Ovania Case Analysis

Ovania Chemical Corporation, a producer of specialty chemicals, is taking the initiative to modernize. The modernization will include redesigning jobs performed by employees. The most critical job the company is evaluating for redesign is the position of the System Analyzer. This position is critical to operations because the system analyzer is responsible for monitoring all of the chemical components used in the production of goods. Ovania is looking to automate this position which will require system analyzers to have more technical skills. Overall, the changes the company is implementing will change the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of this position by more than 70 percent. The company anticipates that the transition to this new system will be a two year process. Ovania has already developed a committee to design the potential skill set that they feel will be needed to perform the system analyzer job and testing to evaluate that skill set was developed. Recruiting new applicants for the newly designed position was done internally and externally, with emphasis on recruiting from within the organization, as well as current system analyzers who were willing to retrain, prior to the two year implementation, for their positions. Prescreening for skills and experience were not considered as part of the application process in order to encourage a more diverse pool of applicants. Concern were raised, however, that some protected classes may find the position objectionable based on some of the requirements, such as entering treatment tanks to read gauges because the work is quite dirty. Applicants would be considered based on their performance on aptitude and ability tests. Testing would only take place for skills which the company felt it could not reasonably train an applicant for prior to the two year implementation date. The cutoff score for testing was decided upon and after testing the company has narrowed the pool of applicants to twenty, however he testing itself has been problematic for the organization, because the position is new and no validity or normative data exists to base the testing on. The key issue facing Ovania is the validity of the testing procedure for the new position. Because no prior data exists, Ovania needs to be certain that the criteria selected for testing is actually valid for the position of system analyst. How does a company such as Ovania conduct a job analysis for a position that does not exist yet? By looking at the current position requirements (duties and tasks) as well as the current job description, Ovania can develop guidelines for the new position. While this position will be different from the current job requirements, some of the areas included in the current job analysis will be valid for the new position as well. Any new skills and responsibilities the company anticipates may be required could be researched based on analysis already conducted within the industry for similar jobs. Leaving room for additional requirements and noting that the analysis methods may change as the position develops will also be key, however primary responsibilities and skill sets for applicants should be established based in research specific to the industry and based on similar positions. Did Ovania choose content-valid selection criteria? What other predictors may be useful? Selection criteria used by Ovania is content valid for this position, as it samples the knowledge and skill necessary to perform the job. Ovania may also benefit from learning about applicants previous performance in related positions and physical ability testing for this position. Given the technical nature and level of responsibility required for this position, prior job performance data will be valuable in assessing capability of the applicant. Why not hire someone fully trained now? Ovania has decided that it is willing to train any skills it deems reasonable to be acquired prior to the two year implementation date. The advantage of this approach is that the selected applicant will be trained ccording to the development of the position over that time and will be familiar with the company environment. The disadvantage is the cost of that training to Ovania should the applicant decide to leave or not work out in this position. Should the concern about women getting down into the dirty treatment tanks have been a selection issue? How might you include this factor in a selection battery? The issue of getting in the dirty treatment tanks should not be considered for just female applicants, but should be addressed with all applicants for the position as it is a required part of the position for anyone chosen for the job. This should be part of the developed job description and all applicants selected to be interviewed should be five the description for the position and emphasis made that checking the gauges in the treatment tanks is a mandatory requirement. They should have full understanding that if they are not willing to perform this part of the job they will not be considered for the position as it is necessary to the safety of the plant operations.

Inside the Story and Movie of Beowulf

Ever since I was younger I remember reading the story of Beowulf in my English and thinking how much better it would be if it had a movie to it. Little did I know it did, produced in 1999 my English teacher Mr. Billings made us watch then movie then discuss the two stories. Now when I saw this movie I could not stay awake to save my life. Then in 2007 another movie with the story of Beowulf came out and I was excited as it got great reviews. Now when I watched the movie, I noticed many similarities and differences from the poem and the movie.So with what I can recall from the story line and the movie I will give a brief explanation of what these two stories had in common and not common. There are many similarities between the poem and movie of Beowulf. Some include the clothes, the drinking, some fight scenes, and Beowulf’s arrogance. When we first read the story you can tell the description of the older style clothes and armor and spot on throughout the movie. Another similar ity is the drinking between the two stories. When we first read the book we hear about the Danes hall where they celebrate and drink till they pass out.When we watch the movie you see many scenes of these men drinking mass amounts of alcohol. The next similarity I want to talk about is the fight scene between Grendel and Beowulf. At the beginning of the story Beowulf grasps Grendel’s’ hand until he breaks Grendel’s’ fingers which stays true to the poem. Also it is important to mention that that in the movie and poem, Beowulf is seen as a hero of humans able to overpower the Danes. This is why he arrogant throughout both stories thinking he can destroy anything in his path.Now as we all know, most of the time when a book or poem is turned into a movie it will have many differences. I was not surprised to see the movie of Beowulf not stay true to the original poem. The first difference we come across is at the beginning of the movie as it starts off with Gr endel’s death, when in the poem it starts with the Danes having a beer party in the hall. The major difference between the two is the poem actually explained a detailed story line of Beowulf’s journey. When I watched I movie I felt if left out some important pieces that i like in the poem.Another big difference was the fight between Beowulf and the dragon. In the movie Beowulf had the cut part of his off arm off and he rips out the heart of the dragon. Now this scene is extremely different from the poem, the movie just added more dramatics to make the viewer more into the movie. Now in this writer professional opinion I thought the movie and poem had many differences but still caught the essence and story of Beowulf. This movie and poem are connected by a history of power and violence in which we can see bloody scenes and deaths.There also two histories that lack of love, and neither of them provides any link of friendship, but rather each of them cares about their own , every character of the movie and poem takes care of themselves because they have to fight to defend themselves from the terrible things that happen. Another important aspect of the two stories are they both belong to the old English period with differences with the pronunciation of Modern English and the English spoken at the time of the poem.So as you can see there are many major differences and similarities between both the poem and movie and Beowulf. I hope after you have read this compare and contrast essay you will have more knowledge over the poem and movie of Beowulf. The story and movie of Beowulf is one of my favorites and a great memory of why I love to read. So no matter what, if you have not yet read of seen the movie I highly encourage you to as it’s a great story, one to not be forgotten.

Personal Philosophy of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal Philosophy of Life - Essay Example Talking about true wisdom as the final destination to reach, what is actually true wisdom? For me, I believe that true wisdom is the ultimate knowledge which stays in perfect balance with the basic moral principle. Knowledge without morality is not wisdom, just cold ignorance. Is a man who knows how to destroy the world wise? He is, only if he chooses not to use that knowledge. Morality without knowledge is not wisdom either but blind foolishness. In a war or in wilderness, is a man who doesn’t want to kill wise? Unless he knows how to survive without killing, he is a dead man not a wise one. My ideal true wisdom might seem to be distant destination which can never be attainable. However, in a lesser degree, true wisdom is achievable in daily life. The first main point of the wisdom is balance. Thus, as long as the knowledge that we acquire and apply lies in harmony with the moral principle we value, we attain the lesser true wisdom†¦ for the time being. The next main point is progress. Once we stop trying to reach the ultimate true wisdom, the lesser wisdom we have will quickly fade away. To keep in direct contact with true wisdom, we need to gain more and more knowledge while basic moral values take the role as the safety measurement. Putting it in more systematical order, here are some steps we need to do to keep the wisdom within our grasp. First, we need to honestly realize what we don’t know. After that, we should allow our mind open to new ideas. Then, filtering these ideas using logic and moral principle should be our immediate task. Any idea which is not in harmony with the moral values we believe in should be stored away or even discarded from our mind. Finally, we need to put the acceptable knowledge into practice. If this new knowledge works well without significant ethical conflict, we should apply it either for personal gain or society’s benefit. Well, the path of wisdom does not end here though. We need to keep repeating the

Questions in marketing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Questions in marketing - Coursework Example Acceptance of the existence of factor outside the control of the business helps organizations to keep an open mind regarding the uncertainties that exist. Through roper strategic planning firms are in a better position to make these uncertainties work in their advantage. Contemporary theories of management also emphasize on the unavoidable factor of change and uncertainty that affects organizations in every part of the world. The true strength of a business lies in ensuing that it is well-equipped to face any unforeseen challenge that it could encounter. The environmental domain consists of elements that affect an organization (Covin & Slevin, 1989). It broadly includes five areas of focus namely: Competition, customers, resources, laws and political system and technology. The competition establishes market trends and it is imperative that an organization is aware of the upcoming trends so it can match or surpass its competitors offering. The customers affect the demand side of an organizations offering and plays a significant part in shaping the structure pod demand patterns that the company can expect. By studying the customers’ organizations also get an idea regarding their needs so that they can modify their offering to suit the demands of its target market. Resources refer to organizational assets that are limited and need to be utilized at their optimum level. It is the job of the managers to decide the best approach to utilizing their raw materials and human resources in a way that makes them efficient and not exploite d. One of the most important factors for the environmental analysis is the study of the laws and political systems of the country it operates in. Globalization has made it imperative for firms to outsource many of its function, spanning the dynamics of this factor to even the countries it outsources its components or processes from. For example, Nike made use of

History of Telephone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History of Telephone - Essay Example Bell developed new and original ideas, but did so by building on older ideas and development (Farley). Transmission of electricity over wires by Stephen Gray in 1729, first Battery produced by Alessandro Volta in 1800, Michael Faraday's experiments with electromagnetism in 1821, Professor Henry's transmission of the first practical electric signal and the invention of the electromagnet in 1830 were the major developments, which paved the way for the invention of the first working telegraph by Samuel Morse in 1837, and the completion of the first non-working telephone in 1861 by Johann Phillip Reis. Successful experiments with a clock spring reed in transmitting actual sound over a pair of wires, ultimately led to the birth of the telephone on March 10, 1876, with the famous first sentence to be transmitted accidentally: "Mr. Watson, come here, I want you". With other inventors like Elisha Gray closely on his heels, Bell received his patent No. 174,465 for his epoch making invention. Since his invention was unprecedented, Bell was obliged to call it as "an improvement in telegraphy". Obviously, it was the telegraph and its wired network, which was most responsible for the development and success of the telephone. Impact of the Telephone on the social elements: Even after being baptized by the patent office and given a royal reception at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, Bell, instead of being applauded was pelted with a hailstorm of ridicule. While men of trade and commerce preferred to call it a scientific toy,. The newspapers went to the extent of describing it as 'the latest American humbug' (the London times), Salem Witchcraft , and something associated with the powers of darkness (The Providence press).The very idea of speaking to a metal piece seemed too bizarre and freakish. Since no one could understand how it worked, people saw this performance as a loss of dignity. Public Officials were slow to adopt it, as they were accustomed to use of written documents, and so was the banking community. It was only after a series of demonstrations and lectures arranged by Bell, as well as an account of a documented 3 hour demonstration, published in The Boston Advertiser (October 19, 1876), that people started taking it seriously. They r ealized, after several years of turmoil, that the telephone offered a hitherto unknown advantage of a 'Human Touch' to the communication. One could converse, respond to tones of voice and moods, discuss, persuade, enquire, argue and even reach agreements in a few minutes, in a personal way. It enabled members of the family to travel and even emigrate with increased security. It enabled the government to handle emergencies, like war, fires, accidents storms etc. Medical emergencies could be attended to much more efficiently. As it was having several advantages over telegraph, the businesses were in a position to handle all the issues in a more personalized way, and much faster. The Telephone in people's homes: Reasons for the delayed entry: The real popularity of the telephone in the home segment had to wait for more than 20 years after the invention of the

Growth and Development of Global Economy - Economics Essay

Growth and Development of Global Economy - Economics - Essay Example On the contrary, they are stuck in the vicious cycle due to the US subsidies which crowds the efficient producer’s market, since without subsidies the US cotton production would not be economical. The US government harms the poorer nations through subsidizing their own domestic cotton production more than it helps them through foreign aid, as proved by statistical data in The Oxfam Briefing Paper (Oxfam International, 2004, pages 1-40). The subsidies does not only affect the Balance of Payments, but has a trigger down effect, it lowers the income of farmers, thus reducing the income available for expenditure, further strengthening the economic crisis by lowering aggregate demand, the multiplier sets into a negative action, and poverty sets in, thus making West African nations vulnerable to US cotton subsidies, furthermore in accordance with Anderson and Valenzuela (Anderson and Valenzuela, 2006, page 19) the usage of Genetically Modified Organism for the cotton production in d eveloping nations would have a greater positive effect than eliminating subsidies completely. However, since it is a time-consuming process to convert every small farm to GM technology, hence from the West African nation’s perspective, the USA should eliminate its cotton subsidies in order to aid the developing nations in coming out of the economic crisis and poverty situation. The US political policies focus on hardcore protectionism with regards to the cotton market; the subsidies are unfair and distort the free trade system. According to the multiplier effect, protectionism in the cotton industry also leads to indirect help of US domestic textile and apparels industry, as presented in The Oxfam Briefing Paper. However, these subsidies focus on helping only the larger farms, despite publicizing otherwise, since 67% of the US farms are ineligible to attain the subsidy benefits, and it is generally the top 10%

Ethical Decision Making and Ethical Leadership Essay

Ethical Decision Making and Ethical Leadership - Essay Example The leaders, therefore, will discourage the worker from accepting the gift no matter the reasoning and justification. The email would look like ‘‘Dear officer, I am sorry to inform you that if you breach the company’s rule that abhors acceptance of gift from customers then be ready to face the consequences. This rule should be followed at all times.’’ This approach hampers the organization’s democratic space where the views of others are not taken into account leading to the growth of an autocratic system. The management is likely to plunge into a culture where they impose strict self-centered rules. Over time, with the resistance and breach of these rigid rules, the leaders may escalate up the moral reasoning ladder making them adopt a more rational perspective in solving moral dilemmas in decision making. Moral reasoning is not complete at stage one and that is the reasoning why it is regarded as a reasoning pattern for children who do not have the capacity to rationalize between good and bad. They, therefore, have to blindly set or follow the laid down laws or regulations. Convection and post convection stages are eye-openers in moral

A Study of the Access Women Have in Male Dominated Sports Dissertation

A Study of the Access Women Have in Male Dominated Sports - Dissertation Example 2) Background to the study The challenges that hinder women from participating in male dominated sports are1 2.1. Female invisibility: discrimination in management, funding, media representation. 2.2. Discrimination in providing proper access to sporting facilities. 2.3. Body consciousness and Abhorrence of physical activity. 2.4. Attitudes and prejudices about sexuality. 2.5. Fears of personal safety, sexual harassment and abuse. 2.6. Parental and adult influence. 2.7. Stereotyping and prejudices about ethnicity. 2.8. Academic performance priority. 2.9. Lack of self-confidence 2.10.Lack of money 2.11.Lack of time 1= http://www.helpforclubs.org.uk/pages/download.aspx?id={4CC7A28A- 46A9-469B-A848-5F6AC358C615} 3. Justification A detailed explanation of each of the foregoing points is provided below. 3.1. Female invisibility: discrimination in management, funding, media representation At all levels, women’s sports and games attract less funding that men’s. Prize money at all major sports and games is vastly higher for men as compared to women. Women are under-represented in sports organisations. Girls miss out on involvement in sport because of lack of female role models. The four points mentioned above are hyper-inflated when it comes to women’s involvement in physical contact sports like football and rugby. Girls’ teams of such sports attract less sponsorship from local businesses because of the low revenue they generate, less spectators and low profile media coverage of their games.

Theories as the Basis for Nursing Practice Essay Example for Free

Theories as the Basis for Nursing Practice Essay Abstract Theory development is the fundamental step for expansion of nursing knowledge. The knowledge has been borrowed from different disciplines to build the nursing theories. The categorization of theories is based on their scope of practice. The grand nursing theories are the most complex and abstract in their nature. Middle range theories are inducted mostly from grand nursing theories. Orem’s self-care model is clear and descriptive; the theory has been applied, analyzed in a precise method to various areas in the current nursing practice successfully. A comprehensive knowledge of nursing theories is an integral part of graduate nursing. Initially I was also wondering just like the graduate student in the beginning of chapter 2 in (McEwen amp; Willis, 2011) about the application of theory to nursing practice. However the initial theory classes were lot of information in a short duration. Over the time of the course it became clear that theory development in nursing has been crucial to nursing emerging as a profession. The knowledge for nursing theory development has been based on silent knowledge, where the role is limited to following physician orders, received knowledge; this is the information from other fields like sociology, psychology, physiology and anthropology. Later on the theory development was based on individual experiences, practical skills and procedures and empirical data and evidence based practices (McEwen amp; Willis, 2011). Initially it was extremely difficult to comprehend the grand theories, however, as mentioned by Professor Williams (2012) analyzing the grand theories in the context of meta paradigms like human, environment, nursing and health made it quite interesting and simple to understand M. Y. Williams (personal communication, October 12, 2012). The analysis of theories based on the concept development and the logical relationships between the concepts, provides the opportunity to conduct further research in the nursing practice. Grando (2005) described the use of Orem’s theory to guide nursing practice as an example of modern nursing to distinguish nursing from medicine. Grando (2005) successfully implemented a self-care deficit model while treating patients to maintain mental health functioning. She developed a tool based on conditioning of the basic human factors leads to self care requisites like changing behaviors, re framing the habits and managing feelings. Grando (2005) was able to cultivate self care agencies like adequate knowledge, judgment and perception modification to facilitate aintenance of mental health. SCNDT has been successfully implemented in various settings like care of the patient with learning disability. Orem’s model was used in the nursing process to assess the needs of a patient named Sara suffering with Asthma and formulated the nursing diagnosis and care plan based on the needs identified. â€Å"The human needs are categorized into food, air, water, shelter, rest, social interaction, prevention of hazards and maintaining adequate normal function level† (Horan, Doran amp; Timmins, 2004, p. 35 ). The patient was asked to maintain a diary of all the teachings and the interventions to track the progress of the care plan. The conclusion of the study was: It proved as a useful frame work in this situation because Sara was involved in the entire process. From this she became aware of issues relating to her self- care needs and how to meet them. The authors have found that using Orem’s (2001) model in this practice setting has greatly enhanced Sara’s self-care abilities and acknowledgement of deficits plus, preventing possible future problems.

Wine Wars Essay Example for Free

Wine Wars Essay Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old â€Å"We have the people, expertise, technology and commitment to gain global preeminence for Australian wine by 2025. It will come by anticipating the market, influencing consumer demand, and building on our strategy of sustainable growth. † — Sam Toley, CEO of Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. â€Å"By phasing out the buyback of excess wine and increasing incentives for farmers to uproot their vines, the EC reforms will only bring in the New World’s agro-industry model. We need to protect the age-old European model built on traditional vineyards. † — Jean-Louis Piton, Copa-Cogeca Farmers Association. In 2009, these two views reflected some of the very different sentiments unleashed by the fierce competitive battle raging between traditional wine makers and some new industry players as they fought for a share of the $230 billion global wine market. Many Old World wine producers—France, Italy, and Spain, for example—found themselves constrained by embedded wine-making traditions, restrictive industry regulations, and complex national and European Community legislation. This provided an opportunity for New World wine companies—from Australia, the United States, and Chile, for instance—to challenge the more established Old World producers by introducing innovations at every stage of the value chain. In the Beginning1 Grape growing and wine making have been human preoccupations at least since the times when ancient Egyptians and Greeks offered wine as tributes to dead pharaohs and tempestuous gods. It was under the Roman Empire that viticulture spread throughout the Mediterranean region, and almost every town had its local vineyards and wine was a peasant’s beverage to accompany everyday meals. By the Christian era, wine became part of liturgical services, and monasteries planted vines and built wineries. By the Middle Ages, the European nobility began planting vineyards as a mark of prestige, competing with one another in the quality of wine served at their tables – the first niche market for premium wine. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Professor Christopher A. Bartlett prepared the original version of this case, â€Å"Global Wine Wars: New World Challenges Old (A),† HBS No. 303056, which is being replaced by this version prepared by the same author. This case was developed from published sources. HBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. Copyright  © 2009 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to www. hbsp. harvard. edu/educators. This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the permission of Harvard Business School. 910-405 Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old Wine Production Tending and harvesting grapes has always been labor intensive, and one worker could typically look after only a three hectare lot. (1 hectare. = 2. 47 acres) The introduction of vineyard horses in the early 19th century led to vines being planted in rows and to more efficient tending and allowed one person to work a plot of 7 hectares. Yet despite these efficiencies, vineyards became smaller, not larger. Over many centuries, small agricultural holdings were continually fragmented as land was parceled out by kings, taken in wars, or broken up through inheritance. During the French Revolution, many large estates were seized, divided, and sold at auction. And after 1815, the Napoleonic inheritance code prescribed how land had to be passed on to all rightful heirs. By the mid-19th century, the average holding in France was 5. 5 ha. and was still being subdivided. (In Italy, similar events left the average vineyard at 0. 8 ha. ) While the largest estates made their own wine, most small farmers sold their grapes to the local wine maker or vintner. With payment based on weight, there was little incentive to pursue quality by reducing yield. Some small growers formed cooperatives, hoping to participate in wine making’s downstream profit, but grape growing and wine making remained highly fragmented. Distribution and Marketing Traditionally, wine was sold in bulk to merchant traders—negociants in France—who often blended and bottled the product before distributing it. But poor roads and complex toll and tax systems made cross-border shipping extremely expensive. In the early 19th century, for example, a shipment of wine from Strasbourg to the Dutch border had to pass through 31 toll stations. 2 And since wine did not travel well, much of it spoiled on the long journeys. As a result, only the most sophisticated negociants could handle exports, and only the rich could afford the imported luxury. Late 18th century innovations such as mass production of glass bottles, the use of cork stoppers, and the development of pasteurization revolutionized the industry. With greater wine stability and longevity, distribution to distant markets and bottle aging of good vintages became the norm. Increased vine plantings and expanded production followed, and a global market for wine was born. Regulation and Classification As the industry developed, it became increasingly important to the cultural and economic life of the producing countries. By the mid-18th century in France, grape growing supported 1. 5 million families and an equal number in wine-related businesses. Eventually, it accounted for one-sixth of France’s total trading revenue, and was the country’s second-largest export. The industry’s growing cultural and economic importance attracted political attention, and with it, laws and regulations to control almost every aspect of wine making. For example, Germany’s 1644 wine classification scheme prescribed 65 classes of quality, with rules for everything from ripeness required for harvesting to minimum sugar content. (Even in 1971, a law was passed in Germany requiring a government panel to taste each vineyard’s annual vintage and assign it a quality level. 3) Similar regulations prescribing wine-making practices also existed in France and Italy. Rather than resisting such government classifications and controls, producers often supported and even augmented them as a way of differentiating their products and raising entry barriers. For example, the current French classification system was created by a Bordeaux committee prior to the 1855 Exposition in Paris. To help consumers identify their finest wines, they classified about 500 vineyards into five levels of quality, from premier cru (first growth) to cinquieme cru (fifth growth). 2 Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old 910-405 Because it helped consumers sort through the complexity of a highly fragmented market, this marketing tool soon gained wide recognition, leading the government to codify and expand it in the Appellation d’Origin Controllee (AOC) laws of 1935. These laws also defined regional boundaries and set detailed and quite rigid standards for vineyards and wine makers. 4 Eventually, more than 300 AOC designations were authorized, from the well known (Saint Emilion or Beaujolais) to the obscure (Fitou or St. Peray). (A similar classification scheme was later introduced in Italy defining 213 Denominazione di Origne Controllate (or DOC) regions, each with regulations prescribing area, allowed grape varieties, yields, required growing practices, acceptable alcohol content, label design etc. 5) Later, other wine regions of France were given official recognition with the classification of Vins Delimites de Qualite Superieure (VDQS), but these were usually regarded as of lower rank than AOC wines. Below VDQS were Vins de Pays, or country wine inexpensive but very drinkable wines for French tables, and increasingly, for export. These categories were quite rigid with almost no movement across them. This was due to a belief that quality was linked to terroir, the almost mystical combination of soil, aspect, microclimate, rainfall, and cultivation that the French passionately believed gave the wine from each region— and indeed, each vineyard— its unique character. But terroir could not guarantee consistent quality. As an agricultural product, wine was always subject to the vagaries of weather and disease. In the last quarter of the 19th century, a deadly New World insect, phylloxera, devastated the French vine stock. From a production level of 500 million liters in 1876, output dropped to just 2 million liters in 1885. But a solution was found in an unexpected quarter: French vines were grafted onto phylloxera-resistant vine roots native to the United States and imported from the upstart Californian wine industry. It was the first time many in the Old World acknowledged the existence of a New World wine industry. It would not be the last. Stirrings in the New World Although insignificant in both size and reputation compared with the well-established industry in traditional wine-producing countries, vineyards and wine makers had been set up in many New World countries since the 18th century. In the United States, for example, Thomas Jefferson, an enthusiastic oenologist, became a leading voice for establishing vineyards in Virginia. And in Australia, vines were brought over along with the first fleet carrying convicts and settlers in 1788. Nascent wine industries were also developing at this time in Argentina, Chile, and South Africa, usually under the influence of immigrants from the Old World wine countries. Opening New Markets While climate and soil allowed grape growing to flourish in the New World, the consumption of wine in these countries varied widely. It became part of the national cultures in Argentina and Chile, where per capita annual consumption reached about 80 liters in Argentina and 50 liters in Chile in the 1960s. While such rates were well behind France and Italy, both of which boasted per capita consumption of 110–120 liters in this era, they were comparable with those of Spain. Other New World cultures did not embrace the new industry as quickly. In Australia, the hot climate and a dominant British heritage made beer the alcoholic beverage of preference, with wine being consumed mostly by Old World immigrants. The U. S. market was more complex. In keeping with the country’s central role in the rum trade, one segment of the population followed a tradition of drinking hard liquor. But another group reflected the country’s Puritan heritage and espoused temperance or abstinence. (As recently as 1994, a Gallup survey found that 45% of U. S. respondents did not drink at all, and 21% favored a renewal of prohibition. ) As a result, in the pre-World War II era, wine was largely made by and sold to European immigrant communities. 3 910-405 Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old In the postwar era, however, demand for wine increased rapidly in the United States, Australia, and other New World producers. In the United States, for example, consumption grew from a postprohibition per capita level of 1 liter per annum to 9 liters by 2006. In Australia the rate of increase was even more rapid, from less than 2 liters in 1960 to 24 liters by 2006. This growth in consumption was coupled with a growing demand for higher quality wines, resulting in a boom in domestic demand that proved a boost for the young New World wine industry. Challenging Production Norms. On the back of the postwar economic boom, New World wine producers developed in an industry environment different from their European counterparts. First, suitable land was widely available and less expensive, allowing the growth of much more extensive vineyards. As a result, in 2006, the average vineyard holding in the United States was 213 hectares and in Australia 167 hectares, compared to an Italian average of 1. 3 hectares, and 7. 4 hectares in France. 6 Unconstrained by tradition, New World producers also began to experiment with grape growing and winemaking technology. In Australia, controlled drip irrigation allowed expansion into marginal land and reduced vintage variability. (In contrast, irrigation was strictly forbidden in France under AOC regulations. ) The larger vineyards also allowed the use of specialized equipment such as mechanical harvesters and mechanical pruners which greatly reduced labor costs. Innovation also extended into viniculture where New World producers pursued techniques such as night harvesting to maximize grape sugars, while innovative trellis systems permitted vines to be planted at twice the traditional density. Other experiments with fertilizers and pruning methods increased yield and improved grape flavor. These innovations, when coupled with typically sunny climates, freed New World farmers from many of the stresses of their counterparts in regions like Bordeaux where the rainy maritime climate made late autumn harvests risky, and held wine producers hostage to wide year-to-year vintage variations. New World wine companies also broke many wine making traditions. Large estates usually had on-site labs to provide analysis helpful in making growing and harvest decisions. In the 1990s, some experimented with a reverse osmosis technology to concentrate the juice (or must), ensuring a deepercolored, richer-tasting wine. (Ironically, the technique was developed in France, but most French producers deplored it as â€Å"removing the poetry of wine. † Needless to say, it was a forbidden practice under AOC regulations. ) New World wine makers also developed processes that allowed fermentation and aging to occur in huge, computer-controlled, stainless steel tanks rather than in traditional oak barrels. To provide oak flavor, some added oak chips while aging their popular priced wines—another practice strictly forbidden in most traditional-producing countries. The economic impact of these and other innovations became clear in a comparison of the costs of production in the Langedoc region of France with the Riverina district in Australia, both big producers of popular priced wines. The French cost per tonne of â‚ ¬238 was 74% higher than the Australian cost of â‚ ¬137. 7 And South American grape costs were even lower, driving down the price of popular premium wine in Europe to â‚ ¬2 a bottle, while the French vins de pays was priced above â‚ ¬3. (Exhibit 1 shows the cost composition of a bottle of French wine. ) Reinventing the Marketing Model Beyond their experiments in growing and winemaking, New World producers also innovated in packaging and marketing. While the European targeted the huge basic wine market by selling the popular liter bottle of vin de table, the Australians developed the innovative â€Å"wine-in-a-box† package. Employing a collapsible plastic bag in a compact cardboard box with a dispensing spigot, the box’s 4 Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old 910-405 shape and weight not only saved shipping costs, it also made storage in the consumer’s refrigerator more convenient. More recently, Australian producers began replacing cork stoppers with screw caps, even on premium wines. The logic was based not just on economics, but also on the fact that many wines, particularly the delicate whites, were susceptible to spoiling if corks were deficient. From their earliest experiences in the marketplace, New World producers learned the value of differentiating their products and making them more appealing to palates unaccustomed to wine. Several early products developed for unsophisticated palates were wildly successful—Ripple in the United States and Barossa Pearl in Australia, for example—but were dismissed by connoisseurs as evidence of the New World’s inferior winemaking skills. Yet these experiments provided valuable lessons in branding and marketing— skills that were rare in this industry prior to the 1970s. With wine showing the potential for mass appeal, in 1977 Coca-Cola acquired Taylor California Cellars. Other experienced consumer marketers such as Nestle, Pillsbury, and Seagram followed, and conventional wisdom was that their sophisticated marketing techniques would finally crack the last major largely unbranded consumer product. But the challenge proved more difficult than expected, and within a decade the outsiders had sold out. Yet their influence endured in the consumer focused attitudes and the sophisticated marketing skills they left behind. The other major change driven by New World companies occurred in distribution. Historically, fragmented producers and tight government regulations had created a long, multilevel value chain, with service providers in many of the links lacking either the scale or the expertise to operate efficiently. (See Exhibit 2 for a representation. ) In contrast, the large New World wine companies typically controlled the full value chain, extracting margins at every level and retaining bargaining power with increasingly concentrated retailers. And because their name was on the final product, they controlled quality at every step. To traditionalists, the New World’s breaks with established grape-growing and wine-making ways were sacrilege. They argued that in the drive for efficiency and consistency, and in the desire to cater to less sophisticated palates, New World producers had lost the character that came with more variable vintages made in traditional ways. And they were shocked that many of these â€Å"engineered products† were sold using appellation names— Chablis, Burgundy, Champagne, and so on. In response, the European Community (EC) passed regulations making such practices illegal. New World wine makers gradually adjusted by identifying their wines by the grape variety used, and eventually consumers recognized and developed preferences defined by the varietal name—cabernet sauvignon versus merlot, or chardonnay versus sauvignon blanc, for example. Indeed, many seemed to find this easier to understand than trying to penetrate the many complex regional designations that each of the traditional wine-producing countries had promoted. The Judgment of Paris On May 24, 1976, in a publicity-seeking activity linked to America’s Bicentenary, a British wine merchant set up a blind-tasting panel to rate top wines from France and California. Despite the enormous home field advantage of an event held in Paris with a judging panel of nine French wine critics, the American entries took top honors in both the red and white competitions. When French producers complained that the so called â€Å"The Judgment of Paris† was rigged, a new judging was held two years later. Again, Californian wines triumphed. 8. The event was a watershed in the industry. The publicity raised awareness that the New World produced quality wines, to the great shock of those who dismissed their innovative approaches. It was also a wake-up call to traditional producers, many of whom began taking their new challengers 5 910-405 Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old seriously for the first time. Finally, it gave confidence to New World producers that they could compete in global markets. In short, it was the bell for the opening round in a fight for export sales. Maturing Markets, Changing Demand â€Å"The Judgment of Paris† signaled the start of many disruptive changes in wine industry during the last quarter of the 20th century. More immediately alarming for most traditional producers was a pattern of declining demand that saw a 20% drop in worldwide consumption from 1970 to 1990, and a subsequent flattening of demand. When combined with radical changes in consumer tastes, consolidation in the distribution channels, and shifts in government support, these trends presented industry participants with an important new set of opportunities and threats. Changing Global Demand Patterns. The most dramatic decline in demand occurred in the highest-consumption countries, France and Italy. In the mid-1960s, per capita annual consumption in both countries was around 110 to 120 liters; by 2005 it was about 50 litres. Key causes of the decline were a younger generation’s different drinking preferences, an older generation’s concern about health issues, and stricter drunk-driving penalties. Simultaneously, steep declines occurred in other major of wine drinking cultures—Spain dropped from 60 liters to 35, Argentina from 80 to 30, and Chile from 50 to 15. (See Exhibit 3.). During the same period, demand was growing in many wine-importing countries, although not fast enough to offset losses in Old World wine countries. From 1966 to 2005, per capita annual consumption in the United Kingdom rose from 3 to 20 liters, in Belgium from 10 to 26 liters, and in Canada from 3 to 10 liters. Even more promising was the more recent growth of new markets, particularly in Asia where consumption in China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Thailand grew at double digit annual rates through the 1990s. In fact, by 2005, China had emerged as the worlds fifth wine consuming nation ahead of Spain, Argentina, and the U. K. (Exhibits 4 and 5 lists the world’s major consuming and producing nations). It was this shift in market demand that escalated the competition for export sales into a global wine war. (See Exhibit 6 for import and export data. ) Shift to Quality, Rise of Fashion Partially offsetting the overall volume decline was a growing demand for higher-quality wines. While the basic segment (less than $5 a bottle) still accounted for half the world market in volume, the premium ($5 to $7) and the super-premium ($7 to $14) now represented 40% of the total—and more than 50% of the market in younger markets such as the United States and Australia. (Exhibit 7 shows one version of price segmentation as defined by a leading industry analyst. ) The trend was worldwide. Even in Old World wine countries where total demand was in decline, consumption of premium wine kept rising. Despite government subsidies, per capita consumption of basic wine in the EU fell from 31 liters in 1985 to 18 liters in 2005, while demand for quality wine increased from 10 liters to 15 liters. In that same 20 year period, jug wine sales in the United States declined from 800 million to 600 million liters, while consumption of premium wines increased from 150 million to 600 million liters. With the shift to quality, a greater fashion element began to influence demand. The decline in importance of working families’ daily consumption of locally produced table wine was offset by upscale urban consumers who chose bottles on the basis of grape variety, vintage, source and increasingly fashion. The 1980s’ emphasis on lighter foods led to an increase in demand for white 6 Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old 910-405 wines, making white wine spritzers (wine with soda water) a fashionable drink in the United States market. By the late 1980s, white wine represented over 75% of U. S. sales. This all changed following the 1991 publication of a medical report identifying red-wine as a partial explanation of the â€Å"French paradox†Ã¢â‚¬â€ low rates of heart disease in a population well known for its love of rich food. Featured on the U. S. television show 60 Minutes, the report soon led to an increase in demand, with red wine’s market share growing from 27% in 1991 to 43% five years later. Even within this broad trend of red versus white preference, the demand for different grape varieties also moved with fashion. During the white wine boom, chardonnay was the grape of choice, but by the late 1990s, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc were emerging white wine fashion favorites. In red wine, a love affair with Cabernet Sauvignon was followed by a mini-boom for Merlot, which in turn was succeeded by a demand spike for Pinot Noir. Such swings in fashion posed a problem for growers. Although vines had a productive life of 60 to 70 years, they typically took 3 to 4 years to produce their first harvest, 5 to 7 years to reach full productive capacity, and 35 years to produce top quality grapes. But New World wine regions had the capacity and the regulatory freedom to plant new varieties in new vineyards and could respond. For example, in the 1990s, the California acreage planted with chardonnay increased 36%, and merlot plantings increased 31%. As these various demand trends continued, the rankings of the world’s top wine companies underwent radical change. Despite their relative newness and the comparative smallness of their home markets, New World companies took nine slots in a list of the worlds top 15 wine companies, a list previously dominated by Old World companies. (See Exhibit 8 for the listing). Increasing Distribution Power Because marketing had typically been handled by their negociants, most Old World producers were still isolated from such fast-changing consumer tastes and market trends—particularly when they occurred in distant export markets. Equally problematic was their lack of understanding of the rapidly concentrating retail channels. In contrast, because most large New World wine companies controlled their distribution chain from the vineyard to the retailer, they were able to sense changes in consumer preferences and respond to shifts in distribution channels. Furthermore, the New World companies were able to capture even more economic advantage by him and reducing handling stages, holding less inventory, and capturing the intermediaries’ markup. Even the transportation economics that once favored European suppliers’ proximity to the huge United Kingdom market changed. As trucking costs rose, container-ship rates fell, making the cost of shipping wine from Australia to the UK about the same as trucking it from the south of France. Size also gave New World companies bargaining power in the sophisticated negotiations that a concentrated retail sector now demanded. For example, following the huge wine surpluses flooding the market in the early 2000s, Australian producers used their cost advantage to drive prices lower. But equally important in the battle for volume sales was their ability to respond to retailers’ need for a consistent supply of strong brands at a good price/quality ratio. 9 In the face of this head-on competitive challenge, the French tried to defend their position through frequent promotions. 10 But they were hampered by their lack of consumer knowledge and marketing skills. The Old World suppliers’ problems became clear from their dealings with Tesco, the worlds largest wine retailer with wine sales of ? 1. 5 billion in 2007. To maximize sales, Tesco emphasized that it wanted to work with creative suppliers. Dont just bring the deals, bring me innovation,† said Dan 7 910-405 Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old Jago, Tesco’s Wine, Beer, and Spirits division head. If you want your prices to rise, you have to persuade customers why they should pay more. 11 While a handful of icon brands prospered at the top of the market based on image and quality, the fragmentation of Old World vineyards forced most to compete at the low end on price. When some chose to take on the New World brands under the umbrella of the AOC’s reputation, it soon became clear that they lacked the skills or resources to succeed in the last growth middle market. Tesco’s Jago complained that despite its once strong reputation, the Bordeaux â€Å"brand† was losing sway with younger consumers. Heaven knows Ive tried to help them, but our consumers have such infinite choice that they dont need to make [Bordeaux] part of it. 12 Ascendancy in of Brand Power. For years, the wine industry appeared ripe for branding. The extreme fragmentation of the European industry (Bordeaux alone had 20,000 producers) meant that few had the volume to support a branding strategy. Historically, only the handful of Old World producers whose wines achieved icon status—Lafite, Veuve Cliquot, and Chateau d’Yquem, for example—were recognized brands. But these appealed to the elite, who represented only a tiny fraction of the global market. In providing the consumer confidence that branding offers, government-supported classifications such as France’s AOC had been only partially successful. Their value was weakened not only by their complexity (in 2009 there were 327 designated AOC regions), but also by the erosion of consumers’ confidence in the classification scheme as an assurance of quality13. For example, Burgundy’s most famous vineyard, Chambertin, had its 32 acres divided among 23 proprietors. While most produced the high-quality wine that had earned its grand cru status, others rode on that reputation to sell—at $150 a bottle— legitimately labeled Chambertin that wine critic Robert Parker described as â€Å"thin, watery, and a complete rip-off. †14 As interest in wine extended beyond educated connoisseurs, new consumers in the fast-growing premium wine segment were faced with hundreds of options and often insufficient knowledge to make an informed—or even a comfortable—choice. Government classification schemes required them to have an understanding of the intricacies of region, vintage, and vineyard reputation, and even if they found a wine they liked, chances were that by their next purchase, that producer was not stocked or the new vintage was less appealing. Unsurprisingly, survey data in the early 1990s showed that 65% of shoppers had no idea what they would choose when they entered a wine store. Yet even in 2009, despite many attempts, no brand had been able to capture as much as 1% of the global wine market, in contrast to soft drinks, beer, and liquor, where global brands were dominant. Although European producers and their importing agents had successfully launched several mass appeal brands in the 1960s and 1970s (e. g., Blue Nun, Mateus, Liebfraumilch), a decade later New World producers had made branding a routine part of wine marketing. For example, by sourcing grapes from multiple vineyards and regions, Australian wine maker Penfolds built trust in its products by ensuring the vintage-to-vintage consistency that branding demanded. It then leveraged its trusted brand name by creating a hierarchy of Penfolds wines that allowed consumers to move up each step from $9 to $185 wines as their tastes—and their budgets–developed. (See Exhibit 9. ) New World producers who built their marketing expertise in their home markets during the 1960s and 1970s, learned how to respond to consumer preferences for the simpler, more fruit-driven wines that were easy to appreciate. They then took those wines and the marketing and branding skills they had developed at home into the export markets. By 2007, New World companies claimed 14 of the world’s top 20 wine brands. (See Exhibit 10). 8 Global Wine War 2009: New World versus Old 910-405. The Government Solution The radical shifts in demand proved extremely challenging to Old World producers. First, there was often no new land available to plant, particularly in controlled AOC regions. Equally restrictive were the regulations prescribing permitted grape varieties and winemaking techniques that greatly limited their flexibility. So, for example, when fashion switched away from sweeter white wines, the German wine industry which was constrained by tight regulations on sugar content, watched its exports drop from over 3 million hectoliters in 1992 to under 2 million just five years later. But the biggest problem was that declining demand at home and a loss of share in export markets had caused a structural wine surplus popularly called the European wine lake. The EU’s initial response was to pay farmers to uproot their vineyards, leading to 500,000 hectares (13% of production) being uprooted between 1988 and 1996. A parallel â€Å"crisis distillation program† provided for the EU to purchase surplus wine for distillation into industrial alcohol. An average of 26 million hectoliters (15% of total production) was distilled annually in the decade since 1999. In a 2006 reform proposal, the EU aimed to uproot a further 200,000 hectares equal to the size of the US wine industry and gradually phase out crisis distillation. Critics contended that despite their intent to move towards more market-driven policies, the EU regulators were still dealing with challenges from the supply-side perspective of the grape growers.

Assessing The Agritourism Potential For Rural Tourism Essay

Assessing The Agritourism Potential For Rural Tourism Essay Development is critical and essential to the sustenance and growth of any nation. The main goal of each and every country is to reach development of the country. The term development encompasses the need and the means by which to provide better lives for people in a country. Itincludes not only economic growth, although that is crucial, but also human development providing health, nutrition, education, and aenvironment. However, in executing development is a complex issue and the basic perspective of it is equates development with economic. According to the United Nations Development Programme (2009) development is to facilitate a valuable long and healthy lives, to be knowledgeable, to get opportunities to use the resources needed for a good level of living and to be able to take part in the community life. Gboyega (2003) captures development as an idea that embodies all attempts to improve the conditions of human existence in all ramifications. implies improvement in material well being of all citizens, not the most powerful and rich alone, in a sustainable way such that todays consumption does not imperil the future, it also demands that poverty and inequality of access to the good things of life be removed or drastically reduced. It seeks to improve personal physical security and livelihoods and expansion of life chances. Thus, development aims at improving important aspects of peoples lives such as livelihood, security, environmental, physical and mental well being. Enhance in knowledge, experience and resources is helped people to build a better life. The goal of development is to expand the capabilities of people to live the li ves they choose to lead (Amartya Sen 1999). It is most defined with their active participation. Development is different from growth. It has broader and deeper meanings. Economic growth is necessary but not sufficient condition for development and hence it can be viewed as a multi-dimensional phenomenon. The major dimensions of it include the level of economic growth, standards of education, quality of housing, level of health, distribution of goods and services, and access to communication (W orld Bank Ingredients for development and economic growth are capital formation, human resources, natural resources, and technology/entrepreneurship. Capital formation is essential to invest in sectors with high economic output, saving capital, investing in infrastructure creates jobs directly indirectly by attracting investors. Human resources are a key to development in any country. There is need to develop a mechanism to address lack of health facilities, lack of education, poverty, malnutrition, and disease. Human resource development is important if people are to make use of ICT for development. Natural resources are crucial in development. Development activities need to be harnessed more of their natural resources. It is imperative that they should improve farming techniques and develop better land ownership methods. Technology and entrepreneurship are important developing countries to improve the know-how and know-what. Openness to ideas is important if any economy is to develop. The fo rmation of regional and international blocks encourages technology and entrepreneurship Development should be a sustainable long-term condition for humanitys multidimensional well-being. It has been clearly explained in the Rio Declaration, of United Nations Conference in 1992, held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil as; Humanat the center for sustainable development. They are entitled to productive life in harmony with nature called equitable and balanced, meaning that, in order for development t, it should balance the interests of people, same generation and among generations, in three major interrelated areas social, and environmental and economic. Sustainable development equity, opportunities for well-being about objectives. Not all the countries in the world have same level of development. While developed countries have reached higher level of development or standard living due to better standards in their societies, developing countries have faced several issues and challenges along their way towards development Developed countries are countries whose lives are patterned industry and have some specific characteristics like higher level of average per capita income, level of education, life expectancy of the population and al so low level of population growth rate and death rate. Life style is based on the market economy and economic activities are mostly related with industry sector as well as export oriented. Furthermore, majority of the population lives in cities and there i s relatively higher level of health of the population. Countries that have Human Development Index (HDI) of or over are in the category of developed countries. According to th e IMF index of HDI released in 2011, there are 47 cou ntries in the and classified as possessing a Very high human development On the other hand several common negative characteristics can be seen among developing countries as well. These are preventing the development of those countries. Low living are manifested qualitatively in form of low incomes , inadequate housing, poor l education, low life and work expectancy, many cases, a general malaise and hopelessness are some of them. Moreover, low levels of productivity in many areas like labour productivity, agriculture or farm productivity. In addition, low level industrial development, high unemployment, small domestic market, small amount of disposable income and uneven regional development, problems in institutional changes , credit and banking, honest s and the restructuring of educational. Most of the developing countries population growth by high birth rate but declining rate Rural development in developing countries Rural development is an integral part of the national development of a country. Rural development actions mostly to the social and economic development of areas (Chigbu, 2012). Especially in developing countries, very high emphasis has rural development, aiming to gain equitable and balance development throughout the country. Rural Development concerned with economic growth and social justice, improvement in the living standard of the rural people by providing adequate and quality minimum essential. The present rural development poverty alleviation, livelihood opportunities, provision of infrastructure facilities programs of wage and self-employment Rural development process of improving life and economic wellbeing in relatively populated areas (Malcolm, 2003). Although rural development has on the exploitation natura lresources such as agriculture and forestry, due to changes in production networks urbanization have changed the areas. Increasingly, and recreation resource extraction and agriculture drivers (Neil and David, 2009). The need for approach a wider perspective has created on a range of development goals creating incentive for agricul tural or businesses. Education, physical infrastructure, infrastructure all play role developing regions (Conn, 1996). Rural development emphasis on locally produced economic development strategies (Malcolm Furthermore, rural development is the ways to improve the participation of the rural people as to meet the required need of the rural area. As people themselves in their rural development. When development is concerned, in one point of view it can be explained as the development consists of a wide variety of new activities such as production of high quality and region specific products, nature conservation and landscape management , agritourism and the development of supply chains (Knickel Renting, 2000). These new activities in rural areas mean new income sources to local people. Therefore it doing diversification and utilizing multi-functionality of agri culture and formation of agritourism can be used as a strategy to enhance rural development Rural Development and national development in developing countries In developing countries, the rural development is one of the most important factors for the growth of the national economy. Desai (2009) recorded Rural Development is an important segment of national development. Developing countries are primarily agriculture-based countries and majority of the population are in rural areas. Agriculture contributes for a significant share of the gross domestic product (GDP) of those countries Agriculture, mining, forestry, handicrafts, fisheries, poultry, diary and rural tourism are the primary contributors to the rural business economy of developing countries However, in many developing countries sufficient amount of investment in rural sector doesnt take place (United nation, 2011). The rural sector not able to contribute its full potential for the national development. For example, in the Asia-Pacific region governments implement strategies, including fiscal policies, which are the rural sector in general. Policies affecting the livelihoods development of producers and producers areas (United nation, 2011). As a consequence of the biased polic ies allocations government most concerned unable promote agriculture and rural development provision of timely and production services areas making lesser contribution for the national development (FAO, 2003). Not only in Asia-Pacific has this problem existed in other regions of the world as well. The countries of the Caribbean need to invest in rural communities econo mic contribution development is officially believed, according World Bank report recently. The report evaluates the rural sector on poverty reduction, environmental degrada tion both in the rest of the economy, as the public policies that ts contribution to development (Viveros and Morrison 2005). A study of Onyemelukwe (1981) on the assessment of the performances of the rural the typical African country Nigeria in national development contexts has found out the critical role of the sector and the system effects of inadequate equipment of the sector for such role. The Nigerian situation is used to illustrate the prospects and the problems of the rural sector in most African countries Rural sector in Sri Lanka is mainly consisted of farming community. The agriculture sector is the cornerstone in Sri Lankas economy with more than of the population living in rural areas depending on agriculture for their livelihoods. Currently this sector contributes to about 18% of the Domestic Product (GDP) and 30% of the employment (Central bank of Sri Lanka, 2011). Therefore, without taking into consideration agricultural development, we cant even imagine rural development in this country What is Agritourism In general, agriourism is the practice of attracting travelers or visitors to an area or areas used primarily for agricultural purposes. In particular, it refers to farm enterprises and community events that showcase the activities and produce of rural families and the agricultural heritage of farming regions to travelers. Agritourism provides rural experiences to travelers with the goal of generating revenues for farmers and surrounding communities. These experiences typically include a wide range of attractions and activities that take place in agricultural areas Important ingredients of agritourisms rural experiences include open spaces, low levels of urban or industrial development, and opportunities for visitors to directly experience agricultural, pastoral, and natural environments. Moreover, agritourism is a type of rural tourism. It is a combination of two complex industries; agriculture and tourism, to open up alternative income sources for the farmers as well as surrounding community (Wicks and Merrett, 2003). Brscic (2006) has explained agritourism as a of tourism which takes place within the family farm that symbolizes a specific form of business, giving a number of benefits to the families involved, with multiple impacts on the socio-economic relations and the space in rural areas. It is a form of farm diversification aiming some benefits from exiting farm resources. Agritourism can be also explained that gives as an activity, enterprise , which help or business that combines most important characteristics of agriculture, industry investment and tourism that helps and provides an experience that stimulates economic activity and community income. Relationship between agritourism and rural development Several research findings in many developed countries have shown that agritourism as a possible rural development strategy. For example, Haghiri Okech (2011) discovered role of the agritourism in developing the economy of rural areas in the province of Newfoundland. According to Topcu (2009), agritourism is a new element for rural development in Turkey. Agritourism as an effective vehicle for development in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan (Dernoi, 2002; Weaver and Fennell, 1998). Study of Hightower (2011) is being used as a catalyst for additional income and triggering economic growth in rural areas. Disez, (1999) revealed represents and innovative activity taking place within the framework of rural development in Massif Central region in France, agritourism is the best way for the preservation of traditions and customs in the rural areas, supplying a sustainable rural development. In some countries like Italy, Spain, Greece, Austria, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ireland and Norway it is a growing sector with the policies of the governments aiming to benefit from it as a regional development instrument (Demirta? Topcu, 2007; Frater, 1983). Rural tourism benefits to local areas by bringing visitors to the region, increasing awareness for agricultural products and showcasing produce to the local regional community. It can also provide incentives for local heritage and conservation groups to preserve unique heritage landscapes and built heritage. Most studies have highlighted the multiple benefits that agritourism brings to the farm, local communities, agriculture heritage and natural resources (Fleischer and Pizam, 1997; Busby and Rendle, 2000; Ventura and Milone, 2000; Sharpley, 2002; Wicks Przezb? rska, 2005; Fleischer and Tchetchik, 2005; Mitchell and De Agritourism Research conducted in developing countries A small number of researches have been conducted in some developing countries in Asia. Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and India are examples of such countries. When South Asian countries are concerned, the number of research is very few. India is the country leading in agritourism in this region According to Tiraieyari and Hamzah (2011) in Malaysia, there are potential benefits of agritourism for farmers and local communities in general. Further indicated that agritourism as an economic development instrument has great potential to contribute to rural development as Malaysia is one of the tourist countries with great potential to develop agritourism. As per the national Council of Agriculture and fisheries (COA) of Taiwan, after registering a huge and wide decline of GDP in 2001, 173 Farms had been soon established for tourism sector and this created the development of rural Taiwan such as chi-ching Shwei-Li in (Murangwa, 2 010) A recent research study on agritourism in Thailand discovered that agritourism has been utilize the agricultural holdings produce for such as scenery from paddy fields and farm lands , food and fibre from products (vegetable, fruit, e from local products, accommodations from farm stay or vacated property to gain local development in area As reported by the South East Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture ( SEARCA), in Manila Philippines, could be a nich? tourism product that would help improve farm incomes provided a well-planned program is put in place. It will consolidate initiatives in agriculture and tourism sectors nationwide that contribute d to poverty reduction, natural resources management, and rural development in Aguiba. A research in Chitwan District in Nepal found out the importance of agritourism for the rural development in Nepal. Agritourism is the concept of diverting the tourists to those rural areas, where there is range of agricultural activities, services and amenities provided by farmers and rural people attract both internal as well as international tourists in order to generate extra income for their business. The living standard of the farmers and rural poor can be raised by identifying high value-low volume crops, which have comparative advantages and by optimally utilizing the available resources for sustainable development (Maharjan, 2008). However, the available literature evidence that our neighboring country India engaged in agritourism successfully. According to the research on Agritourism the potential for sustainable development and growth explore the scope for developing agritourism in India has been conducted by Raghunandan et al.,(2010). This research has concluded that pot ential for Agritourism in India to grow into an important source of income for the rural population if the development is focused on integration and participation. Furthermore, Agritourism has been identified as a source of generation of alternative income for farmers and local employment opportunities, reduction of gender bias and accelerate growth rate by Chadda and Bhakare (2010) based on their research on Socio-Economic Implications of Agritourism in India Agritourism in Sri Lanka Evidence on only one study related to agritourism and rural development of Sri Lanka was found as a result of the vigorous literature search during the study. One study i s the research conducted by Senanayaka and Wimalaratna (2010) about agritourism and rural development in Sri Lanka. Special reference to Nuwara Eliya District. They have found that the economic problems as well as development potentials remain in areas side by side in the country. Only a small fraction of the vast rural agritourism resource base is being utilized by the industry now with little or no benefits to rural people. Dedicated research work on agritourism will promote the sector with the participation of policy makers, communities and private investors on a sustainable manner while trickling down a reasonable fraction of the benefits to the rural people. This would diversify their agricultural livelihoods and improve their income and living standards As per the literature review, agritourism in most of the countries has a short history and it is at the developing stage (Maumbe, 2012; Bernardo et al., 2007). Several countries have the research findings mainly based on preliminary research and pilot studies. Therefore, there definitely a need for future research to verify the preliminary findings of these researches especially in developing countries. Moreover, several researchers have shown that agritourism ha s lots of strengths and opportunities for the improvement of rural areas and rural development. However those researches have been conducted in specific condition which is unique to that particular country itself. Therefore, generalization of the findings to other countries is not so valid specially, for developing countries having lots of variations in geographical, political, economical and environmental conditions. Not only the differences among the developing countries, there are several regional level differences within a country. Furthermore, in a country, rural areas are different from each other. Thus, testing the level of contribution of the rural development at provincial level is the best way to identify the real potential of it. Since a very few number of research have been conducted at provincial level in developing countries, there is a need for lots of research of this kind. Even though in Sri Lanka there may be potential in this regard, no sufficient research have been conducted in this field. Therefore, this kind of research is highly important. Problem statement Sri Lanka is a developing country and there is a need to enhance the living condition of the people by developing the total economy of the country There is a gradual, but comparatively slow increase in GDP in the country for several years (Figure Figure 1.1: Improvement of the GDP from 2002 to 2012 Source: Central Bank of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka tourism has contributed to the growth of total economy for several years. However, due to existing civil war during 2008-2009, tourism being faced a declining trend. Alon g with ending the war in 2009, tourism industry restated to flourish and contribute for the significantly. As a result, by now it is one of the main contributors of the national income of the country and expects to have further growth in future. The total annual direct contribution of Travel and Tourism GDP in 2011 was LKR219.7 (3.4% GDP). This is future based forecast to rise by 5.6% to. This figure has primarily reflects the economic activity really generated through the industries such as hotels, restaurants, parks, travel agents, airl ines and other local and foreign tourist transportation services (excluding commuter services). The average gross direct contribution of travel and tourism is expected to grow by 5.7% per annum to of GDP) by 2022 Figure 1.2: Contribution of travel and tourism to GDP from Source: World Travel and Tourism council Moreover, travel tourism generated 236,500 jobs directly in 2011 (3.0% of total employment) and this is forecast to of total employment). This includes employment by hotels, tour operators travel agents, airlines, sea line and other passenger transportation and helping services (excluding supportive services). It includes, for example, the prent activities of the restaurant, hotels, villas, and leisure industries directly and highly supported by tourists. By tourism will account for 293,000 jobs directly, an increase of 2.2% per annum over the next ten years. Figure1.3: Travel and tourisms contribution to employment opportunities from 2011 Source: World Travel and Tourism council Rural sector performs a significant contribution for the national development in the country. About 70 percent of Sri Lankas population lives its rural areas. In rural areas, main sectors that are helping for rural development are agriculture, forestry, fisheries, mining, art and craft and rural tourism. Among these sectors, the most important one is agriculture. A large number of people in the rural sector engaged mainly agriculture and allied activities. Agriculture sector can generate regionally equitable economic growth, rural livelihood improvement, and food security through efficient production of commodities for consumption for agro-based industries. Since agriculture sector has multi-functionality, it can link with other sectors like tourism and form new opportunities for local and regional development. Considering the experience of other developing countries in Asia, it can be assumed that there will be a potential for agritourism for the rural development in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this study will answer the question does agritourism represent a significant and viable rural development tool in Sri Lanka. Objectives of the study The broad objective of this research is to explore the potential of agritourism for rural development in Sri Lanka with special reference to demand, supply and impacts of agritourism issues. Specific objectives of this research are To find out the current supply of agritourism in the To study the government policy interventions in tourism and agritourism sector of the country To identify and assess the visitors needs and satisfaction of and demand for agritourism of the country To find out the local residents attitude towards impacts of agritourism economic and contribution of agritourism for rural development and also To study the national and provincial level support to the development of agritourism as a sector of rural development To recommend ways and strategies to development of agritourism in Sri Lanka as a sector of rural development Conceptual Framework The aim of this research is to study the agritourism and its contribution for the rural development in the country. The main agritourism are agritourism providers, visitors, local residents and the government. Figure1.4 shows the relationship of the stake holder in agritourism and how agritourism links with rural development Agritourism providers supply the agritourism. They can be farmers, private sector companies or organizations. Agritourism supply can be conducted by adding tourism activities to the existing farm and arranging facilities for the visitors to come to the farm, see those activities and get knowledge about them, spend leisure time at the farm. In supply agritourism three things are important. Things to see (farm animals, fruits, vegetables, Herbal plants) activities to do (feeding animals, milking cows, harvesting crops, climbing trees, picking fruits, threshing paddy) farm products to buy (yogurts, curds, fruits, vegetable, jam jelly Visitors can be local or foreign people those who are ready to buy the agritourism services. They make demand for agritourism. They come to visit the farm to see things, get a rest, enjoy farm activities and sometimes study on farming, Farm stay for few days, visit surrounding villages, buy local art and craft items, see cultural shows perform by local people and pay for the farm goods and services they consumed. In this way agritourism provider can earn extra income and other returns from agritourism which is the main aim of providing agritourism. Improvement of the level of income and living standard of the agritourism providers (especially farmers) is the main aspects of agritourism business. Other important point regarding agritourism is the presence of other tourism attractions in the area. Other tourism attractions can act as a motivational factor for visiting agritourism operation. Moreover, proper government interference through correct rules and regulations are essential to operate the agritourism industry smoothly Also, on the way, visitors can buy local products of nearby local residents, can visit other interesting places in the village like religious places cultural sites, national parks, forests, waterfalls, traditional festivals, folk games. In this way, visitors can interact with local residents of the area. These interactions create economic, social-cultural and environmental that impacts for the rural development of the area. Furthermore local residents can sell their products and labour to agritourism operation and ear n some money. Enhancement of the level of income and living standard of local residents are the other aim of agritourism along the way to rural development. The other important factor is the government attitude towards agritourism and intervention to rural areas where agritourism operations are available. Especially provincial and local level governments have responsibility to enhance the condition of the area up to a good stand making it suitable for conducting tourism activities. So that, provision of infrastructure facilities such as road system, transport facilities, water, electricity telecommunication to the area have to be taken place. Not only that, banking facilities, safety and security, medical facilities for the area also needed to be provided. In this way, provisions of infrastructure facilities directly help for the rural develop of the area Figure 1.4 Conceptual Framework of the Scope and Limitations of the Study This study has covered important aspects such as the supply of agritourism (number of destinations, scale of operation, available facilities, number of visitors, length of stay etc). Demand for agritourism (demographic information of visitors, nature of their demand, visitors satisfaction towards agritourism, demand function) information of local residents (impacts of agritourism on them, their attitudes towards agritourism development) and policies related to agritourism development in the country. Agritourism is a business process. However, aspects like establishment, management development, improvement, marketing and promotion of the operations are beyond the scope of this study There were few limitations in this research. This is a small-scale research conducted at local level with four types of stakeholder; operators, visitor, local residents and government officials within only few districts without the whole country. In terms of operators, analysis like benefit cost ratio, IRR of agritourism etc., could not be done as they did not want to disclose financial information due to tax problems. With regard to agritourism visitor s, comparatively a low number of visitors were included in the study. The sample size resident is also comparatively low. The study was totally based on a cross sectional data, not the longitudinal data Organizing the Dissertation This dissertation consists of seven chapters. Chapter one presents the background of the study, problem statement, objectives, conceptual scope and limitations of the study. Chapter two explains about tourism and agritourism. Introduction to tourism, definitions, industry, initiation of and development of agritourism have been discussed. Chapter three is focused on rural development Introduction to rural development, definitions of rural development, relationship between rural development and agritourism, agritourism, activities involved in agritourism, history of agritourism have been explained in detail. Chapter four explains the methodology. Different research philosophies, approached, designs have been explained at the beginning. After that justification of research approaches and designs related to this study have been presented. Then, introduction to research study area and the research designs have been explained in detail. Chapter five discusses about Sri Lanka: tourism and development. Detail introduction to Sri Lanka in general and tourism in the country in particular have been presented. Furthermore, information about tourism policy and needs for agritourism policy in the country have been discussed at the end of the chapter. Chapter six devoted to present the research outcomes. Present situation of supply of agritourism in the country, different suppliers available facilities, agritourism activities, strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of agritourism have been discussed as the first section of this chapter. Then, profile of visitors and their satisfaction level towards available products and services are presented as the second section of this chapter. Thereafter, demand for agritourism, visitors awareness, desire on agritourism and factors affecting the demand have discussed as the third section. Furthermore, evaluation of the perception of local residents towards different impa cts of agritourism in country has been done as the forth section and finally, government officials attitude towards impact of agritourism for the rural development in the country and national and provincial level support to the development of agritourism as a sector o f rural development have been explained in detail. Chapter seven is the last chapter. At the beginning of the chapter conclusions of the study have been presented and it is followed by the recommendations of the study.

Art Movements Essay examples -- Artistics Artists History Art Essays

Cubism was one of the strongest art movements in the 20th century that gave birth to many other movements such as futurism and suprematism. The Forefathers of this revolutionary way of painting were Pablo Picasso and George Braque. Although it may have seemed to be abstract and geometrical to an untrained eye, cubist art do depict real objects. The shapes are flattened onto canvas so that different sides of each shape can be shown simultaneously from many angles. This new style gave a 3 dimensional look on the canvas. The cubist movement gave rise to an extraordinary reassessment of the interaction between form and space changing the course of western art forever. The groundbreaking Demoiselles d’Avignon was controversial not only for the way the women looked but also for the positions of the women. Although Picasso did not emphasize on detail, he â€Å"saw that the rational, often geometric breakdown if the human head and body employed by so many African artists could provide him with the starting point for his own re-appraisal of his subjects†(Cubism 53). â€Å"The naked women become inextricably bound up in a flux of shapes or planes which tip backwards and forwards from the two-dimensional surface to produce much the same sensation as an elaborate sculpture†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Cubism 54). Futurism was an art movement, which was influenced by cubist art. Cubism showed no motion it was futurism that was fascinated with machinery, transport and communications. In paintings and sculpture,... Art Movements Essay examples -- Artistics Artists History Art Essays Cubism was one of the strongest art movements in the 20th century that gave birth to many other movements such as futurism and suprematism. The Forefathers of this revolutionary way of painting were Pablo Picasso and George Braque. Although it may have seemed to be abstract and geometrical to an untrained eye, cubist art do depict real objects. The shapes are flattened onto canvas so that different sides of each shape can be shown simultaneously from many angles. This new style gave a 3 dimensional look on the canvas. The cubist movement gave rise to an extraordinary reassessment of the interaction between form and space changing the course of western art forever. The groundbreaking Demoiselles d’Avignon was controversial not only for the way the women looked but also for the positions of the women. Although Picasso did not emphasize on detail, he â€Å"saw that the rational, often geometric breakdown if the human head and body employed by so many African artists could provide him with the starting point for his own re-appraisal of his subjects†(Cubism 53). â€Å"The naked women become inextricably bound up in a flux of shapes or planes which tip backwards and forwards from the two-dimensional surface to produce much the same sensation as an elaborate sculpture†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Cubism 54). Futurism was an art movement, which was influenced by cubist art. Cubism showed no motion it was futurism that was fascinated with machinery, transport and communications. In paintings and sculpture,...

Psychiatry as a Career Essay -- Psychiatrist Psychology

The study of the mind, psychiatry, has in the last few years struck an interest within me. I wonder why we react differently when we face the same obstacles. For example, families with several children, raised by the same parents and in the same environment, yet turn out to be completely different individuals, sometimes very disturbed. The how, why and where of it all interests me. My immediate goal is to get my diploma and find out who I really am and what my soul desire truly is. I realize I have a deep desire to be of service to others. This is not a skill however, it's just me. I do feel one of my strongest skills is my artistic ability. I have a taste for and enjoy a diverse selection of movies, music, and reading material. I enjoy studying photography, biology, along with human behavior. Psychiatrists treat patients who have mental illnesses and help diagnose them. They strive to find solutions for their patient's mental disorders. It can and usually does, involve counseling for the patient and sometimes their family as well. Medication can be prescribed to help with chemical imbalances, some of these are caused by their emotional problems. Sometimes even shock therapy is given. It can be a take home job much of the time. Psychiatrists do a lot of side work and research to expand their knowledge. Most keep updated on the latest data and new medications available. Sometimes psychiatrists deal with life or death situations and they need to know exactly how to react. This occupation requires an extensive amount of thinking and the ability to figure out problems. It is important to be able to focus, listen and process information. They have to be able to give positive feedback and come to a decision on how to treat each patien... ...metimes even death. The world today is sue happy, so if something goes wrong they are usually blamed. This career involves many years of education, which could be very costly. I am very interested in mental health and the care and well being of .individuals that need this assistance. I see a great need for those who are capable of helping troubled souls... Many of our disturbed youth are especially in need of some sort of mental assistance. I believe this field is wide open with possibilities. I know there is a growing need to have more compassionate, skilled, well trained, highly educated, individuals, in this field However, I now realize also, after my research, which becoming a psychiatrist is a very difficult career choice. Although, I still wish to have some sort of career in the mental health field, it may be this career choice is a bit much for me, I wonder?

Civilizations

Renaissance is a word which means â€Å"rebirth† in French. In Italian, it means â€Å"Rinascimento†. Renaissance is a cultural revolution in Europe, particularly in Italy which occurred during the latter part of the Middle Ages from 14th century to 17th century. It is the period when great developments and progress in arts and science occurred. It is believed that Renaissance flourished because of the so-called â€Å"Black Death†. People shift their ideas from spiritual life to their lives spent here on Earth. Florence gave way to the birth of renaissance. It is where great men of arts like Da Vinci, Michelangelo and even Boticelli spawned. Renaissance introduced concepts of sciences and arts which until today last. Humanism which is a process of learning was used by renaissance scholars. This method study original texts and review it using reasoning as well as empirical evidences. In arts, artists develop very sensible linear perspective. Painters also considered study of lighting, silhouette and anatomy to improve their works. Architects of renaissance combined mathematics with architecture. Classical style flourished. Dome shaped infrastructures, which seemed impossible to do was achieved. Science experienced â€Å"scientific revolution† in which the scientific method, which is based on empirical evidences, was introduced. This gave rise to development in different branches of science. During renaissance, people have changed the way they see God and man. It results to debates which questioned the Christianity. Aztecs and Incas Aztec was a Mesoamerican empire which exists from 14th to 16th century. Aztecs have rich culture and traditions. Aztecs have human sacrifices to their gods, thus, wars continued in order to have human sacrifices. Army men do not kill their enemies; instead they held them as captives which will be their human sacrifices. When there are no wars, warriors participate into gladiatorial battle. In terms of agriculture, Aztecs are famous for their Hanging Garden. They were very much into gardening. In politics, the king of every city is an appointed judge. The magistrates were elected. People who committed huge crimes will be sacrificed while those who committed lesser crimes will become slaves. On the other hand, the Inca Empire employs strict administration of bureaucracy. The emperor marries her sister to maintain the lineage pure. This civilization also believes in human sacrifices. But it is not always the case, because sometimes they sacrifice animals instead of humans. Other royalties hold administrative designations. Military activities are not common, only in times of troubles like wars and rebellions. There are no records of agricultural activities during the Inca Empire (Tankard, 2006). Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates Abbasids were able to solidify and unify Islamic leadership. On the other hand, Umayyad had the biggest unitary state during their rule.   They are Sunni Muslims. Abbasid were from the youngest uncle of Muhammad in contrast with the Umayyad were descendants of Umayya who is from another clan. Conflict rise between the two because Abbasid caliphate they are the true descendant of Muhammad. The Umayyad military was used mainly for the expansion of their religious territory while the Abbasid army called the Mameluk was established to prevent the collapse of their rule. In terms of politics, the Abbasid caliph rule with coordination from non-Arab Muslims which contributed to the unification of Islam during their rule. Umayyad was believed to shift from a religious institution to a dynastic body. Tropical People The factors which caused social and cultural changes in the lives of tropical people are architecture, religion, gender and learning. Expansion of Islam results to new architectural styles. Style from the Middle East and locality are fused. In learning, Islam made people from Africa use Arabic. Spread of Islam also introduced the study of Islamic Laws and knowledge about science, mathematics including medicine. Social change occurred when discrepancy between the elites and the poor increased. In Africa and India, slavery became common. Slaves are tasked to do tedious works like mining, while women slaves are asked to do household chores, they also served as entertainers. Women in the tropics were trained to do house chores which includes child rearing, cooking and some farm works. Records do not have clear accounts on the implication of Islamic rule to women in the tropics, but it is known that in some places, women did not practice veiling and seclusion. REFERENCES: Renaissance. Retrieved April 29, 2007 . Tankard, Keith. (2006). â€Å"Aztec and Inca Empire†. Retrieved April 29, 2007 from http://www.knowledge4africa.co.za/worldhistory/inca13.htm