Random Walks for P2P Resource Discovery in Grids

Random Walks for P2P Resource Discovery in Grids Abstraction: Peer-to-peer ( P2P ) resource locale methods in grid agreements have been soon investigated to achieve scalability, dependability, efficiency, fault-tolerance, protection, and hardiness. Query declaration for detecting resources and advise informations on their ain resource rank in these agreements can be inattentive as the reverse of allowing one equal to achieve a unconditioned think of Earth informations described on all equals of a P2P unstructured web. In this paper, the agreement is embodied as a set of nodes related to organize a P2P web whereas every individual node holds a piece of informations that is needed to be communicated to all the participants. Furthermore, we accept that the informations can vibrantly alter and that every individual equal sporadically needs to admission the benefits of the informations of all auxiliary equals. A fresh manner established on a changeless flow of use packages exchanged amid the nodes using the random amble rule and rateless cryptograph y is proposed. An advanced rateless decrypting mechanism that is able to get by aboard asynchronous informations updates is to boot proposed. The presentation of the counseled agreement is assessed both analytically and by experimentation by simulation. The analytical wake show that the counseled scheme warrants speedy diffusion of the informations and graduated tables good to colossal webs. Simulations display that the method is competent to boot in attending of web and information kineticss.debutPEER-TO-PEER ( P2P ) resource locale methods in grid agreements have been investigated to achieve scalability, dependability, efficiency, fault-tolerance, protection, and robustness.To this conclude, structured, unstructured, and intercrossed P2P agreements have been believed and the comparative virtues and drawbacks have been highlighted [ 1 ] , [ 2 ] . Countless propositions working unstructured P2P agreements apportion a public feature: Grid nodes inside one official country sporadicall y query for detecting resources and advise informations on their ain resource rank across one or excess interface equals. The interface equals ( normally those alongside the biggest capacity ) frolic two chief functions: they are related to auxiliary interface peersforming a P2P unstructured web that is utilised to onward ( and reply to ) questions on the behalf of nodes in its official sphere. They amass and uphold informations of all nodes in the innate functionary domain.Query declaration in these agreements can be inattentive as the reverse of allowing one equal to achieve a unconditioned think of Earth informations described on all equals of a P2P unstructured web. In peculiar, we accept that every individual equal holds a piece of informations ( the sum resource ranks of all nodes in its official sphere ) and that each equal needs to admission the benefits of the informations of all auxiliary equals sporadically at rate _ queries=sec. The purposes to be attained are treble: ea rly, one wants to assure that every individual node is likely to accumulate the finished Earth informations in a timely manner. Furthermore, the contact operating expense have to be retained every bit manipulated as likely to besiege cloging the web. Finally, the processing use of every individual node have to be utilised parsimoniously.Related work:The reverse of informations meeting in distributed agreements has been confronted aboard infinite disparate instruments and approaches.A early category of methods are those established on probabilistic gossipmongering [ 3 ] , [ 4 ] . Probabilistic gossipmongering has been utilized both to calculate a intent of the Earth informations, e.g. , norms, and to truly range innate informations across a web as in our scenes even though such methods rely on a set of premises that are tough to assure in exercising [ 5 ] . Noteworthy enterprises to beat a small of these restrictions in the span of epidemic airing are [ 6 ] , [ 7 ] that effect in clo se to optimal latency-bandwidth trade-of. In peculiar, [ 6 ] utilizations flow use on the maximal rate at that a member can show updates missing crafting a backlog and devises content rapprochement mechanisms to cut memo redundancy. In [ 7 ] , [ 8 ] , [ 9 ] , [ 10 ] exploitation/ execution of topological belongingss of the web are counseled to heighten the presentation of the informations airing procedure. Algebraic Gossip, counseled in, is the early algorithm turn toing informations meeting alongside web cryptography. In this paper a chitchat algorithm established on NC is gave, and it is proved that the spreading period of this algorithm is O?K? , whereK & A ; lt ; Nis the figure of nodes possessing a small information to distribute. This algorithm is highly comparable to classical North carolina: at every individual transmittal chance, every individual node sends to one more node a additive combination, computed in Galois Earth GF?q? alongside q _ K, of the beforehand consented packages. However, NC exhibits a elevated computational elaborateness [ 12 ] , due to the monetary value of the cryptography and decryption processs gave in high-order GF. Furthermore, every individual package demands cushioning of auxiliary Klog2?q? & A ; gt ; Klog2?K? spots. Such embroidering bends to be impossible for colossal webs ; as an illustration, if K ? 1 ; 000 every individual package needs excess than 104 embroidering spots. Finally, the writers advocate that the memo size m ought to scale alongside the size of the web, as it is needed that m _ log?q? . A disparate manner is to hive away and craft packages using rateless codifications. In [ 13 ] distributed fountain codifications are counseled for networked storage. To craft a new encoded package, every individual storage node asks informations to a indiscriminately selected node of the web. The receiving system replies to the company despatching its informations, that will be utilized by the company to encode a new package. A comparable algorithm is counseled in [ 14 ] , whereas the coded package formation mechanism is reversed ; in this instance, the nodes that shops the informations despatch random Walkers embracing the information. The storage nodes store this information and trade encoded packages XORing a small of the informations they by now received. At the conclude of the process, every individual storage node shops an encoded package, and it is likely to repossess the early informations questioning each K ? _ indiscriminately selected storage nodes. Development codifications, counseled in [ 15 ] , utilize a comparable method but advocate a peculiar grade allotment for the rateless codifications to maximise the informations continuity in attending of a lone i nformation aggregator node. In all the beforehand gave documents, the construct of the codifications is node-centric, i.e. , the nodes cope alongside the informations meeting and the encoding operations this duty is allocated to the packages. The mark of this work is to utilize peculiar random Walkers, shouted as rateless packages, for distributed storage of informations in WSN. Every individual node creates a precise figure of ratelesspackets, that are chiefly empty packages that excursion across the web as random Walkers. The purpose in [ 16 ] is to utilize packages encoded in a distributed manner that will be stored at random locations in the web to maximise informations continuity in the WSN. Every individual rateless package is associated alongside a grade selected prosecuting the mean Luby Change ( LT ) grade allotment, and T, the blending period of the graph, is conjectural to be known. Every individual rateless package performs a random amble across the web and a fresh information is joined simply after every individual T hops ; after a new information is added the package grade is decreased by one. After the grade becomes zero, the rateless package performs t auxiliary hops to hit the node that will hive away it. Though, the focal point of the paper is to lift informations continuity ; the period needed for the allotment of the rateless packages is non studied.PROPOSED WorkIn this paper we ideal the interface equals of a Grid agreement and the connexions amid them as a graph G?V ; E? , whereas V and E are the set of interface equals and boundary lines associating them, severally. Every individual node of the web is exceptionally recognized by an identifier ID. The ID can be allocated by a fixed rendezvous node, e.g. , a tracker, or can be embodied by the IP, haven reference of the node. Every individual node vj 2 V owns an m-bits informations ten tjvj, whereas tj is a time-stamp or an whole number that is incremented every individual period the informations in vj alterations. To clarify the notation in the remainder of the paper we accept that vj coincides alongside the ID of node ; tj is usually denoted to as the creative activity figure. In our scenes a node can advise its informations asynchronously alongside regard to the remainder of the web, lifting the creative activity associated alongside the information. The purpose of nodes is to discourse aboard one one more the corresponding informations, so as to grok a coincident screening of all the informations amassed by all the nodes in the web. This have to be completed indefinitely often at an arbitrary rate _ by every individual node. This observation Torahs out each centralised declaration whereas all nodes study to a public monitoring node, that in spiral have to propagate the amassed informations to all the participants. This manner is clearly impossible because it imposes a immense figure of traffic to and from the monitoring node, non to note the topics connected to the ballot and exposure of a centralised sink Therefore, in this paper we advocate a to the full distributed declaration established on random walks. Every individual node is allowed to onset a manipulated figure tungsten of packages that are the random Walkers propagating the information in the web. The parametric quantity w clearly permits one to manipulation the figure of traffic inoculated in the web. On every individual response by a node, the package is forwarded to a random familiarity hence groking a easy signifier of probabilistic gossipmongering. It is good recognized that web coding declarations, e.g. , hold oning additive combinations of the amassed information, increases the presentation in words of throughput, hardiness and continuity. On the auxiliary manus, coding ways display two chief defects. The early and most erudite topic is embodied by the added computational complexness. A likely declaration that has by now been counseled in the plants is to clarify the early random web coding manner, that needs one to fa ll in the information blocks in elevated order Galois Field, alongside agreements established on easy binary combinations, e.g. , XOR. Our work headers alongside the elaborateness capable using a easy category of rateless codifications, recognized as Luby Change codes [ 19 ] . The subsequent most relevant defect of NC is embodied the unlikeliness for a node to advise asynchronously the informations it merges missing calamitously impacting on the decryption accomplishment of all the auxiliary nodes. Indeed, the nodes retain roll uping additive combinations of a set of terra incognitas till they prosperously invert the corresponding agreement of equations. Clearly, the agreement of additive equations is meaningful if one keeps fall ining the similar information. On the contrary, in this paper we advocate a fresh decryption manner for LT codifications that is resilient to asynchronous accommodations of the information. In decision, we allow every individual node propagate a fixed figur e of packages hold oning coded informations of the nodes that the packages have hit giving a random amble aboard G?V ; E? . All the nodes use the consented packages to decide a agreement of additive equations allowing them to repossess the informations associated alongside all the informations collected by the web in a timely, finished and robust way.In the prosecuting the characteristics of the counseled random amble coding scheme and the design of the fresh LT decryption algorithm are presented. This estimate might be computed by the nodes spoting the IDs of the nodes encompassed in the beforehand consented equations. To get by alongside the construct of the equation harmonizing to the RSD, every individual package carries in the heading part the indicating of the grade dF that have to be attained by the equation below formation in the package ( that in our scenes is the early equation composed in the package organic structure signifier left to compensate ) . After a node vj at creative activity tj receives a package, it checks if the grade of the early equation stored in the package has grasped the demanded grade. If dF & A ; gt ; d1, and therefore the mark grade has non been grasped yet, the node performs three operations: it XORs its informations to the word c1, i.e. , c1 ? c1 _ Next the degree d1 of the equation is incremented and the corresponding Earth in the package updated. Finally, the node vj and the information timestamp tj are appended to the equation. On the auxiliary manus, if dF ? d1, the early equation has by now attained the demanded grade, therefore a new equation is crafted and stored as the new early equation, as the auxiliary equations are advanced, for example, eqi becomes eqi?1 for I ? 1. . . k. To craft a new equation eq1 a node draws a random grade from RSD and shops it in the dF Earth of the package heading. Following d1 ? 1 is set, its vj, its existent timestamp tj and informations c1 ? x tj vj are composed in the proper Fieldss. Every individual package crafted or notified by a node is following forwarded to one more node, indiscriminately selected amid the innate neighbours. The figure of hops globally seized by a package is non manipulated in our system. The merely restriction is embodied by the maximal package size DIM, that is normally imposed by the maximal transportation component allowed by the implicit in contact cognition at the physical bed. After a package ways the maximal dimension DIM, the eldest equation grasped by it is deleted as it is highly likely to keep aged or by now recognized information. 3.1Random Walk LT Coding In instance of a vivacious web, whereas nodes can randomly nexus and go the graph G?V ; E? and/or in attending of undependable links that coil into package lickings, a mechanism to admit the attending of a given package in the web have to be devised. As an illustration, an acknowledgement timer ( a Time-to-Live field ) and the reference of the conceiver can be added to the message. As usual, The acknowledgement timer Earth is initialized to a steady worth on the package construct, following every individual node decreases it on every individual hop. After the acknowledgement timer reaches 0 the consenting node acknowledges the conceiver that its random Walker is yet alive. The accepting node to boot resets the acknowledgement timer to the early value. The conceiver of the package uses a timer to detect package losingss ; after a timer expires beforehand the response of the corresponding recognition memo the node is allowed to renew the package. 3.2 ASYNCHRONOUS LT Decoding: The information scope by the random Walkers can be recouped by each node in the web every bit rapidly as the figure of equations needed to show an LT decryption algorithm has been collected. As our purpose is to retrace the information every bit fleetly as likely, all the equations grasped by every individual package, embracing the 1s that are yet in advancement, are buffered by every individual node. If we accept that the figure of nodes jV J in the web is equal to N, the decipherer undertaking can be formulated as the declaration of the agreement of additive equations Gx ? c whereas G is an N _ N binary1 matrix whose lines embody the N likely independent equations amassed by the node, x and degree Celsiuss are N _ 1 column vectors stand foring the N unfamiliar pieces of informations and the corresponding buffered additive combinations grasped by the packages warheads. Both x and hundred encompass m-bit elements. The node can reimburse all the informations x using a progressive sign ifier of Gaussian Elimination to decide the system. Clearly, this will necessitate all the nodes in the web to retain their informations sweetheart to besiege unhinging the declaration of the system.Consequences and executionIn this helping we furnish anscutiny of the period needed to run all the innate informations to all the members in the web, that in the pursuing is described as recovery clip. In peculiar, we are interested in patterning the recovery period as a intent of the size of the innate informations m, the figure of random Walkers generated each node tungsten and figure of nodes in the web N, given the restraint on the maximal size of the random amble packages DIM. Furthermore, the counseled analytical ideal licenses to difference the coded manner versus an correspondent agreement missing cryptography, i.e. , after the information is gossiped explicitly. In fact, the counseled manner degenerates into an uncoded agreement if one Decision:In this paper we have shown that the present progresss in rateless cryptography and decryption can be lucratively exploited to carry through a robust and timely P2P resource venue method in Grid systems. The chief freshness of the counseled manner lies in the usage of web coding rules in a scenario whereas innate informations can be notified asynchronously. Furthermore, as challenged to a small signifiers of distributed storage counseled in the plants, our proposition realizes a changeless notify of the Earth informations across the finished distributed agreement, as maintaining the figure of traffic below control. From the algorithmic point of think, the chief part is embodied by the design of a fresh decipherer for rateless codifications that is robust to asynchronous updates of the information. One more interesting effect that we attained is the advancement of a easy analytical ideal for the appraisal of the period needed to run the information as a intent of the web and information sizes, given a restraint on the MTU allowed by the gettable transmittal protocol. Such a ideal can be exploited for the appraisal of the presentation and for the choice of a small critical parametric quantities of the system. The analytical wake show that the counseled coded manner reduces the period needed to discourse all the informations aboard respect to an correspondent system missing coding. Furthermore we clarify that such addition additions alongside the size of the informations to be scope, or analogously after the MTU shall be highly limited. One more paramount effect is that the encoded agreement graduated tables larger than the uncoded 1 after the figure of nodes in the distributed agreement additions. RoentgenEFERENCES [ 1 ] P. Trunfio, D. Talia, H. Papadakis, P. Fragopoulou, M. Mordacchini, M. Pennanen, K. Popov, V. Vlassov, and S. Haridi, â€Å"Peer-to-Peer Resource Discovery in Grids: Models and Systems, † Future Generation Computer Systems, vol. 23, no. 7, pp. 864-878, 2007. [ 2 ] V. Vijayakumar, R.S. WahidaBanu, and J.H. Abawajy, â€Å"An Efficient Approach Based on Trust and Reputation for Secured Selection of Grid Resources, † Int’l J. Parallel, Emergent and Distributed Systems, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 1-17, 2012. [ 3 ] A. Kermarrec, L. Massouli_e, and A. Ganesh, â€Å"Probabilistic Reliable Dissemination in Large-scale Systems, † IEEE Trans. Parallel and Distributed Systems, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 248-258, Mar. 2003. [ 4 ] M. Jelasity, A. Montresor, and O. Babaoglu, â€Å"Gossip-Based Aggregation in Large Dynamic Networks, † ACM Trans. Computer Systems, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 219-252, Aug. 2005. [ 5 ] L. Alvisi, et al. , â€Å"How Robust are Gossip-Based Communication Protocols? †Operating Systems Rev. , vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 14-18, Oct. 2007. [ 6 ] R. new wave Renesse, D. Dumitriu, V. Gough, and C. Thomas, â€Å"Efficient Reconciliation and Flow Control for Anti-Entropy Protocols, † Proc. Second Workshop Large-Scale Distributed Systems and Middleware ( LADIS ’08 ) , 2008. [ 7 ] N. Carvalho, J. Pereira, R. Oliveira, and L. Rodrigues, â€Å"Emergent Structure in Unstructured Epidemic Multicast, † Proc. 37th Ann. IEEE/IFIP Int’l Conf. Reliable Systems and Networks ( DSN ’07 ) , pp. 481-490, 2007. [ 8 ] J. Leitao, J. Pereira, and L. Rodrigues, â€Å"Hyparview: A Membership Protocol for Reliable Gossip-Based Broadcast, † Proc. 37th Ann. IEEE/IFIP Int’l Conf. Reliable Systems and Networks ( DSN ’07 ) , pp. 419-429, 2007.

Predominance of Goddesses in Minoan Religion Essay

The most obvious thing present in Minoan religion is its polytheistic and matriarchal features, thus it is always referred to as a goddess religion, wherein all deities are female and there had been no male divinity detected until later times. Added to that is the fact that male deities are uncommon and they are usually embodied on a lesser level in contrast to female deities. The predominance of goddesses in the Minoan religion is very apparent in its cults. The proof to this claim is that the majority of mainland palaces shows paintings of parades wherein the people give offerings to their goddesses. Clay statues of female deities were also located in Crete. The predominance of female gods is also indicated by the central task occupied by priestesses in religious rites and the attendance of women in ceremonies’ environment. The number of women also exceeded that of priests and male assistants, and this could be seen in the paintings on the Aghia Triadha Sarcophagus which would be further discussed later on this paper along with other evidences found which points to the predominance of goddesses in the said religion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Minoans worships female gods, and even though there are several proof of male deities, portrayals of Minoan goddesses greatly outnumber representations of something which could be judged as a Minoan male deity. Whereas some of these portrayals of women are considered to be representations of worshippers and female priests overseeing religious rituals, as opposed to the goddess herself, there still appear to be numerous female deities such as Mother Goddess of fertility, and so on (Hooker, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since ruins and remnants were the only thing left for us in understanding Minoan culture, one could only hypothesize and predict what the Minoans religious culture and practices had been. The Minoans left only some articles and pieces of their relics which only suggests at a prosperous and complicated religious practices and figurative method behind their cracked exteriors. As already mentioned earlier, the most evident attribute of this particular religion is that it is polytheistic and matriarchal in nature. Most of the Minoans gods are female and it was only after so many years that male gods had been identified and even then they hold inferior position in contrast to female gods. A majority of religious and cultural scholars now accept as true that almost every religion started out with a matriarchal characteristics and it was only after so many years that they decided to change this matriarchal existence into a patriarchal one. The sudden change from a matriarchal kind of religion into a patriarchal one is still a cause of great controversy up to this point in time. However, the espousal of an inactive way of life due to agriculture may have basically reoriented society in the direction of a patriarchal model of organization and the ensuing rethinking of religion comprised by female gods.   What is for sure is that urbanization radically hastened gender inequality as the lives of mankind unexpectedly took up a double magnitude, that of the public and the private life. The control of public life which is comprised of supervision, regulation, and military groups made up by the men definitely shaped a reorientation of religious principles. However, the Cretans apparently did not change their matriarchal way of life and religion into a patriarchal one. Up to this point in time, the heritage of the female oriented religion is still present in their lives. This is evident through the fact that in Crete men and women alike vow through the name of Virgin Mary. In Crete, the epithet Panagia is as popular as ever (Hooker, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ruler of the Minoan pantheon appears to have been omnipotent goddesses who governs and oversees everything in the world. This god is a mother deity, the label having come from her supposedly motherly attitude towards everything and everyone here on Earth. The relationship of a mother to a child is believed to be completely different from that of a father to his children. One may find this particular claim hard to understand however, such would not be the case if one thinks back and reflect that almost everyone holds the saying that â€Å"there is no greater love than that of a mother to a child† to be true, and even Sigmund Freud suggests the same notion on one of his works, â€Å"Moses and Monotheism†. According to him, the relationship between a mother and child is apparently more real than that of a child with his father especially if one would consider the fact that each and every one of us came from our mother’s womb. Although a relationship with a father is also a biological one, such is different and could only be supposed since the child did not come from the father, rather, as mentioned earlier, we all came from our mother’s womb. From here, one could deduct that one of the fundamental aspects of a matriarchal religion is a closer affiliation or connection, like kinship and the like to their goddesses. Religions dominated by male figures on the other hand, is liable to emphasize distance. However, all of these are mere suppositions and intelligent guesses from great thinkers, considering the fact that very little information regarding goddess religion were actually handed down to us.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is basically owing to this reason that it is hard to weigh the nature of the mother-goddess of Minoans. There are several demonstrations of goddesses, which directs to the assumption that the Minoans were polytheistic. However there are also assertions that the many representations of female goddesses were nothing but just numerous manifestations of a single goddess.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are numerous goddesses which could be differentiated from one another in spite of the claims for a monotheistic religion. There is The Lady of the Beasts   or what others call the Huntress, this particular deity is epitomized as one which conquers and is efficient in mastering beasts or animals. In a later embodiment, Huntress became the Mountain Mother and was illustrated to be standing on a mountain and evidently defending the animals as well as the natural world. Snake Goddess, on the other hand is probably the most popular goddess of the Minoan religion. She has snakes interlinked on her body and since her sculptures are found only on houses or small shrines in palaces, there are suppositions that the Snake Goddess is some kind of a domestic deity. However, the household goddess also appears in the form of a tiny bird, this is assumed since there are several shrines which are leaning around a dove-like form. Majority of scholars thinks that major goddesses of Greek religion such as Hera, Artemis, and the like originated from Minoan goddesses (Marinatos, 1993).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The world for the Cretans appears to be saturated with divinity, every object in the universe were all full of religious significance. This is evident on their worship of trees, pillars, and so on, the priesthood as it appears, is dominated by women, although there are minute proofs that palace kings also serves religious purposes (Marinatos, 1993).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are also proofs that the Minoans religion also holds belief on demons, which are constantly depicted as doing certain religious rites and the like, so their precise nature is hard to judge. They are also portrayed in human forms, with the hands and feet of a lion, and while they are definitely hideous, they could still be, considered as representations of religious worships.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, as mentioned earlier, urbanization radically modifies social relations. Instead of genuine, natural, relationships founded on kinship and empathy, urbanized cultures managed themselves around more theoretical, less durable, and intrinsically uneven lines. For instance, urbanized society revolves around class or economic function instead of kinship, economic function creates a sort of social discrimination, as officials, priests, and so on comes to dwell in more significant roles than other people. /urbanization also creates a rip in human experience in that life is separated into public and private areas. Men were the ones who dominate public fields (Trustees of Dartmouth College, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Crete, on the other hand avoided this sudden shift from matriarchal rule into a patriarchal one. Crete appears to be a society with no or very little class prejudices. Archaeological proofs imply that women did not stop from playing significant role in their society, especially on the public spheres. Women there operated as priests, as functionaries as well as officials, they also joined in the same sports male joins in. This is greatly admirable considering the fact that sports in Crete were extremely fierce and risky. Bull-jumping for one is a sport wherein those who are weak at heart could not possibly hope to join into. All the demonstrations of the said sports points out that even a woman join in this dangerous activity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It also appears that females partake in every profession and employment accessible for the male of the specie. The speedy increase of commerce in Crete includes accomplished craftswomen and entrepreneurs, and even the great, system of government and priesthood is full of women. In spite of the fact that the palace kings are male, the society itself could not be considered a patriarchal one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In fact proofs which came from Cretan settlements proved that Cretan society and religion is a matrilineal one. This is evident in the fact that kinship ancestry was reckoned through the mother’s lineage. Although there is no way to be certain that the Crete society is indeed matrilineal one could not deny that it is a possible conclusion especially since their religion is goddess-based.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Places of worship could also be one determinant that the religion of Minoans is goddess based. Many caves located in Crete showed a great deal of information regarding the Minoan religion. Caves were 1st utilized in Crete as abodes or some kind of living areas in the Neolithic period. By the end of the Neolithic era, caves started to be used at length, as burial grounds, and this kind of custom carried on all throughout the Early Minoan age. Caves were also viewed as cult places in the Middle Minoan era, where they hold their worship to their deities. The predominance of female goddesses in Minoan religion is supported by the presence of these caves wherein the deities they revere there all proved to be females.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most prominent cult caves is the Cave of Eilethyia which could be located near Amnisos and whose name is linked to the goddess Eileithyia. The basis for this particular connection could be found in Homer’s Odyssey. Close to the center of the cave, one could find a cylindrical stalagmite and contained in the area and in front of the stalagmite is something which looks like a square stone, which some believes to be an altar.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The presence of domestic shrines also points out to the matriarchal facet of the Minoan religion. The shrine at Myrthos is supposedly the place where the goddess Myrtos was found. This particular shrine could be dated back at the early Prepalatial period and it was known to endure all throughout Minoan prehistory. Four of the best well-known Minoan havens could also attest to the domineering feature of the said religion (Moss, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Shrine of the Double Axes at Knossos is a small shrine which was deserted along with its religious furnishings in situ and is therefore very precious in terms of understanding the Minoan religion. The room’s ground region is separated into different levels. A number of big vases could be located in the front area, in the middle region a stand table of offerings is entrenched in the bottom, and on each side of the table groups of tiny jugs and cups could be seen. At the back of the room, one could see an elevated bench wherein two set stuccoes clay could be located. It is where one the horns of consecration are placed, and in each container, between the horns of consecration is a circular hole. This hole is supposedly used to hold a double axe. Amidst the two pairs of horns, they located a figurine of a woman which is shaped like a bell. There were also found a slighter statue of a woman. They also found a sculpture of a man holding out a dove as well as two other figurines of women (one of which have a bird atop its head). The last is frequently believed to be a goddess while the other statuettes are categorized as votaries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Town Shrine at Gournia is a post-palatial bench asylum situated close to the utmost point of the neighborhood. This tiny shrine does not belong to a palace or to any huge structure in particular. Rather, the shrine is an independent architectural division close to a cobbled road. When the shrine was unearthed they saw that it is in a noticeable poor state of conservation. However, its floor is full of a huge quantity of cult belongings, some of which are similar to those of the Shrine of the Double Axes. The absence of associated pottery made it had to date the shrine; however, it is possible that it was last put into use in the LM IIIB era. A low bench is situated in the southern partition. The northeast corner, on the other hand, showed a public stand table of offerings about which were to be found four snake-tubes, the bottom of a 5th snake-tube hidden on the stand table of offerings   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ayia Triadha Sarcophagus is also one of the great sources of evidence if one wants to prove that Minoan religion is basically goddess-based. The said sarcophagus was discovered in a pillaged tomb in early fourteenth century B.C. It is located in Ayia Triadha, thus the name Ayia Triadha Sarcophagus. The front side of the sarcophagus depicted goddesses which were represented by the double axes, there are also birds located atop the axes which is believed to symbolize the arrival of a goddess. In the West end of the sarcophagus is an incomplete male processional scenario, it also shows a chariot pulled by two Agrimia, and the chariot also carries two women. Agrimia is believed to have religious implications in Minoan art. It is also probable that the two women on the chariot are goddesses. At the back side of the sarcophagus is a shrine with a tree in the middle. To the left of the said shrine is an altar, a woman stands in front of the altar and behind the woman is a sacrificial table where a bull is secured which indicates that it is to be sacrificed. The woman standing have her hands held high while at the other side of the scene one could see a parade of women with their palms down which signifies that the sacrifice is meant for the earth or to an underworld character which in turn, implies the possibility that the sacrifice is meant for a funeral of some sort. At the East Side of the sarcophagus are two females riding a chariot which is pulled by two winged griffins, and over them there is a flying bird. The two women are viewed as goddesses, which are implied by the mystical appearance of the griffins. These figures are also viewed to be guides for those who are heading towards the underworld (Minoan, 1988).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As could be seen, huge quantity of evidences points out that the Minoan religion is indeed dominated by females. It is also mainly because of this particular observation, which were derived mainly from archaeological relics, that it is conclude that the society of Crete is also matriarchal in nature. The presence of numerous goddesses depicted through relics such as paintings, vases, and place of worships and so on all points out that the religion of Minoans were indeed polytheistic and goddess-based in nature. Works Cited Hooker, R. (1999) â€Å"Minoan Religion.† Marinatos, N. (1993). Minoan religion: ritual, image, and symbol University of South Carolina Press. Moss, M. L. (2005). The Minoan Pantheon: towards an understanding of its nature and extent   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John and Erica Hedges Ltd. Trustees of Dartmouth College (2000) â€Å"Minoan Religion.† Warren, P. (1988) Minoan religion as ritual action Gothenburg: P. Astroms.      

Banking Union in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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What do you perceive to be the main benefits and criticisms of RCT Essay

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Knowlegde Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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American History X Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American History X - Research Paper Example While in prison, Derek decides to take a new turn after a visit by his former Black English teacher Dr Sweeney. A brutal rape by Aryan Brotherhood prison gang fuels the transition after his defection. However, on leaving prison, Danny had stepped in his shoes and joined Neo Nazi movement. Derek has to fight to achieve a new life for himself and Danny. The film is full of flashbacks, employing the language of racism to capture sophisticated variations. On TV news, Derek narrates how his father had tutored him to racism through his dinner table conversations not forgetting his death in the hands of black narcotics. The film is full of scaring scenes and convincing scenes that reveal Neo Nazi skin heads bonding. In their meetings led by Derek, they take drugs, beer, engrave tattoos, and carry heavy metal with them. In the Neo Nazi’s world, slogans replace thought, fuelling a mindless hatred towards their black enemies and the film brings out the best of this movement. Neo Nazi mo vement comes out strongly from American History X film. Neo Nazi movement also called skinheads have their origin in England after World War II. According to Prejudice Institute, â€Å"the first wave of what we today recognize as skins polarized themselves in the 1970s. This happened against the various youth counterculture movements† (â€Å"Prejudice Institute† web). ... In 1980, a second wave of this movement was in action when Ian Stuart founded Neo Nazi movement. Apparently, he was a singer and the leader of the Screwdriver band that played an important role in the spread of the movement. The group identified themselves by Nazism and belief in white power and they portrayed it through their way of shaving heads, tattoos, t-shirts, and their confrontational style. Neo Nazi movement cemented its operations in the 1990s because it took advantage of independence war and other ethnic conflicts in of Croatia. To catch the attention of the media, Neo Nazi movement brutally attacked tourists and foreigners, gay people, and people from other cultures. According to Libcom, some of their memorable attacks came in 2003 when Neo-Nazi skinheads attacked six people including five old people and 11-year old boy from Egypt (Kontrrazvedka web). Neo Nazi has links with order supremacist groups like KKK and White Aryan resistance (WAR). Stuart published books by name blood and honour that he distributed to older white supremacies in the US to gather membership. Statistics reveals that skinheads age range from 13 to 27 years mostly teens from various social economic backgrounds. Most get to enrol in high school and continue through college and at work. Recruitment happens at the concerts that attract many young people to listen to Neo Nazi’s music and performances. For instance, Screwdriver songs like White Power and Nigger performed mainly on Hitler’s birthday or at Hate Festivals are tools of transformation. Skinheads also use publications and cyberspaces to promote their ideas and recruit members (â€Å"Prejudice Institute† web). According to Cooter, the group have adopted a new tactic for

Operations management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

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Marketing Mix for U.S.A car market Chery Cars China Essay - 12

Marketing Mix for U.S.A car market Chery Cars China - Essay Example Toyota has also achieved success using a similar strategy. The paper recommends that Chery improves a few aspects of its marketing mix by making its activities more adaptive to the US market. Chery is China’s top car exporter with sales in over 100 countries in the world. The company has car assembly plants Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America and utilizes proprietary technology in the manufacture of cars and car components for original-equipment companies all over the world (National bureau of statistics of China, 2005). The company now has its own car models and over the past five years it has been accelerating globalization by entering new markets all over the world (Chery Auto Ltd, 2010). The USA is known for its car market culture that is largely associated with the catch phrase ‘American Dream’. This implies high quality flashy vehicles that are also expensive and high on fuel consumption (Isobel and Robin, 2009). Over the years the market has been characterized by high vehicle sales rates and competition between few but powerful car manufacturers. However, economic struggles and new fuel consumption restrictions have changed this culture over the last decade (Isobel and Robin, 2009). Marketing mix generally involves the development and coordination of marketing activities products, their pricing, their promotion, and their distribution (Chai, 2009). Traditionally the main considerations for marketing mix were referred to as the 4Ps including product, price, place, and promotion (Chai, 2009). With increasing sophistication of the marketing, three more Ps have been added to make what is now known as the 7Ps of marketing. These include people, process, and physical evidence (David, 2001). The marketing strategy that a company needs to employ to combine the 7Ps for desirable market outcomes is what is generally referred to as the marketing mix. Chery, like

Later tell u Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Later tell u - Lab Report Example l perspective, television programme makers desire to cater to more audiences of different age groups to increase their popularity that in turn increases competitive challenges within the sector (Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited, 2014). To comprehend this phenomenon from a critical perspective, the entire study has been based on the television programme rating and its popularity among different age groups. Contextually, to identify the popularity of television channels among different age groups of the UK, BBC1 channel has been selected as the media outlet. Both industrial as well as general perspectives have been considered when evaluating BBC’s performance within the UK market in the recent phenomenon. From the varied channels of the UK, BBC 1 is one of the renowned television channels. In the first phase of its development, BBC was known for its news broadcast. Presently, BBC is an established network, which has multiple channels for different age groups. Moreover, BBC always provides quality news to its viewers. Since, 1997 BBC has appeared in news broadcast field and until now, has created milestones for its rival channels. BBC is the first news broadcaster, which presents news about the overall the world. The digitalized platform has enriched BBC’s journey, enhancing and diversifying its contents to a substantial extent. In the 2013, BBC also announced its High Definition (HD) simulcast, which has helped to enhanced its viewer ship more than previous times (Media Tel, 2014). In the present scenario, the popularity of television channels is judged under different scales. Under Television Rating Points (TRP), television association has measured satellite channel reach. In this regard, to identify the actual rate of popularity of BBC 1 among different age groups, a survey report has been used to avail proper results. Media Tel is the source from where all data regarding BBC has been gathered. Based on the September 2014 data of MediaTel, BBC

Malaysian airline Essay Example for Free

Malaysian airline Essay Purposes: In general, a brand’s reputation of Airlines Company might be very important in the eye of people (society). In fact, brand is consider as a promise to customers â€Å"setting up expectations† and with a strong brand it deliver on what it promises by the development of a strong reputation (Aaker 2009, p. 3). This approach seems particularly well suited to the reputation of Airlines Company, in which their brand’s reputation as image can be describe as a very important aspect. The goal of this study is to assess and analyses on the implication of accident to the reputation of Malaysia Airlines (MAS). In this project, I will explore how the reputation of MAS is affected, after the accident on 8 March 2014 (BBC 2014). In particular, I will focus on how MAS’s reputation and brand is significantly damaged by the disappearance of Flight MH370 and how to fix and rebuilding their reputation  and brand’s image after the accident happen. Therefore, the questions arise on how to convince and ensure the safety of MAS in their future operations. Also, the study will examine, test and attempt to measure the trust level of a customer’s perspective (the situational approach) towards MAS reputation after the tragedy occurred. Background: In this age, reputation and brand is become one of essential part of business environment. According to Brigham (2010) claims a business’s most valuable asset is its good name, brand and reputation, as a result brand reputational value is irreplaceable and company must protect it (Brigham 2010, p. 1). Hence, the accident on Flight MH370 is apparently affected the brand and reputation of MAS. As a result, I choose this topic, since it was the current issue in the eye of people around the world, due to the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH 370 went missing less than an hour after take off. Also, the other reason I’m interested to select this issue, because I believe this accident will give a huge impact which can tarnish to the business reputation of MAS. Thus, this topic is important issue now, because it not just involves the company itself, but it related to international accident. Furthermore, I will conduct my study in a literature review, observe the general p eople discussion regarding MH370 Flight incident, and take a survey and interview randomly in Sydney about the mystery of disappearance of MH370. Scope: I will engage in literature review, in order to collect secondary data which is available on the news over a six-week period, from 1 April to 13 May 2014 for approximately 6 hour per week. I will typically observe the discussion of general people regarding the mystery of missing plane MH370 and stay around ten to fifteen minutes in order to observe other people perspective’s in the way they talk, feel and express about MAS reputation after the accident occurred. On some days I may come at other times of the day for survey. In this case, I will make a questionnaire regarding the people perspective’s generally of MAS reputation after the MH370 Flight incident. This questionnaire will be given to a random people whom I meet in Sydney (city area) and I will distribute the questionnaire also by email and other social networking sites. Moreover, I will schedule structured  interviews, but I will interview randomly to a general people in Sydney as informal question re garding their opinion and judgement about MAS reputation after the missing plane MH370, as needed to clarify and provide insight perspective of MAS reputation’s value into specific conversations. Theoretical framework: I will be guided most generally by the concept of branding in the International Marketing field, since branding is develop a company reputation in long term and it may be consider as one of the most important decisions made by marketing managers (Kohli, 1997, p. 206). The concept of branding leads to build a reputation in the mind of consumer as company image (identity) as seen from the outside and it about company brand is who they are, what is their strength, integrity and reputation, so its not simply on how company logo is displayed, but rather than that, it involves the emotional and intellectual response to target audiences (Stine 2008, p. 2). The corporate reputation can be consider as corporate image which is content identify, image, prestige, goodwill, esteem and standing (Wartick2002 as cited in Dolphin 2004, p. 81). Also, the corporate reputation is most influenced by the actions of an organization rather than a successful of PR campaign (Lewis 2001, p. 31). Consequently, based on research a good reputation allows a company to easily attract customers companies by the establishment of reputation for delivering high-quality products and service (Ngwese and Zhang 2007, p. 30). Research show that a firms’ reputation is consider to the success or failure of its brands, so it is very important for a firm to maintain or advance their reputation (Herbig and Milewicz 1993, p. 18). In addition, research show a good corporate reputation leads firms to enhance financial and market performance, as a result the corporate reputation appears to emerge as a critical dimension of benchmarking of a firm performance (Lee and Roh 2012, p. 649). Hence, it is very important to get a good reputation; company must be truthful, reliable and consistent about the offering product or service in order to get a customer loyalty (Melewar, Nguyen and Abimbola 2013, p. 1). Brands and brandings have such a profound impact on the society as whole a not just on people who buy or used their product and service, thus an ethical brand enhances the firm’s reputation, since such a good reputation  reinforces the brand in turn (Fan 2005, p. 341). However, any unethical behaviour of misconduct will severely damage or even destroy the total intangible asset of company, so in order to retain and advance company name, marketing managers must concern and implement 6Cs of corporate marketing which are corporate identity, corporate branding, corporate communications, corporate image and corporate reputation must be integrated under the umbrella title of corporate marketing (Fan 2005, p. 341 and Balmer Greyser 2006, p. 730). According to Kotler and Keller (2006), brands are very important for both the company and the consumers, because brands indentify the source or maker of a product and service and allow consumers either individuals or organization to assig n responsibility to a particular manufacture or distributor (Kotler and Keller 2006 as cited in Ngwese and Zhang 2007, p. 19). In this case, the brand reputation can be good or bad, strong or weak, its depend on how the company maintain their performance of reputation and it crystallizes how people feel about that reputation based on whatever information they have about the brand is regarded and respected (Ngwese and Zhang 2007, p. 31). I am exploring the meanings of brand reputation of MAS which is apparently affected after MH370 Flight incident. In this research, I hope to achieve the solution on how to fix and rebuilding the reputation of MAS Company and find the solution on how to get a trust back from customer itself. Also, find the way on how to maintain the customer loyalty after accident happen. Moreover, conclude the outcome on how far the correlations regarding brand reputation can affect the consumer’s perception. At the end, get the results regarding on the current level of customers’ confidence and trust in general people towards MAS reputation. Method: 1. Conduct a literature review on the implication of accident to the reputation of MAS. 2. Observe the discussion of general people about the mystery of missing plane MH370, for example: in collage or in a public place if somebody or friends talk about MAS Flight incident. Therefore, I will come closely and have a discussion with them in order to observe their opinion and judgement  regarding their own way on how they talk, feel and express their perspectives about MAS reputation. 3. Interview randomly to a general people in Sydney (city area) to clarify and provide insight into conversations. Thus, I will try to conduct these interviews shortly after conversation of interest to a general people who discusses regarding the accident to the reputation of MAS. The common strategy for the interviews is to begin with broad and general questions and follow up on the interviewee’s response in order to capture the person meanings and get their perception and to avoid imposing my meanings on the interviewee. I will use structured interviews in order to ensure that answer can be reliably aggregated (consistent), also it can reach a large sample, so a representative sample is possible can be used to make statements. While the interviews will not be formal but it structured, it more likely as informal and the kinds of questions I will ask include the following: a. What do you feel regarding the mystery of missing plane MH370? b. What do you think about the reputation of MAS after the accident occurred recently? c. What do you think that MAS should do in order to solve the tragedy of missing plane MH370? d. Do you still believe that MAS have a good reputation after the MH370 Flight incident? e. If you have a chance to travel going to overseas, do you still have trust to fly with MAS, despite the missing Flight MH370? f. Do you believe that MAS will improve their management of security and safety as their offered the flying service in the future? 4. Conduct a simple survey by a questionnaire paper regarding the people perspective’s generally of MAS reputation after the MH370 Flight incident. This questionnaire will be given to a random people whom I meet in Sydney (city area) and I will distribute the questionnaire also by email and other social networking sites. The reasons, I’m using questionnaires because it’s practical (I can do and conduct), realistic, sensible, handy, useful and convenient method. The outcome of conduct questionnaires can usually be quickly and easily interpret the result. 5. Write a research report that combines my understanding of own horizon and perception of the relevant theory and previous research with the outcomes of my empirical research. Simple Gantt chart: Limitations: Time constraints (limitation) of the semester require less time than may be ideal for research study. By collecting secondary data for only six hours a week for six-weeks, there are bound to be very difficult to evaluate the accuracy of secondary data, and the quality of internal secondary data may be exaggerated or biased, since I rely on secondary data from the news. Being an outsider may also limit what is revealed to me. The interview and survey it can be difficult to obtain reliable data on attitudes, opinion and values (unless validated questionnaires are used). Delimitations: I am choosing to not find the data from primary resources which is not available (not exist) and it’s not allowing the access of data. Thus, I’m used the secondary data from the news which is available, in order to look a broader of perspective regarding the understanding of general people in society towards the reputation of MAS. It is often cheaper and it saves time than doing primary research. Additionally, I will not use unstructured interviews because; a lot more time consuming in comparison to other research methods and it can be difficult to interview a large sample, affecting the data’s generalise and representativeness, also prone to digression and much of the data collected might be worthless. References Aaker, J 2009, ‘Building Innovative Brands’, Stanford Graduate School of Business, pp. 1-38, viewed 5April 2014, . Balmer, M.T.J and Greyser, S.A 2006, ‘Corporate Marketing: Integrating corporate identity, corporate branding, corporate communications, corporate image and corporate reputation’, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 40 Iss: 7/8, pp.730 – 741, Emerald, viewed 2 April 2014 BBC 2014, ‘Missing Malaysia Airlines plane’, News Asia, viewed 1 April 2014, Brigham, A. F 2010, ‘Your Brand Reputational Value Is Irreplaceable Protect It!’, Forbes, pp. 1, viewed 5April 2014, . Dolphin, R. R 2004, ‘Corporate reputation – a value creating strategy’, Corporate Governance, Vol. 4 Iss: 3, pp.77 – 92, Emerald, viewed 4 April 2014 Fan, Y 2005, ‘Ethical branding and corporate reputation’, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 10 Iss: 4, pp.341 350, Emerald, viewed 2 April 2014 Herbig, P and Milewicz, J 1993, ‘The relationship of reputation and credibility to brand success’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 10 Iss: 3, pp.18 – 24, Emerald, viewed 5April 2014 Kohli, C 1997, ‘Branding consumer goods: insights from theory and practice’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 14 Iss: 3, pp. 206 219, Emerald, viewed 5April 2014 Lee, J and Roh, J.J 2012, ‘Revisiting corporate reputation and firm performance link’, Benchmarking: an International Journal, Vol. 19 Iss: 4/5, pp.649 – 664, Emerald, viewed 3 April 2014 Lewis, S 2001, ‘Measuring corporate reputation’, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 6 Iss: 1, pp.31 – 35, Emerald, viewed 4 April 2014 Melewar, T.C, Nguyen, B and Abimbola, T 2013, ‘Corporate branding, identity, image and reputation (COBIIR)’, Marketing Intelligence Planning, Vol. 31 Iss: 5, pp. 1, Emerald, viewed 3 April 2014 Ngwese, E.R and Zhang 2007, ‘Brand Reputation in International Marketing’, Master of Science in International Marketing, pp. 1-65, University of Halmstad, viewed 4 April 2014, . Stine, G 2008, ‘The Nine Principles of Branding’, Polaris Inc. Branding Solutions, pp. 1-33, viewed 5April 2014, .

Interrelationship Between Hospitality And Travel Organisations Tourism Essay

Interrelationship Between Hospitality And Travel Organisations Tourism Essay The hospitality sector is one of the most crucial service providers for the international travel and tourism industry. It includes all businesses which accommodate tourists and travellers when travelling to other destinations. They are an integral part of the overall experience, and must live up to the standards which are expected by clientele and those which are set by the industry. Modern websites such as Trip Advisor also set standards based on peoples evaluations of their personal experiences. These evaluations are viewed by potential clients from all over the world, and can influence their choice of hotel, motel, or any other accommodation provider or catering establishment. Task 1- Investigate the hospitality sector. Accommodation providers Hotels Generally, when tourists arrive at their final destination their main interest is to check into their hotel room and unwind, especially after hours of travel. It is therefore crucial that guests are treated with utmost care, as they may be tired and possibly irritated after their trip. Hotels within the Euro zone typically hold 1-5 star ratings which depend on the quality, scale, and the number of amenities and services which are offered. Hotel ratings outside the EU are not limited to five stars, such as the ultra luxurious 7 star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. Accommodation is a fundamental component in package holidays. Tourists may opt for budget packages which include basic 1 to 3 star accommodation, whilst others may opt for higher priced packages offering 4 to 5 star accommodation. When opting for luxurious accommodation, guests may spend a good proportion of their time at the hotel or resort to make full use of the amenities which are being offered. Guests would expect to be pampered throughout their stay, particularly for the price being paid. If problems are encountered, they would expect a rapid response and immediate action to be taken. 5 star establishments usually offer 24 hour receptionist and concierge services, valet parking for guests who have rented their own cars, as well as 24 hour maid, maintenance, and room service. One would also expect to have an in-room mini bar and safe, personal care products, high speed Wi-Fi access, laundry services, gym, spa and a business centre, to name a few. 4 and 3 star hotels offer more of a comfortable ambience than a luxurious one, whilst 2 and 1 star hotels offer basic, yet clean accommodation, and are more suited for people who aim to spend most of their time outdoors. Rooms are simple, but include a colour television, and an en suite bathroom. In general however, as the star rating decreases, the facilities and services also decrease in number, and possibly in quality. Although there may be certain hiccups in the services rendered due to human variability, cleanliness cannot suffer the same fate. Strict health regulations should be abided by and enforced by health authorities on a regular basis to ensure that hotel operators are giving enough importance to cleanliness. Cleanliness is so important that Trip Advisor features it as one of the main categories which can be rated together with service, location, rooms, sleep quality and value for money. Guests can also back up their cleanliness claims with candid photos. However, hotel amenities and services often do differ from country to country, as well as from brand to brand, even within the same destination. As with all companies, it is ultimately up to the people running the establishments to live up to their star ratings, or more appropriately in todays markets, exceed them. Motels and guest houses A motel is essentially a small hotel which is specifically designed for motorway travellers. They originated in the United States when motor trips were becoming the norm. After a day of travelling, people needed a convenient place to spend the night before getting back on the road. Currently, one of the most popular motel chains is Motel 6, which has more than 1000 establishments in North America and Canada, and is run by the international Accor Hotels group. Similarly to motels, guest houses also provide a relatively affordable alternative to other accommodation. However, unlike motels, guesthouses offer accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, where the house owners would prepare a simple homemade breakfast for their guests. Some travellers specifically opt for themed guesthouses, such as those which are said to be haunted. Camping parks, caravanning and lodges Camping parks and lodges give people the opportunity to enjoy nature and the outdoors, an activity which is becoming increasingly rare as people surround themselves with technology. Caravans and family sized motor vehicles are most commonly used by groups of friends or family members for camping trips. Lodges are typically found in wooded areas, mountain ranges, or ski resorts, and vary in quality, ranging from relatively basic to more upscale accommodation. They may take the form of a group of cabins with common facilities or as solitary cabins with dedicated facilities, which are all popular options for family trips, or romantic getaways. Self-catering apartments Self catering apartments have become popular as they offer greater flexibility, even though there is often the need to cook and clean. They also offer more of a homely ambience than motels or hotels as they consist of a kitchen, living room, and dining area. Renting an apartment may very well save clients money, especially if they plan to spend most of the time outdoors. The high paying tourist may rent a luxurious villa for a few days and hire their own butler, whilst the average family may decide to cook for themselves and enjoy spending their hard earned money elsewhere. Cruise ships Cruise ships originally catered for the wealthy, however as costs were lowered and new business strategies were created, they are now more affordable to the average income earner. Companies usually offer long-haul to short-haul cruises, some of which are all inclusive and others such as easyCruise which requires patrons to pay as they go. One would usually find a vast selection of high quality foods on board, mostly in buffet form. Catering providers Catering is fundamental to the success of the tourism and hospitality industries. It is so important that catering outlets can be found in places ranging from city centres and hotels to boats, trains and airlines. Restaurants The menu, music, ambience and pricing are the most crucial factors in determining which restaurant to choose. There are restaurants which cater for different requirements, ranging from affordable takeouts to high class and exclusive establishments. Restaurants form an integral part of a tourists holiday, some of whom would visit the same restaurant day after day if it is to their liking, whilst others may decide to experience a different restaurant each day. Chain restaurants offer tourists a sense of financial security. Tourists know that McDonalds in Portugal will offer the same products as McDonalds in the United Kingdom. On the other hand, when it comes to non-chain restaurants it tends to be less simple. Tourists would often visit restaurants based on recommendations made by the staff at the concierge of their hotel, from locals, or Trip advisor. Generally one would usually find catering establishments to suit all tastes and pockets. If a destination receives high, medium, and low spenders, then there must be establishments which cater specifically for them. The top restaurants in the world are usually Michelin accredited, which is possibly the most majestic of all international restaurant awards. A restaurant can acquire a maximum of three Michelin stars, meaning that it is almost faultless in terms of service, food quality and the overall ambience. Cafes Cafes used to specialise in hot beverages such as teas and coffees. However, they have developed to a great extent since then and now offer a variety of snacks and food offerings. As cafes increase in popularity, they tend to add more to their menu to increase their client base. Cafes are becoming so popular that McDonalds now has its very own McCafe, which was established to possibly compete with the likes of Starbucks or other international cafes. Outside catering Hospitality caterers are of great importance for major events such as conferences, after parties and exhibitions, which attract people from all over the world. It is up to the organisers to ensure that all of the participants are prepared to collectively deliver an unforgettable and unparalleled experience. 5 star hotels are usually chosen for large events as they can afford to strike better balances between quality and price than other lower rated hotels or catering establishments. Theatres, cinemasand shopping complexes. Going to the cinema or theatre is often not complete without a snack or a beverage. It has become custom to have something to eat or drink when watching your favourite film or play. Most cinemas have their very own snack bars, which serve beverages and snacks such as popcorn and nachos. In Portugal for instance, the major shopping complexes such as Vasco Da Gama, Colombo shopping centre, and Cascais Shopping in the Lisbon area have their own cinemas in-house. Located right next to the cinema entrances one would find countless catering establishments ranging from cafes to fine dining. Motorway service station Motorway service stations throughout the world offer dining options for motorway travellers, most of which have simple cafes which also offer snacks. However, some motorway service stations do offer establishments such as McDonalds for instance. Motorway restaurants have proven immensely popular, especially for people travelling long distances on major highways. Rail and ferry catering Railway passengers usually have limited or no catering amenities onboard. Costs will undoubtedly be high and the range of items available for consumption would be limited due to the lack of space on board. Ferries on the other hand are much larger and have a lot more space to comfortably seat patrons. A number of dining areas can be provided onboard, however cafes and snack bars are still the most feasible. In-flight catering Space on an aircraft is even more limited, so meals are usually reduced to two kinds of dishes on passenger planes. AirMalta for instance has for the past several years licensed Corinthia Hotels International as their official provider of in-flight food. Food portions are often small and specially packed to protect the food from pressure buildup. The meals are pre-heated and stored in small compartments in the kitchen area of the aircraft. First class flyers do sometimes have the option to select their own meal, but these services are obviously reflected in the high fares. Task 2- Explain the interrelationship between hospitality, and travel and tourism organisations Hospitality organisations are some of the most important service providers to the travel and tourism industry. Whether for leisure or for business, people do spend a significant amount of time at their hotel, particularly if it is of a luxury status. Guests would understandably want to reap the benefits offered by their hotel, particularly for the premium prices paid. Package holidays The role of hospitality in package holidays is very significant. Hotels which are included in package holidays ultimately depend on the price paid for the package. If someone opts for a budget package, then one would not expect 5 star accommodation, but more realistically some form of 3 star or possibly 4 star accommodation. Popular holiday packages are often mass purchased, so customers would benefit from good hotel rates and airline ticket prices. Hotels also have special agreements with individual travel agents, offering special rates to their companies in return for a guaranteed flow of customers from their end. Customers may opt for accommodation on room only basis, bed and breakfast, half board, or more rarely, full board basis. Travel agent representatives regularly check up on their clients at their hotel to ensure that they are having a pleasant time. They also discuss any problems that they have been experiencing throughout the duration of their stay, and get them sorted accordingly. All inclusive packages are also available but do not offer customers the flexibility of other packages. Such packages would include everything that is needed for the whole stay such as meals, beverages, hotel, tours, and all other requirements. Customers who opt for these packages would usually spend most of their time within the resort as most of their activities would be based there. Aviation The Airline industrys success depends very much on accommodation availability. Airlines may lose out on business if hotels are at full capacity. This is a serious problem for airlines flying to small destinations such as Malta, as there have been instances where all hotels on the island were fully booked. Major airlines must therefore analyse situations regarding bed availability, and choose flight times and days accordingly. Hospitality is also present onboard airlines in the form of catering, as well as sleeping arrangements. Budget airlines offer food and beverages at extra cost, whilst higher class airlines often offer all inclusive food and beverages, even to those paying for economy seating. Some ultra luxurious airlines even have reclining seats which turn into beds, as well as silver service dining and a centrally located bar, where customers can choose what to eat and drink. Business travel Business people specifically opt for hotels which are equipped with the necessary facilities to work comfortably. They search for hotels with business centres, Wifi or cable internet access, meeting rooms and conference areas, as well as other services such as 24 hour laundry and dry cleaning. They may also try to fit in some time for leisure, particularly in between meetings, where they would either spend time by the pool, at the spa, or out and about. However, due to the nature of business travel this is not always possible. The same goes for catering establishments. Business people opt for some of the best restaurants in order to impress business associates or clients. They make use of the money supplied to them by their companies, so they can afford to choose high class restaurants to accompany their luxury accommodation. Globalisation has brought about a growing need for business related travel, and this will undoubtedly grow even further as destinations become more connected. Budget airlines have also made business travel a lot more affordable to companies, however, some companies believe that flying business class would keep their reputation intact. Business class was essentially developed for business people who required space to work. Emerging destinations such as India and China are becoming hotspots for business travel, and international companies from around the world are interested in setting up branches there. Their industries are growing faster than any other, and certain companies do not wish to miss out on any opportunities to increase their market share and profitability. Conferences and exhibitions Conferences and exhibitions are also crucial for national and international travel and tourism industries. For instance, between the 29th of August and the 4th of September, Malta welcomed its largest ever conference, hosting 5000 delegates who were invited to the yearly Oriflame conference, each of which stayed at 4 and 5 star hotels. In total, 8 million Euros were injected into the local economy, mostly through accommodation costs. Outside caterers, mainly from hotels, were chosen to prepare food for all of the delegates. Conference attendees are often hosted at the hotel at which the event is taking place. Exhibitions offer consumers the possibility to view products or services before purchasing them. The International Tourism Bourse (ITB) is an international exhibition which attracts exhibitors from around the world. Companies, organisations and NTOs showcase their new offerings and concepts to other people from the field. Such events attract thousands of people from around the world, benefitting numerous hotels in the events perimeter. Visitor attractions A visitor attraction is anything which gets people talking or that is of interest to visitors, tourists and others. Attractions may take the form of manmade creations such as museums and theme parks, or natural attractions such as natural parks. On the other hand, some sites happen to be of interest to people simply because of the activities taking place there, and not because the actual place hosting the event is of any interest. Theme parks are possibly the most popular visitor attractions, collectively seeing millions of visitors on a yearly basis. Disneyland happens to be one of the worlds most popular flagship attractions, and can be found in the United States, France, Japan and China. Most theme parks house their own restaurants and cafes, where families can enjoy a meal and then get back to having fun. However, Disneyland Paris goes a few steps further by having two hotels at the resort, which often feature in package holidays and are immensely popular. Task3- Describe integration within the hospitality industry Integration first gained popularity in the 1900s, when businesses focused on reaching economies of scale, through which they were able to benefit from lower operating costs. When companies provide their own products or services through in-house efforts, outsourcing is no longer required, therefore saving the company money in the long run. Through such integration companies are also able to increase their global presence and increase their market share. Vertical integration Vertical integration is a process through which a company buys another company in the distribution chain, or enters a merger agreement. This is primarily done to maximise profitability and benefit from lower operating costs. It is traditionally characterised by forward, backwards and lateral integration. One of the most followed and well documented episodes of vertical integration was that of the Carnegie Steel manufacturing company in the United States. It had complete control over the distribution chain including the iron mines, steel mills, railroads, coal mines and the ovens required to form the steel. The company placed economies of scale at the top of its agenda, and even focused on having people trained internally rather than employing outsiders. Barriers to entry will develop, limiting competition in the marketplace. Companies may gain control of suppliers such as accommodation and transportation providers to further limit potential competition. If monopolistic behaviour develops through wide scale integration, government agencies will interfere and set restrictions because competition is fundamental for improving quality in the services industry. Forward vertical integration is a process through which a company merges with another company further along in the distribution chain. For instance, a hotel chain may decide to buy its own travel agency or tour operator in order to expand into other markets. Hotels often strike agreements with travel agents and tour operators, providing special room rates and offers for clients brought to them. Backward Vertical integration is when a company purchases one of its suppliers and makes proper use of its inputs for the benefit of the organisation. A tour operator may purchase an airline company or a hotel, as they are both suppliers of services which are crucial to the package industry. TUI AG has over the course of its development created the TUI Hotels and Resorts brand, which owns and runs hotel brands such as Robinson, Magic life, Iberotel, Grecotel, Riu and Grupotel, totaling 243 hotels around the world. It has recently embarked on an entirely new project for the company, the first TUI branded hotel. The TUI Hotel Kaluga has 136 luxury rooms and 74 apartments, and is targeted specifically at business people. Lateral integration on the other hand requires the merger of two organisations which may have indirectly related products and services; however they need not be in direct competition with one another. The three types of vertical integration give a summary of possible strategies which may be adopted as companies often make use of different variants of these strategies. Horizontal integration Horizontal integration is important for companies which want to expand their customer base, benefit from economies of scale and above all, maximise profitability. It occurs when a company purchases or merges with a company at the same stage of the distribution chain. A fitting example of this occurred last August when Hilton hotels international purchased a hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort for â‚ ¬92,202,465. Toyota, Peugeot and Citroen recently formed a consortium for the production of their 107, C1 and Aygo automobiles, which are all based on the same shared platform, engines and hardware. The three companies shared their knowledge and resources to achieve a common goal. Although this example is not directly related to the hospitality industry, these cars have helped car rental companies increase their sales by a significant margin in Europe because tourists find them affordable to rent, environmentally friendly, reliable, and fun to drive. Horizontal integration can also be complementary in nature as opposed to competitive. Airlines often work closely with hotel chains, reaping some of the benefits which are offered by mergers without the actual risks. Such relationships are visible in the choice of airlines made by hotels for their airline miles schemes. Airlines gather data from hotels to try and make their flight schedules correspond with accommodation availability; however this is not always possible due to the dynamism and complexity of the hospitality and travel industries. To avoid disappointment, the majority of tourists book their accommodation beforehand to ensure that they have their rooms available upon arrival. Implications of integration on the hospitality sector. Branding A Brand name alone may conjure up certain feelings or emotions related to personal experiences with the brand. As with all industries, the success of the tourism industry depends on the branding techniques adopted by all the key players, and how well they can deliver their messages to target markets. It is crucial that clients are able to associate themselves with such brands, and vice versa. Brands often aim to make their loyal customers see their products or services as an extension of their personality or character. For instance, if a group of business people check in to the Sheraton Pine Cliffs hotel in the Algarve, they would expect the same check-in procedures, business amenities and lavish luxuries as any other Sheraton hotel. Anything different for the money paid would often be unacceptable. Just like Sheraton, Westin also belongs to Starwood Hotels and Resorts. It is an upscale brand which caters for all sorts of clients who are after luxurious accommodation. It has top class amenities for business people, and all the luxuries that couples would expect for that romantic getaway. It also happens to be the most family oriented brand within the Starwood group, offering facilities where children can play under constant supervision. The animation team at the Westin Dragonara Resort in Malta often organises activities during the day, such as Sony play station tournaments for teenagers, or interactive games and other fun activities for children. Westin hotels around the world also have a childrens check-in point at reception to make them feel as important as their accompanying adults. All of the above concepts are an integral part of the companys branding strategy. Coupled with other factors, children may use their positive experiences to influence their parents into visiting that same hotel time and time again. Market control and integration between larger organisations Some of the UKs major tour operators have purchased hotels overseas to increase their global presence and profitability. By doing so, they are able to control their hotel rates to their advantage, possibly bringing more affordable packages to their clients whilst increasing their sales. Although this kind of activity is beneficial to the company, it can be detrimental to smaller companies in the industry. Integration between large organisations undoubtedly poses a threat to smaller organisations, and it is inevitable that employees and their families will suffer as the larger organisations take over. Although often unfortunate, travel and tourism essentially depends on the survival of the fittest, the companies which are able to offer the best balance between quality, quantity and value for money. In certain instances, the growth of the Internet is limiting the potential of forward integration, particularly when it comes to holiday packages. It has thrown some travel agents out of business, as they did not have the necessary funds to shift their physical operations to virtual platforms. The dawn of dynamic packaging was also a major threat to these companies, so much so that UK tour operators are in the process of closing down retail outlets to focus more on internet selling. Although potential clients will benefit from lower costs over the internet, this can pose a grave threat to society as thousands of people may suffer from unemployment. Direct selling over the internet is widely employed by hotels that have their own online booking systems. This makes the reservations process a lot simpler, cheaper, and less time consuming for potential guests, as well as for hotels. However, a reservations team is still required for those bookings which are made directly with the hotel over the phone or at the front desk. Some people feel more comfortable making physical payments because they may not wish to provide their personal details over the internet. Or they may simply enjoy the human interaction. Increased globalisation After a company expands successfully in its destination of origin, overseas markets are often next in line. Globalisation is the result of a collection of expansions, which can be analysed from an internal and external perspective. A company will face internal globalisation whereby its employees from around the world will develop relationships with one another. External globalisation is when team members interact with clients from all over the world. Social networking websites also allow for such communication to occur. Companies often create their own accounts on websites such as Facebook and Twitter, through which team members and loyal clients from around the world can join in and engage in discussions. Globalisation has also made way for a drastic reduction in trade barriers, particularly within the European Union. EU countries often benefit from lower priced products and services when trade occurs within the Euro zone. This benefits accommodation and catering providers to a great extent, particularly when purchasing in bulk. Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide is undoubtedly one of the most powerful international hotel and leisure chains. It has had tremendous success through its integration projects over the last years. In the year 2005 it acquired the Le Meridien brand and its entire portfolio, which amounted to 130 hotels and resorts internationally. This acquisition has increased Starwoods customer base to a great extent with ultra chic properties in Africa, Europe, the Middle East as well as the Asian Pacific, and many more to come. Starwoods preferred guest programme has also benefitted Le Meridiens loyal guests as they have access to over 700 destinations as a result of the takeover. Mr. Steven J. Heyer, who at the time occupied the position of CEO at Starwood, believed that the acquisition of Le Meridien was a very exciting development for the Starwood brand. Le Meridien hotels are located in destinations where Starwood had little to no presence prior to the takeover. The Le Meridien brand provided the company with another exciting project to accompany their recent Aloft hotel brand. Since Starwoods takeover, The Le Meridien brand has been progressing steadily with widespread improvements in revenues and growth. Le Meridien Balluta in Malta happens to be one of Maltas top five 5 stars properties, and it is steadily working its way up. It began operations in the year 2004, just one year prior to the brands takeover by Starwood. Impacts of integration Economies of scale and market share Operating costs can be reduced significantly when companies integrate. If a tour operator takes over a hotel, the cost associated with investment would be high, however the benefits reaped by offering a wider variety of products or services can be seen immediately. In this case, integration would allow the tour operator to reduce its dependency on other accommodation providers as most operations can be taken care of within company parameters. The more reputable hotels the tour operator is willing and able to invest in, the more beneficial it will be from an operating cost stand point. The tour operator may lower the costs of its packages and pass the benefits onto the consumers. With the right strategies in place, market share will increase and profitability will be maximised. Through horizontal integration, companies can extend their existing client base, whilst through vertical integration companies can enter new markets and attract an entirely different customer base. Standardisation Standardisation is a complex and time consuming process, particularly in an industry which involves so many variables. Automated processes can most certainly be standardised, however it is a lot more difficult to standardise the human element, albeit not being impossible. For instance, McDonalds restaurants throughout the world have had their processes standardised. Whichever destination one visits, the procedures which employees follow are near identical, and the same goes for the food. The company tends to be highly efficient, time oriented, predictable and controlling over its processes and workforce. Standardisation can be possible in hotels, however it is limited. The way in which a telephone operator answers the phone can be standardised, and so can the way in which guests are greeted upon check-in. Variability will always be an issue, as the different departments within a company are run by different personnel, who each have their own standards and ways of dealing with situations. Quality It is not guaranteed that quality will improve through integration. As always, it depends on how variable the human element is. If a hotel is taken over by another, it does not mean that the new owner will have a better approach towards improving quality. Employees may not get along with their new bosses because they believe that the approach being adopted towards improving quality is not feasible or practical, therefore making the risk of error greater. It is therefore crucial that the management of any organisation does not opt for a strict top-down bureaucracy. Management must listen to what employees have to say because they are the people who

Buddhism and Suicide :: essays research papers fc

Thesis: Bibliography on Buddhist Ethics http://jbe.gold.ac.uk/7/harvey001.html#suicide Incoporate western philoosophy? Western ethics? First part- Bacvkground on Buddhist doctrine concerning suicide 1. No Buddhist Should Commit Suicide The Milindapanha 98. from the Vinaya Pitaka section on the Order. Warren, Henry Clarke. Buddhism in Translations. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Ltd. (1995). King Nagasena explains why a buddhist (priest) may not kill himself. He claims that the world needs Buddhists to spread understanding and enlightenment (Boddhisatva way). 2. Breaking the third paaraajika (Moral Precept) on Taking Life especially in human form (manussaviggaha) is the most serious offense that a Buddhist monk may commit (although just as serious in the Pa~ncasiila or Five Precepts for laymen). Results in expulsion from the monastic community. In his Samantapaasaadikaa commentary, Buddhaghosa sets out to clarify the legal provisions of the precept. He discusses a variety of cases, real and hypothetical, where death ensues, and endeavors to clarify the legal requirements for a breach of the precept to have taken place. The central legal concepts involved in Buddhaghosa's discussion are those of method, intention, and agency. The sources themselves make a distinction between pa.n.natti-vajja -- or what is prohibited by the Vinaya (for example, eating after midday) -- and what is lokavajja, or regarded as immoral by the world at large outside the cloister (for example, killing, stealing, and lying). Keown, Damien. â€Å"Attitudes to Euthanasia in the Vinaya and Commentary.† Journal of Buddhist Ethics. http://jbe.gold.ac.uk/6/keown993.htm Suicide and Assisted Suicide, incitement of suicide are all condememned by Buddha in the Vinaya. Apart from respect for autonomy, a second consideration sometimes advanced in support of euthanasia is compassion. Compassion is of great importance in Buddhism, particularly when linked to the notion of the bodhisattva. Some later sources reveal an increasing awareness of how a commitment to the alleviation of suffering on the part of a bodhisattva can create a conflict with the principle of the inviolability of life. Compassion, for example, might lead one to take life in order to alleviate suffering, and indeed this is the second main ground on which euthanasia is advocated today. Despite their benevolent motive, namely that a terminal patient should be spared unnecessary pain, the judgement was that those involved were guilty of a breach of the precept. According to Buddhaghosa, the essence of their wrongdoing was that the guilty monks made death their aim (mara.naatthika). This suggests that to make death one's aim, to will death, and a fortiori to embark on any course with death as one's purpose, goal or outcome, regardless of how benevolent the motive, is immoral from a Buddhist perspective.