Taxation Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Taxation - Statistics Project Example e telecommunication industry is an average of 11.77% of gross profit, the tax paid by the health care industry is an average of 8.24% of gross profit. We test the hypotheis whether the average for telecommunication is greater than that for health care. Hypothesis: Null hypothesis:H0: B1 = B2 Alternative hypothesis:Ha: B1>B2 Where B1 is the mean percentage tax paid by the telecommunication industry, B2 is mean percentage tax paid by the health care industry.We test the hypothesis that the mean are different using T test, we use the following formula to determine the T calcaulted value: Tcal = (B1 -B2)[(12/ n1 + 12 /n2)] Where is the standard deviation and n is the sample size, wee substitute the formula as follows: Telecommunication Services Health Care tax / gross profit tax / gross profit total 3.298118756 0.57652713 mean 0.117789956 0.082361019 standard deviation 0.045504328 0.020043758 variance 0.002070644 0.000401752 Tcal = (3.298118756 -0.57652713)[(0.002070644/ 28 + 0.000401752 /7)] T calculated is therefore equal to, T cal = 0.011460574 We test this hypothesis at the 95% level of test, a two tail test gives us a critical value of 2.05183, T critical = 2.05183. Decision: In hypothesis testing when the T calcualted value is greater than the T critical value we reject the null hypothesis, and if it is less than the T critical value we accpet the null hypothesis, for this reaons therefore our T calcualted value is less than our T critical value and therefore we accet the null hypothesis that B1 = B2, rejecting the alternative hypothesis that B1>B2. for this reaosn therefore we conclude that tax paid on gross profit by the...On taxes paid health care paid a mean of 1,227.38 in tax while the telecommunication services industry paid a mean of 1,421.34 in taxes, this shows that the telecommunication industry paid a higher tax than health care despite health care recording a higher mean gross profit. From the above we test the hypothesis that Telecommunication Service industry pay more taxes on gross profit than the healthcare service industry, in order to test this hypothesis we calculate the percentage tax paid on gross profit by both industries, the following table sumarises the results: In hypothesis testing when the T calcualted value is greater than the T critical value we reject the null hypothesis, and if it is less than the T critical value we accpet the null hypothesis, for this reaons therefore our T calcualted value is less than our T critical value and therefore we accet the null hypothesis that B1 = B2, rejecting the alternative hypothesis that B1>B2. for this reaosn therefore we conclude that tax paid on gross profit by the Telecommunication Service industry is equal to the tax paid on gross proifit by the healthcare service industry. From the above discussion it si evident that the health care idnustry has a higher mean level of gross profit than the teleommunication idnustry, on tax it is evident that the mean tax paid by the health care industry is lower than the averag

The Various Primary And Secondary Stakeholder Groups Essay Example for Free

The Various Primary And Secondary Stakeholder Groups Essay 1 Describe your company and analyze the various primary and secondary stakeholder groups, their roles, and relationships. A In July of 1958, MITRE was founded as a private, not-for-profit corporation to provide engineering and technical services to the federal government. In doing so, it fulfilled a request by Secretary of the Air Force James Douglas for a specialized services group to provide the system engineering and ongoing support for the massive, multi-billion dollar, continental air defense system called SAGE. SAGE, or Semi-Automatic Ground Environment, was developed for the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1957 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Digital Computer Laboratory, the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratory, and MITs Lincoln Laboratory. MITRE was incorporated one month following the installation of the first of 23 national SAGE centers at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. MITRE first settled in the Boston area. Stakeholder groups: senior management, HR managers, facility and regional directors, it directors and employees. MITRE systems engineers must build relationships with the stakeholders throughout the transformation process [3]. They should employ a combination of one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and surveys to rapidly establish rapport and create an environment that contributes to the stakeholders being open and honest while describing challenging situations. Rather than just fire off one question after the next, it is important to engage stakeholders in dialogue and exhibit interest in their opinions and perspectives. Ask follow-up questions to solicit specific examples and understand how stakeholders developed their opinions and perceptions. The interview protocol should include open-ended and Likert-scaled questions. Liker scales are a type of survey response format where survey respondents are asked to indicate their level of agreement/interest on a continuum (e.g., from strongly agree to strongly disagree or a numerical scale). This method provides a way to assign a quantitative value to qualitative information. Although there is a certain amount of variance inherent in Likert responses, these questions help bring a quantitative measure to enhancing understanding of stakeholders. In addition to asking probing questions on a variety of topics, solicit suggestions for addressing concerns. 2 Recommend ways the stakeholders can influence the destiny of your business. A Corporate stakeholders are different from generalized ones so are their roles bigger than rest. They are board of directors; key players in management, employees, shareholders, suppliers and of course the customers without whom business won’t run. Functioning of stakeholder in every corporation would vary hence their impacts are diverse. They involve in planning, identifying positive and negative impacts and potential profit margins etc. They have greater role to play in financial and functional aspects of businesses and guarantee success. 3 Create a plan on how you would encourage stakeholders to form a coalition to help you achieve your goals. Include a discussion of the specific assistance you think the coalition could provide. A . Put together a core group. Start with people you know. If youre a longtime activist on this issue, or if youve been living or working in your community for a while, you have lots of contacts, particularly among others concerned with the same things you are. Use those contacts now, either to pull them into the circle, or to get the names of others who might be part of a core group. Identify the most important potential coalition members. Especially if your coalition has a narrow and time-limited purpose, there are probably people or organizations you cant do without. Its important to identify them, and to target them specifically for membership. This may mean courting them an initial meeting over lunch where you pick up the tab, for instance, or a promise of a place on the steering committee. Recruit members to the coalition. Now that your core group is in place, and youve decided on the potential members who are necessary to the success of the coalition, you can start recruiting members. Although its important to start with the individuals and groups mentioned above, youll probably want to be as inclusive as possible. Its unusual to hear about a coalition suffering because it has too many members. Plan and hold a first meeting. The first meeting of a coalition is important. If its a high-energy, optimistic gathering that gets people excited, youre off to a good start. If its depressed and negative, or just boring, its a good bet that a lot of people wont come back. Its up to the core group in what may be the last official task they undertake to plan a meeting that will start the coalition off on the right foot. 4 – Anticipate any challenges in encouraging stakeholders to form a coalition to help you achieve your goals and the steps you would take to overcome these challenges. A – First; once you take the first step and decide to face a challenge, you have to state the problem and do it as clearly and exactly as you can. Second; you must identify the resources you have on-hand that could potentially help you to achieve your goal. It would be advisable to make a list with all the resources you have. Third; you need to design an effective strategy to deal with the situation. So, rack your brains and determine your best strategy to solve the new problem and, then, you will just need to execute it as efficiently and effectively as you can. Finally; once you have the strategy you have to implement it with creativity, skill and intelligence. Do your work with effort, determination and diligence. So, strive for excellence in your work; try your best day by day with the wisest use of your resources and energy to achieve the goal.

Issues in the Hospitality Industry

Issues in the Hospitality Industry November 2006 At the recent ISHC Annual Conference held in Miami, Florida, ISHC members participated in a series of roundtable discussions to identify the ISHC Top Ten Issues in the Hospitality Industry for 2007. This year the debate included in-depth discussions on over 100 different issues with 27 making the ballot for the final vote by the members. Ultimately, the following Top Ten Issues were identified as ones that can be expected to potentially have the greatest impact on the industry in 2007. ISHC Top Ten Issues in the Hospitality Industry for 2007 Labor Skills Shortages Growing shortage of qualified skilled employees Construction Costs Escalation of construction renovation costs Technology Lightening speed of changes keeping up Changing Demographics Their Impact on Travel Trends Shift in baby-boomers to gen X Future of Hotel Profits Balancing escalating expenses with the need to increase rates Branding Mitigating consumer confusion over brand proliferation and investor concerns over cross brand impact Distribution Revolution Keeping up with rapidly changing playing field Travel Restrictions And their impact on the travel industry Global Emerging Markets Are travel patterns changing Capital Availability Will investor and lender confidence continue #1 ISHC Top Ten Issue LABOR SKILLS SHORTAGE The problem of attracting and retaining qualified workers, once an issue only in an isolated number of markets, is increasingly becoming a global challenge.. Demography, wage levels, failure to adequately address worker satisfaction and a reputation for long hours and low pay are all cited as contributing factors. Creative hospitality professionals have begun to develop innovative strategies for capturing and keeping high quality workers. Why cant we find good people? Its become a global concern, the number one issue confronting our industry. Here are some of the causes: Demographics Population growth rates have been slowing in Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere for decades so the number of workers leaving the workforce now exceeds those that are entering. The aging workforce moving into retirement is creating a huge void that can only be expected to grow larger going forward. Lagging Wage Rates. Long criticized for paying salaries and wages below those common in other industries, hospitality companies are increasingly finding it difficult to attract and retain qualified candidates willing to attract standard wages. Industry Reputation Like it or not, the hospitality industry has not done enough to earn a reputation as a top career choice for college graduates. Notorious for long hours, night and weekend shifts our industry has Gen-Xers and Gen-Yers seeking other careers with a perceived higher quality of life and better wages. De-emphasis on Training and Worker Satisfaction Following the worldwide dip in demand that followed 9/11, many hotel companies failed to fully restore training and worker enrichment programs that marked the 1980s and 90s. This comes at a time when lodging brands are increasingly adding amenities and services in order to differentiate themselves from competitors. What can we do about it? As an industry, we need to work together to develop strategies for rethinking and rehabilitating our industrys image as an exciting and rewarding career choice. There was a time not too long ago when people joined the hospitality industry for its glamour. Globally, we need to share best practices for training and retention and make industry sponsored educational programs more readily available to employees at every organizational level. Industry organizations including the International Hotel and Restaurant Association and the American Hotel and Lodging Association Educational Institute provide excellent training libraries as well as web based training programs. Additionally, there are some outstanding independent firms that specialize in human resource training and development-some of which also offer excellent proprietary training materials. Meanwhile, following are some thoughts to share regarding potential opportunities for hotels to meet the labor challenge? Grow Your Own. Hotel companies need to develop internal programs to create attractive career paths so that potential candidates see employment as a professional development opportunity with real potential for advancement. Recruiting for entry level positions is easier when the recruiter can outline a career path and can point to managers who have worked their way up from line positions. Marriott has been doing this better than anyone for decades. Guest Workers. The U.S. and many other nations offer guest worker programs that can provide seasonal workers for up to ten months. One well-known US resort brings over two hundred workers from Jamaica each spring to fill various positions under the U.S. H-2B Visa program. These individuals stay through the resort season, with many returning year after year. Similarly, Disney uses the J-1 Visa program to bring young college graduates from all over the world for 18-month internships in entry level supervisory and guest contact positions at its US hotels and theme parks. Pay for Productivity. Hospitality is a labor intensive business and automation opportunities are often limited. Reconfiguring work process and then sharing the benefits of increased productivity can have positive results. One hotel General Manager provides a cash bonus split among the workers in his hotels laundry department for reaching a monthly productivity goal calculated in pounds processed per labor hour. At another hotel Room Attendants are offered a menu of options to receive additional pay for increased productivity so long as strict quality guidelines are met. Job Enlargement. Cross-training and cross-utilization arent new concepts, but theyre good ones. One hotel company of note has a certification program for all its employees. Employees are expected to master the skills for their own positions, but receive pay raises when theyve become certified in other jobs. These multi-talented employees can fill in where needed in peak times and have their own horizons broadened through cross departmental training. In todays environment, operators are increasingly finding they must compete for workers as hard as they compete for customers. Developing a positive work environment with real opportunities for advancement, combined with creative strategies for recruiting and improving employee productivity will all be increasingly essential skills as the workforce continues to shrink in the foreseeable future. # 2 ISHC Top Ten Issue CONSTRUCTION COSTS All construction costs and the costs for furnishings, fixtures and equipment (FFE) will continue to escalate in 2007, although at a pace a little slower than experienced in the period from 2004 through 2006. According to the Associated General Contractors of America, construction costs, driven primarily by materials costs, spiked dramatically in 2004. The annual increase for construction materials in general was approximately 10 percent in 2004, followed by 6.0- percent and 8.8-percent increases in 2005 and 2006, respectively. This compares to increases of 3.8 percent in the consumer price index and 3.7 percent in the producer price index for the period from August 2005 to August 2006. In 2004 and 2005, these two latter indices experienced annual increases averaging about 4.0 percent. The outlook for the future is for more of the same, although at a somewhat slower pace. For example, steel prices experienced a 48.8-percent increase in 2004, which was preceded by significant increases in scrap iron and steel prices in 2002 and 2003. Steel prices held steady in 2005 but jumped again in 2006. They are expected to increase again in 2007 and beyond as demand for steel from construction projects in China and India increases. Scrap iron and steel prices have increased approximately 20 percent in the past twelve months. Other important factors contributing to the increases in construction costs include the cost of diesel fuel used for transportation of both raw and finished goods. Some relief has occurred recently, with fuel costs dropping in tandem with crude oil prices have dropped. But uncertainties of supply in crude oil markets and the somewhat tenuous situation in OPEC nations both economically and politically indicate continuing volatility in future pricing. Further, winter temperatures in 2006-07 could alter the balance between diesel and heating oil production, causing a price escalation in one or both of these fuels. Concrete prices are expected to continue to increase spurred by the ongoing increases in cement, aggregate and the fuel necessary to mine or extract these components. The recent downturn in the residential construction industry may moderate concrete price increases, but the impact of ongoing construction in China and India may more than offset these influences. The anticipated increase in the number of hotels currently in the development pipeline will certainly be affected by construction cost increases. Clearly, rising costs will have an impact on budgeting for new development or renovation projects. Construction contractors, particularly smaller ones, may not be able to offer guaranteed-maximum construction contracts, because they may not have the purchasing power to secure materials at favorable or fixed prices. Even the larger contractors are likely to hedge their contract quotes with provisions that shift the risk of increasing materials costs to the developer. This will affect every aspect of a construction project, particularly the scheduling of sub-contractors and deliveries of materials. Developers will be eager to adhere to a tight project schedule, while contractors will often be at the mercy of the materials suppliers as well as the availability of materials themselves. Faced with this situation, what can a developer or owner do to protect its interests? The following strategies may provide some ideas for further consideration and even innovation: Increase the use of pre-fabricated components in new construction; this may accelerate the overall development timeline; Evaluate materials specifications carefully to ensure the most appropriate and cost-effective materials are being used; Ensure that construction project management is fully qualified and up to speed on new developments in the materials supply arena; Value engineer the projects design and specifications thoroughly, and then do it again; Ensure design standards and space programming make maximum use of as much building area as possible for revenue-producing activities. By constantly monitoring changes in the markets for both construction materials and labor costs, and planning projects with extreme care, a developer or owner can protect its interests and ensure that a project has a better-than-even chance of being completed on time and on budget. # 3 ISHC Top Ten Issue TECHNOLOGY Despite a growing awareness of the value of modern, integrated systems, many properties still do not take advantage of them as fully as they might to maximize revenue opportunities. Many also fail to support and secure them to the extent appropriate to the value of their data and to the legal consequences of that data becoming stolen or corrupted. A significant factor restricting wider adoption is the challenge of improving the systems ease of use as they continue to grow in functionality, in both operational and guest-facing areas. All of these issues support a trend to outsourcing the more complex operational functions and system security to expert, central staff, either corporate or third party. The major factors involved are: the complexity of the hotel environment, which historically has required many different systems to interact with each other, a lack of awareness of how much efficiency could be improved through the use of modern integrated systems, a historic preference for investing funds in FFE rather than in the systems themselves or in regular training for their users, and the difficulty of providing comprehensive, expert technical support at the individual property level for the multiple systems used there. Hospitality management systems have evolved into sophisticated, well integrated, multi-discipline tools capable of helping properties of all types and sizes attract more guests, generate more revenue and reach much-improved levels of efficiency. Years of development in expanding the capabilities of individual systems, together with improvements in both interface technology and vendor cooperation, have produced far more comprehensive and better-integrated systems that can now cover virtually all areas of even a complex resort property or a multi-property chain. This brings obvious benefits from having more complete and accurate data, both operationally and in regard to guests profile and history information. However, many properties handicap themselves through hanging on to systems well past their competitively useful life, greatly restricting their ability to implement such revenue-enhancing measures as taking Internet reservations, performing effective rate/revenue management, collecting more detailed guest data for customer relationship management and targeted marketing, and so on. Sometimes this comes from a lack of appreciation of their potential upside, but there is also often apprehension about the difficulty of integrating older but still valuable systems into a more modern, integrated whole. Current interface technologies go a long way to alleviating this issue, but many properties have found that the benefits from replacing valued older systems with a more comprehensive, integrated system outweigh the possible loss of some minor functionality. Another factor discouraging upgrades is that the more comprehensive systems can seem challenging to use. Certainly good user interface design, as much an art as a science, is something vendors continue to pursue through better data layouts, property-specific screen customizations, the subtle use of color and differing fonts to guide users through the logical sequence of operations, and so on. This is likely to be a continuing challenge in both guest and operations technology. Check-in kiosks and guestroom technology, for example, must be as intuitive to use as possible, for a wide range of guest ages and technical familiarity. Nevertheless, as far as hotel-management systems are concerned the disadvantages of an unintuitive user interface can be overcome through user training, yet many hotels handicap their users by not providing refresher training on at least an annual basis. In an industry with traditionally high staff turnover this virtually guarantees that the systems wont be used effectively, hindering the property from realizing the full return on its investment and maximizing its revenue. Further, as systems become more comprehensive and wide-ranging their support and security management become both more complex and more essential. Loss of access to the system through hardware, software or network failure is completely disruptive since equivalent manual procedures are now virtually impossible to implement quickly. It is very difficult for an individual property to afford in-house technical support personnel trained in all the systems it uses, yet many properties do not have support agreements with third party vendors that might pro-actively prevent imminent problems. More importantly, guest profile data is becoming an increasingly attractive target for identity theft, and attacks on computer systems containing it are becoming more focused and more sophisticated. In addition, legislation such as Sarbanes-Oxley holds corporate officers personally accountable for the accuracy of their financial data. Despite these factors, many systems do not provide audit trails of which user changed key configuration parameters. Further, although all systems track the user ID responsible for changes to guest data, many hotels fail to enforce control over the sharing of IDs and passwords among users, making it impossible to know who entered or modified specific data or sometimes even just whos signed on to the network. All of these factors encourage the movement towards more professional systems management; either from a corporate resource team shared among many properties or contracted out to a professional third party. Centralized revenue management teams, for example, can provide expert help to multiple properties in a regionally cohesive way. Centrally-hosted systems allow for highly-qualified technicians to provide a far more secure and managed systems environment than would be available to an individual property. This trend is expected to continue as awareness grows of the value of keeping systems operating at peak efficiency, and of the potential damage from security breaches. # 4 ISHC Top Ten Issue CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS THE IMPACT ON TRAVEL TRENDS The impact of changing demographics on travel trends is a so far reaching no sector in travel, tourism and hospitality remains unaffected. Whether the subject is the gradual retirement of baby boomers, rampant globalization and its impact on business travel, or the increased demand for experiential travel, the dramatic worldwide shift in demographics poses both challenges and opportunities. These recent and ongoing changes in the demographic environment hold major implications for the hospitality industry in particular. With regard to product and service offerings, hoteliers need to begin a strategy that addresses multi-generational needs, wants and desires. Now, more than ever, hoteliers must offer design and amenities that cater to the special needs of aging consumers (Baby Boomers), as well as younger travelers (Gen-X and Gen-Y), who have high expectations in regard to design and technology. The traditional practice of brand standardization flies in the face of this. Hoteliers must adapt and look for ways to enhance all guest experiences regardless of generation. On January 1, 2006 the first of Americas seventy-eight million baby boomers turned sixty-years old, while the last one turned forty. In fact, nearly 8,000 boomers are turning sixty on a daily basis, and according to US Census Bureau statistics, the number of boomers expected to be living in the year 2030 is 57.8 million. This is the year boomers will be between ages 66 and 84. What does this milestone mean for hoteliers? It means changing the way we have traditionally connected with the so-called senior market. Primarily because boomers will not grow old quietly as previous generations have. This is the generation that has, and will continue to redefine the traditional ideas of aging. Boomers will be more active in their retirement, firmly believing that 50s and 60s are now middle age. This is primarily due to longer life expectancies and significant improvements to overall health and well-being. Although boomers will continue to be important in both population and economical terms, the younger markets (the 49 million Gen Xers and 72 million Gen Y set) are now coming into their own, entering middle management positions, stepping into political offices, and assuming their rightful positions of influence and affluence. It is important for hoteliers to bring the generations together and begin to serve their different habits, patterns and needs. The successful model for true solutions will require long lead times, but here are some suggested approaches. Adopt a universal design approach that includes lower beds, brighter lighting, larger fonts, and walk-in showers that are all easier to use, yet hip, cool and high-tech so that younger consumers are drawn to their design. Offer choices that give customer options rather than pre-determined packages. Create experiences versus tours. This allows individuals or multi-generational groups to determine what best works and appeals to them. High-tech guestrooms must become the norm rather than the exception. Today, its all about Internet access, wireless environments, and flat-screen TVs on the walls. But hoteliers must strive to keep up with the relevant technology that is not only expected from the business traveler, but also the leisure and younger sets. The continual widespread adoption of technology by the public will continue to have impact on the consumer expectation of their hotel experience. While there will be an increase in health travel offerings targeting the aging population such as medical spas, the offerings should also include elements of adventure, spirituality, or stress management that will appeal to younger markets. And finally, consider creating a panel of half a dozen or more people from different age and cultural groups who are willing to talk with you on a regular basis about their concerns and experiences, while giving you honest feedback on your products and services. Only by knowing how the motivations of your customers are tied to the underlying values of the generation to which they belong will you be able to tailor your products and services to their needs, interests, and desires. Applied knowledgeably, that information will provide you with a key competitive advantage. # 5 ISHC Top Ten Issue THE FUTURE OF HOTEL PROFITS We can anticipate that it will become increasingly difficult to sustain profit growth and improved return on investment performance. And for several reasons including:1) increasing operating costs that will outpace the growth of Revenues Per Available Room (RevPAR). 2) the rising costs of capital and the need for reinvestment that will adversely affect hotel returns. 3) Increasing labor and benefits costs that are being driven by changes in demographics, government regulations and labor agreements, and 4) higher energy costs. In the US for example, according to Smith Travel Research, RevPAR growth has been robust over the last three years reaching a projected peak in 2006 at 8.9 percent. While there is some debate about exactly where the industry is in the current cycle, there appears to be a consensus that RevPAR growth has peaked. For 2007 Smith Travel Research is projecting growth of 7.1 percent, and with the threat of increased supply looming on the horizon, year over year RevPAR growth is expected to continue to decline. Rising interest rates and higher equity return requirements are anticipated to result in higher costs of capital. At the same time, reinvestment costs (capital expenditures) are increasing as existing supply ages. As a consequence, profits will be reduced and owner returns are expected to decline over the next 12 to 24 months. Labor costs are the number one factor impacting hotel expenses. They are being affected by: Changes in demographics that are expected to constrict the available labor pool; Government regulations (higher minimum wages, immigration constraints, and mandated healthcare); New labor agreements that include significant increases in wages and continued limits on the ability to cross train; and Higher benefit expenses resulting from increased health insurance costs and pension requirements. In 2005, utilities grew at a rate of 13.6 percent over the prior year according to PKF Hospitality Research. While oil prices have been falling in recent months they remain slightly above 2005 levels. Utility expenses are not expected to decline significantly during 2007, and as such will remain an area of concern impacting hotel profitability into the future. In some cases, the factors that have been identified as affecting hotel profitability are out of the control of individual hotel owners and operators, however, there are steps that can be taken to mitigate their impact. For example: by giving increased attention to yield management, operators can potentially increase their RevPAR; through creative financing and diligent oversight of capital expenditures operators can increase their return on investment; improved employee retention and the use of alternate labor sources such as retirees can help to contain employee labor costs; and the installation of new energy saving devices and more efficient design can help to control energy expense. # 6 ISHC Top Ten Issue BRANDING: Mitigating Consumer Confusion over Brand Proliferation and Investor Concerns over Cross-Brand Impact As most of us involved in hotel development and operations are aware, there has been an explosion of new hotel brands/products announced over the past three to four years. Aloft, Cambria, Indigo, Waldorf-Astoria, Hyatt Place, NYLO, Viceroy, Capella, and most recently 1, are but a few examples of this rabid expansion of product type among both the major hotel franchise companies and small start-ups or spin-off management firms trying to establish themselves as a brand. But, despite all the hype and promotion surrounding the roll-out of these new hotels products, and the promise that each will be unique and different from their existing or future competition through design, price point, service levels, amenities, and/or the mattress, do the vast majority of consumers really understand all of the products? Do they want them? And what about the existing hotel franchisee or owner faced with yet another brand competitor under an existing franchise umbrella that is first viewed as splitting the pie even further? What does it do to their demand base? How about the going concern value of their asset? Today, there are an estimated 140 + hotel brands, up from approximately 80 in 1995 and estimated 110 brands in 2000. Are all these brands and choices necessary? Are more brands better, or are we merely creating more confusion for an already confused customer base? The answer is probably yes and yes, but not necessarily negative. Much of the new product being launched is attempting to capture an evolving consumer whose tastes and preferences are changing as they age. The baby boom generation, Gen Xers and Yers, Millenniums, etc., all have demographic characteristics and psychographic needs that may or may not be satisfied by todays hotel products. So the idea is that these new brands and products will better meet these consumers evolving needs in sufficient quantity to be market and financially successful. In that light, the larger issue is what to do with the brands left behind. They never seem to go away! Perhaps thats where more thought and effort should be concentrated by industry consultants, investors and franchisors. On the other hand, in the case of start-up hotel companies such as, Kor, West Paces Hotel Group, which rolled out the Solis and Capella luxury brands under the leadership of a former Ritz Carlton executive, or most recently the 1 luxury brand, begs the question as to whether there is perhaps too much equity and debt capital chasing too few deals in a hot hotel market rather than a verifiable market need for a better mouse trap. From an existing hotel franchisee/operator perspective, how do the major franchise companies protect their existing franchise partners from the impact against these new products so that the new product is not cannibalizing the existing demand base, particularly when there are 10 to 15 years left on the existing operators franchise agreement? This is an on-going issue that continues to surface, but has yet to be resolved between franchisor and franchisee. Franchisee councils, 3rd party impact studies, and areas of protection are a few of the methods used to address this complex issue, but none have proven to be a panacea. In both cases, the onslaught of new brands is a cyclical one and tends to occur during the up and peak points of the hotel cycle. So it is likely that this proliferation will subside as the industry cycle matures or begins to decline. At that point, as we have seen too often, the new brands that were ill-conceived and lacking clear definition and marketability ultimately become the weaker performers which are then often absorbed by the stronger ones. Eventually, these same brands (and all the hotels bearing their name) that fail to capture sufficient consumer interest languish and trade down the food chain of franchise companies over time, or are broken up and sold off in pieces. These thoughts would suggest that, perhaps as an industry, we should focus more on creative alternative uses for marginal brands and properties as opposed to worrying about the new ones stealing existing business. # 7 ISHC Top Ten Issue DISTRIBUTION REVOLUTION In 2006, it is estimated that $24 billion worth of hotel rooms in the US alone will be booked through internet sites representing 27% of US hotel industry room revenues up from $15.5 billion just two years ago. Moreover, industry analysts estimate an additional 25 to 30% of all hotel bookings are influenced by online research. The bottom line is that the hospitality industry continues to experience a revolution in distribution, and organizations are less and less equipped to keep pace with the dramatic changes in this online landscape. As distribution via the Internet evolved many experts agreed that online presence helped level the playing field; that independent hotels and small hotel companies could compete in cyberspace with major brands. Today, the issue is not can they compete but can any hotel or hotel company keep pace with the colossal changes and innovations that flood the online world? At the property level the first challenge was to effectively (and more efficiently) manage a myriad of distribution channels from a tactical perspective. Certainly the efforts to do a better job at the tactical side of distribution management have paid off. Although theres still room for improvement in this regard, online inventory management and better application of rate integrity policies have certainly helped hotels take back control of their inventories and pricing. The newest challenge is represented in the strategic side of distribution management and more specifically the ability to understand, manage and market to the consumer in the online world. This playing field is changing so rapidly that it is virtually impossible to keep pace. Hospitality professionals, whether they be in ownership positions, senior management at corporate or a property level executive, must become online savvy. Without some understanding of the online consumers buying behavior, it is impossible to effectively level the playing field or allocate marketing dollars intelligently. From travel blogs to consumer reviews from travel oriented social networking to highly targeted, email based direct marketing from really simple syndication (RSS permits users to subscribe to their choice of Web content) to the use of rich media to differentiate hotel productall of these innovations are causing what PhocusWright terms the power shift toward consumers. The question is: Are hotels ready for this? In many cases our collective heads are still spinning from the first wave of online distribution challenges. Now hotels must be even savvier about every aspect of how their product reaches the consumer. Directors of Sales Marketing and Directors of Revenue Management must understand at least the basics of search engine optimization, pay-per-click marketing, link popularity strategies and web traffic analysis. Allocation of marketing budgets and resources must be carefully managed to optimize reach. And the connection (and

Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Character Sketch of Chaucers Knight in General Prologue :: Canterbury Tales Essays

A Character Sketch of Chaucer's Knight in General Prologue Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, written in approximately 1385, is a collection of twenty-four stories ostensibly told by various people who are going on a religious pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral from London, England. Prior to the actual tales, however, Chaucer offers the reader a glimpse of fourteenth century life by way of what he refers to as a General Prologue. In this prologue, Chaucer introduces all of the characters who are involved in this imaginary journey and who will tell the tales. Among the characters included in this introductory section is a knight. Chaucer initially refers to the knight as "a most distinguished man" (l. 43) and, indeed, his sketch of the knight is highly complimentary. The knight, Chaucer tells us, "possessed/Fine horses, but he was not gaily dressed" (ll. 69-70). Indeed, the knight is dressed in a common shirt which is stained "where his armor had left mark" (l. 72). That is, the knight is "just home from service" (l. 73) and is in such a hurry to go on his pilgrimage that he has not even paused before beginning it to change his clothes. The knight has had a very busy life as his fighting career has taken him to a great many places. He has seen military service in Egypt, Lithuania, Prussia, Russia, Spain, North Africa, and Asia Minor where he "was of [great] value in all eyes (l. 63). Even though he has had a very successful and busy career, he is extremely humble: Chaucer maintains that he is "modest as a maid" (l. 65). Moreover, he has never said a rude thing to anyone in his entire life (cf., ll. 66-7). Clearly, the knight possesses an outstanding character. Chaucer gives to the knight one of the more flattering descriptions in the General Prologue. The knight can do no wrong: he is an outstanding warrior who has fought for the true faith--according to Chaucer--on three continents. In the midst of all this contenton, however, the knight remains modest and polite. The knight is the embodiment of the chivalric code: he is devout and courteous off the battlefield and is bold and fearless on it.

Delivering Bad News

| Delivering Bad News: Helping your patients retain dire details| Modern Medicine Oct 1, 2009| | The purpose: This article focuses on providing healthcare professionals with suggestions that will help their patients remember important information immediately after receiving bad news. Although nurses usually don’t deliver the bad news, they are often in the room when it is given and are often the person that has to give the patient instructions immediately afterward. Research supports the fact that patients might not hear much of the nurse or physician tells them at this time, therefore they retain very little of the valuable information. Patients with poor prognoses are especially at risk and retain even less than patient with fair to good prognoses. This research also revealed that the more information given to the patient the less they retained. Information data: The first suggestion that will help patients retain information in the event of bad news is to prepare the patient ahead of time for how they will hear the results. Ask them to bring a spouse, supportive friend or a tape recorder. The second suggestion is to have a face to face conversation with the patient. This will enable you to watch the patient’s body language. Nonverbal language plays a big role in the assessment of a patient’s well being of state of mind at the time. This meeting should be during a reserved time period, so that you or the patient doesn’t feel rushed. A third suggestion is to decide on a few key points to make and stick with presenting these few only. Giving a patient too much information will result in them retaining even less. The fourth suggestion is start with the prognosis, not the diagnosis. Say something like â€Å"you have a condition that is very treatable with medication. If it is a grim diagnosis start with empathy and then convey the commitment to the patient. State â€Å"we’re here to talk about what the test showed and I want you to know that I am committed to working with you closely throughout the course of your treatment. † The fifth suggestion is use simple language so that the patient can understand what is being explained to them. Many times Dr will use many words that the p atient’s just don’t understand. It is important to remember that everyday language in the hospital or Dr Office setting may not be so in the everyday setting for the patient. Explaining valuable information in a language that patients can understand is important in helping them retain the information. The sixth suggestion is to use a â€Å"teach back† or â€Å"chunking and checking† teaching strategy. This method gives the patient a small piece of information and asks them to explain it back in their own words. One good way to do this is have them explain to you how they are going to relay the information just give to their spouse or another family member not present at the meeting. Another way would be for them to show you how they are going to teach others about their treatment plan. The seventh suggestion is to use handouts in simple language as supplements to verbal teaching. These work well as references that can be referenced at a later time. The eighth suggestion is to give the patient resources to help them with further coping. Resources such as websites, support groups or social workers can be very helpful in promoting coping. The ninth and finial suggestion is to set up follow up visits to assess how the patient is feeling as well as answer any additional questions the patient may have. This is very important in order make the patient feel as if they are not alone in dealing with this issue and that you are committed to working closely with the patient throughout the prescribed treatment. Conclusions reached by author: Today healthcare providers are doing better at communicating information, but there are still areas to improve. These nine suggestions have contributed to the improvements and will continue to impact the way healthcare professionals communicate. In the authors opinion the most important thing is being honest and open. As nurses it is important to take the time to get to know the individual and appreciate the journey with the patient. Critique This article was very easy to read and had a good flow with the presentation of the information. I was able to read the article easily and did not have to stop to clarify much of the information. I liked that the author summarized the suggestions in a numbered list at the end of the article. This made it easier to present each suggestion in my summary. The article seemed to be more directed at Physicians, however I think the suggestions could be very valuable to any healthcare professional involved with direct patient care. Any healthcare professional that is involved in the teaching or communicating the treatment plan to the patient could benefit with the application of these suggestions. As a nurse I can apply these suggestions anytime I need teach patients about treatment plans. Good communication is a very important skill to develop and will be beneficial not only with the patients but with coworkers as well.

French Verb Conjugation for Briller (to Shine)

French Verb Conjugation for Briller (to Shine) To shine in French is the verb  briller. It is an easy one to remember if you associate it with brilliant, as in give it a brilliant shine.   When you want to change  briller  to the past tense or the present or future, for that matter you will need to conjugate the verb. French students who have studied other verbs that end in -er  will find this lesson very familiar. Conjugating the French Verb  Briller First, a quick review of pronunciation. Keep in mind that the double LL sounds like a Y when it follows an I. Rather than the hard L sound of [briller], it is pronounced [breeyer]. This follows through to all of the verb conjugations. Briller  is a  regular -ER verb  and that makes it relatively straightforward. The verb endings that replace the -er  follow a specific pattern. For example, in  je  future tense, an  -ai  is added to  briller  and in je  imperfect past tense, the -er  becomes -ais. You will find this in similar verbs like  blesser  (to hurt) and  augmenter  (to raise). That makes each new verb just a little easier to learn. The chart lays out the primary forms of  briller  for you to study. To use it, pair the subject pronoun with the appropriate tense. For example, I shine is je brille and we will shine is nous brillerons. Brillers Present Participle When you want to use the  present participle  of briller, drop the -er  and add an -ant.  This gives you the word brillant. Did you notice the resemblance to brilliant? The present participle is where we get the correlation that can help with memorization. Another Past Tense of  Briller The past tense of  briller  can be expressed using the imperfect or the  passà © composà ©. For the latter, you will use the  past participle  brillà ©Ã‚  as well as the conjugate of  avoir, which is an  auxiliary verb. As an example of the completed passà © composà ©, I moved becomes jai brillà © and we moved is nous avons brillà ©. Note how  ai  and  avons  are conjugates of  avoir  and  brillà ©Ã‚  does not change with the subject. More Simple Conjugations of  Briller There may be times in your French that you will use one of the following verb forms of  briller. The subjunctive and conditional are used when the action has some uncertainty to it. The passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive are primarily found in literature and when youre writing. When you want to use  briller  in short commands or requests, you can turn to the imperative verb form. For this one, skip the subject pronoun and say only the verb: brille rather than tu brille.

Battle of Monmouth in the American Revolution

Battle of Monmouth in the American Revolution The Battle of Monmouth was fought on June 28, 1778, during the American Revolution (1775 to 1783). Major General Charles Lee  commanded 12,000 men of the Continental Army under the leadership of General George Washington. For the British,  General Sir Henry Clinton  commanded 11,000 men under the leadership of  Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis. The weather was extremely hot during the battle,  and almost as many soldiers died from heatstroke as from battle. Background With the French entry into the American Revolution in February 1778, British strategy in America began to shift as the war became increasingly global in nature. As a result, the newly appointed commander of the British Army in America, General Sir Henry Clinton, received orders to dispatch part of his forces to the West Indies and Florida. Though the British had captured the rebel capital of Philadelphia in 1777, Clinton, soon to be short on men, decided to abandon the city the following spring to focus on protecting his base at New York City. Assessing the situation, he originally wanted to withdraw his army by sea, but a shortage of transports compelled him to plan a march north. On June 18, 1778, Clinton began evacuating the city, with his troops crossing Delaware at Coopers Ferry. Moving northeast, Clinton initially intended to march overland to New York, but later opted to move toward  Sandy Hook and take boats to the city. Washingtons Plan While the British commenced planning their departure from Philadelphia, General George Washingtons army was still at its winter quarters encampment at Valley Forge, where it had been tirelessly drilled and trained by Baron von Steuben.  Learning of Clintons intentions, Washington sought to engage the British before they could reach the safety of New York. While many of Washingtons officers favored this aggressive approach, Major General Charles Lee strenuously objected. A recently released prisoner of war and an adversary of Washingtons, Lee argued that the French alliance meant victory in the long run and that it was foolish to commit the army to battle unless they had overwhelming superiority over the enemy. Weighing the arguments, Washington elected to pursue Clinton. In New Jersey, Clintons march was moving slowly due to an extensive baggage train. Arriving at Hopewell, NJ, on June 23, Washington held a council of war. Lee once again argued against a major attack, and this time managed to sway his commander. Encouraged in part by suggestions made by Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, Washington decided instead to send a force of 4,000 men to harass Clintons rearguard. Due to his seniority in the army, Lee was offered command of this force by Washington. Lacking confidence in the plan, Lee declined this offer and it was given to the Marquis de Lafayette. Later in the day, Washington enlarged the force to 5,000. Upon hearing this, Lee changed his mind and demanded that he be given command, which he received with strict orders that he was to hold a meeting of his officers to determine the plan of attack. Lees Attack and Retreat On June 28, Washington received word from the New Jersey militia that the British were on the move. Directing Lee forward, he instructed him to strike the flank of the British as they marched up Middletown Road. This would halt the enemy and allow Washington to bring up the main body of the army. Lee obeyed Washingtons earlier order and held a conference with his commanders. Rather than devising a plan, he told them to be alert for orders during the battle. Around 8 p.m. on June 28, Lees column encountered the British rear guard under Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis just north of Monmouth Court House. Rather than launch a coordinated attack, Lee committed his troops piecemeal and quickly lost control of the situation. After a few hours of fighting, the British moved to flank Lees line. Seeing this movement, Lee ordered a general retreat up the Freehold Meeting House-Monmouth Court House Road after offering little resistance. Washington to the Rescue While Lees force was engaging Cornwallis, Washington was bringing up the main army. Riding forward, he encountered the fleeing soldiers from Lees command. Appalled by the situation, he located Lee and demanded to know what had happened. After receiving no satisfactory answer, Washington rebuked Lee in one of the few instances in which he swore publicly. Dismissing his subordinate, Washington set to rallying Lees men. Ordering Wayne to establish a line north of the road to slow the British advance, he worked to establish a defensive line along a hedgerow. These efforts held off the British long enough to allow the army to take up positions to the west, behind the West Ravine. Moving into place, the line saw Major General William Alexanders men on the left and Major General Nathanael Greenes troops to the right. The line was supported to the south by artillery on Combs Hill. Falling back to the main army, the remnants of Lees forces, now led by Lafayette, re-formed to the rear of the new American line with the British in pursuit. The training and discipline instilled by von Steuben at Valley Forge paid dividends, and the Continental troops were able to fight the British regulars to a standstill. Late in the afternoon, with both sides bloodied and exhausted  from the summer heat, the British broke off the battle and withdrew toward New York. Washington wished to continue the pursuit, but his men were too exhausted and Clinton had reached the safety of Sandy Hook. The Legend of Molly Pitcher While many of the details regarding the involvement of a Molly Pitcher in the fighting at Monmouth have been embellished or are in dispute, it seems there was indeed a woman who brought water to American artillerymen during the battle. This would have been no small feat, as it was desperately needed not only to alleviate the mens suffering in the intense heat but also to swab the guns during the reloading process. In one version of the story, Molly Pitcher even took over from her husband on a gun crew when he fell, either wounded or from heatstroke. It is believed that Mollys real name was  Mary Hayes McCauly, but, again, the exact details and extent of her assistance during the battle is unknown. Aftermath Casualties for the Battle of Monmouth, as reported by each commander, were 69 killed in battle, 37 dead from heatstroke, 160 wounded, and 95 missing for the Continental Army. British casualties included 65 killed in battle, 59 dead from heatstroke, 170 wounded, 50 captured, and 14 missing. In both cases, these numbers are conservative and losses were more likely 500 to 600 for Washington and over 1,100 for Clinton. The battle was the last major engagement fought in the northern theater of the war. Thereafter, the British holed up in New York and shifted their attention to the southern colonies. Following the battle, Lee requested a court-martial to prove that he was innocent of any wrongdoing. Washington obliged and filed formal charges. Six weeks later, Lee was found guilty and suspended from the service.