differentiation for hotel chains to choose from, thus giving hotels high buying powers. Another plus point for hotel groups is the practice of vertical integrations and the opportunity of backward integration (Lafferty and van Fossen, 2001) by owning own real estate agencies, manufacturing plants and hotel schools such as the Accor training academy. Summing up the relevant facts shows that the power of suppliers in the hospitality industry is low. 2.4 Power of buyers The hospitality industry has many buyers including corporate companies, travel agencies and individual travellers or the user itself. Price sensitivity of buyers depends on the hotel segmentation (Go and Pine, 1995). Buyers of budget hotel segments are generally more price sensitive than those of the luxury segment who appreciates higher quality of services rather than affordability. Switching cost of buyers could be increased through loyalty programmes which provide more value and benefit to buyers as a reward of repetitive patronisation (Kandampully and Suhartanto, 2000). Corporate and travel agent discounts are also given reduce the power of buyers to switch their suppliers (Jones et al, 2007). Buyer power has increase through distribution channels of hotels in the internet. It gives buyers access to information and reviews of different hotels available and compare them instantly (Law and Hsu, 2005). Gu and Canoon (1998) suggest that buyer power could be subject to seasonality depending on the availability of disposable income and leisure time or the geographical factors of the location such as weather, and hotels implement yield management to gain maximum profitability with considerations of these factors (Burgess and Bryant, 2001). During peak seasons when there is an undersupply of rooms and lower price elasticity, hotel products would be sold at rack rates, decreasing buyer power of price negotiating. In contrast with low season and periods of slow economy growth where hotels strive to fill up occupancy to achieve minimum profit to breakeven, buyer power will increase significantly with attractive packages of value and choice of accommodation in the available hotel chains (Kandampully and Suhartanto, 2000). In summary, the power of buyers in is moderate depending on different circumstances. 2.5 Rivalry among firms The level of competition within existing firms in the hospitality industry also affects the profitability of firms (Porter, 1980). Despite the uncertainty in economy, the tourism sector is showing steady growth and remains strong across the globe. It is forecasted that at the end of year 2012, there would be 1 billion international tourist arrivals globally. Growth is shown in every region, with comparison with the previous year, Asia Pacific showed the highest growth of 8%, Africa with 7%, America with 5%, and Europe with 4%, Middle East only showed growth of 0.7% as the region is still recovering from the effect of the Arab Spring (UNWTO, 2012).The growth in tourism increases the demand in the lodging industry therefore encouraging international hotel chains to develop strategic planning to accommodate the tourist by the expansion of their brands in potential markets (Lafferty and van Fossen, 2001). Expansions can be done rapidly with the trend of franchise licensing and management contracts (Chen and Dimou, 2005). The hospitality industry involves many firms including international and domestic hotel chains ranging from luxury, full service, mid-scale, boutique and budget hotels to accommodate needs of different customer segments. Main international chains found around the globe would be The Intercontinental group, Wyndham Hotel Group, Marriot International, Hilton Worldwide, Accor group, Choice hotels, Best Western, Starwood, Carlson and Global Hyatt with growing numbers of room each year. The hotel industry performance outlook of 2012 provided by tripadvisor shows that 58% of global hotels believe that their firm can gain more profitability in future. Survey done by Travelocity shows that 76% of consumer are planning to spend more on travelling and 53% of consumers are planning to travel more compared to year 2011. This implies a positive growth in the hospitality industry (Marketing chart, 2012). The nature of the hotel business shows the need of international expansion to meet demands with wide dispersion of geographical spectrum (Matthews, 1997) as the carrying capacity is fixed and the services provided by hotels can only meet the demand of consumer if it is present in the location. Firms such as international hotel chains operating in the same location have market similarities as they share the same sets of market (Chen, 1996). They compete for the same resources or customers and face the same constraints affected by the external environment. Location is the key determinant of ones rival as the role of a hotel is to satisfy the guest need to get accommodation at that specific area. The strategic decision in deciding the geographical location of a hotel is very crucial as it is the attribute of a hotel that is fixed the fixed cost incurred is very high and (Matovic, 2002). Hotel chains develop in the same location to justify the attractiveness of the area thus reducing the perceived risk of investment by managers (Markussen, 1990). Go and Pine (1995) argues that product segmentation which includes pricing and level of facilities should be considered while determining primary rivals but pricing is highly variable and the change in pricing could cause the hotel to meet new competitors and increase the number of competitors (Roginsky, 1995) therefore damaging the profitability potential of the industry. Rivalry is often high with firms existing in the same strategic group. Pearce and Robinson (2009) stated that a strategic group would consist of hotels with similar competitive strategies and market positioning; while Hatten and Schendel, (1977) propose that members of an industry can be classified into groups of similar strategy and structure. They have the same distribution channel, features of products and services provided, target market, and identical technology advancement. Strategic groups can be identified by comparing the competitive characteristics of firms by using almost a hundred possible variables (Ketchen et al. 1993) such as the quality range, geographic coverage, degree of service offered and degree of vertical integration. Firms that are present in the same strategic group are identified as a close rivals, assisting managers in constructing competitive strategies and allocate resources efficiently to be ahead of rivals (Matthews, 2000). Structural similarities of fi rms in the same strategic group cause them to be affected in the same way by external environmental changes and competitive strategies within the group. Imitation of strategies can be easily done within the same group which is supported by the institutional theory that shows the occurrence of similar competence between firms (Selznick, 1996) under the same internal and external environment causing isomorphism (Oliver, 1988). Isomorphism is the condition when firms competing in the same population share same characteristics. The environmental forces have mimetic influences on hotels (DiMaggio Powell, 1983), where the successful chain is often imitated by the rest to reduce uncertainty the need of investment in their own market research. Obligatory action also causes imitation, March (1981) quoted that obligatory action happens when enough firms do things in a particular fashion, it becomes the norm and from that point on, things are done that way without conscious thought. Caves and Porter (1980) suggest that the existence of strategic groups gives an advantage to members of a strategic group by creating a high entry barrier to new e ntrants because of the saturation of competition within. Besides the factors mentioned above, rivalry among firms are intensified due to the high exit barriers (Dess et al, 2004) associated with significant capital investment as well as the high exit cost such as the depreciation cost of fixed assets, severance pay for employees and compensation cost for breach of contracts with suppliers and buyers. Exit barriers are especially high for large hotel chain with multiple locations, extensive interconnection with different suppliers and buyers, and large pool of employees. The high amount of sunk and exit cost pressures the exit- prospective hotel to keep its market share and continue running the business along with the implementation of new strategies in hope to revive the performance of the hotel and maintain the employment of the large labour force involved. Perishable products offered by hotels create the urgency in selling the product as soon as possible to capture revenue, elevating the competition especially during off-peak season with oversupply of rooms (Matthews, 1997). For leisure travellers who do not travel frequently and has no brand preferences, the switching cost is very low or almost nothing as they would be attracted to any hotel chain which gives more perceived value or has lower price without considering the brand of the hotel chain, making them a potential customer for any hotel chain (Kandampully and Suhartanto, 2000). Hotel products have very limited potential of differentiation because the basic need of accommodation and shelter for tourist could easily be met and strategies of one hotel could be easily imitated by the other because of the lacking in patented knowledge and technology (Dunning McQueen, 1982). Weighing the factors and reasoning contributing to the rivalry among firms, the author suggest that this is t he strongest force in Porters five forces affecting level of competition in the hospitality industry. 3.1 Conclusion Given the analysis in the many competitive forces found between rivals, the author suggests that the intensity of rivalry among firm is strong but not to the brutal stage yet. Although growth in mature industries such as the hospitality industry is generally slower, the emergence of complement products such as cheap flights and additional frequent routes has facilitated tourism growth therefore benefiting the hotel businesses (Rey et al., 2011). Development of outbound tourism in emerging BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, Africa) countries and other Asia Pacific region which is expected to capture 29% of total international tourist arrival in 2030 (UNWTO, 2012) encourages the growth of hotel pipelines, giving the hotel business a very good prospect of the future. The hotel industry is also a multi-billion dollar industry with signs of rebound due to the healing economy (Hotel News Now, 2012) with large hotel chains co-existing enjoying great amount of profitability especially with the increase growth in the tourism and motivation in travelling. Furthermore, although many hotel chains exist in the industry, different hotels define competitors with different criteria such as segmentation, price and proximity (Whitla et al, 2007) depending on its strategic group. Word count: 3289