Spa – Cr. to the Rightful Owner

This chapter presents the discussion of reviewed related writing of authors that the researchers collected during the course of the study. Material reviewed came from different books, studies and other professional writings from both foreign and local books. Conceptual Literature The worldwide spa industry is worth in the region of US $40 billion and has grown at a phenomenal rate in the past ten years (Haden, 2007). The growth of health food, gyms and the investment in leisure facilities proves that consumers are looking for more than relaxation during a break or holiday; this is unsurprising given time is so precious to contemporary consumers (Lynch, 2002). Harmsworth (2004: p. 173) claims that â€Å"the spa market is one of the fastest growing leisure sectors, where societal trends and aspirations find instant reflection in the developments on both the demand and supply sides. The market is very fragmented, each segment catering for different customer needs, which continuously change in line with social and lifestyle changes. † According to Libosada Jr. C. and Bosangit C. (2007) stated that spa is a resort with mineral or thermal water used for drinking and bathing. The term is derived from the name of a town in Belgium and has been applied to similar resort worldwide. The Kentucky-based International Spa Association (ISPA), an organization which claims to set the standards for the spa industry makes no mention of water in its definition, arguing that â€Å"a spa serves as an educational and cultural institution that promotes and integrates individual wellness, health and fitness as well as social well-being, harmony and balance through wellness, prevention, therapy and rehabilitation of body, mind and soul† (Loverseed, 1998: p. 48). Later, the ISPA offered an all-encompassing, holistic definition, claiming that spas are entities â€Å"devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit† (Mintel, 2005). It is claimed by Jenner and Smith (2000) that visiting spas is one of the earliest forms of tourism. Spas found their beginnings thousands of years ago, when ancient civilisations used them for their healing properties and as an important part of their social structure (Vierville, 2003; Spaa, 2002). The therapeutic use of baths was remarkably long-lived; such popularity was no doubt partly due to the fact that baths were both pleasant and, by the Roman imperial period at least, comparatively freely available (Jackson, 1990). It was after this time that public interest in baths began to peak (Spaa, 2002). Spa tourism has many varied definitions; there is no â€Å"officially† agreed upon definition of what a spa should or should not be – what makes it such? Many believe that the word ‘spa' is an acronym based on the Latin phrase â€Å"sanitas per aquas† – meaning ‘health through water', in fact the Oxford English dictionary’s definition of a spa is from the Latin â€Å"solus per aqua† or â€Å"health by water† defined as â€Å"a place with mineral springs considered to have health-giving properties† (Loverseed, 1998). Thornton and Brutscher (2003) maintain that the word and the concept of spa actually originated from the time of the Roman Empire when battle weary legionnaires tried to find a way to recover from their military wounds and ailments. Therefore suggesting that traditionally, water is not only inexplicably linked to the definition of spas, but that it is the water which defines it. The European Spas Association’s (ESPA) definition of a spa is also dependent upon the water element; they define a spa as „a mineral spring or a place or resort where such a spring is found? (Jenner and Smith, 2000). Unlike the ESPA, the British Spas Federation (BSF) reviewed its definition with regard to widening its membership, which at that time consisted only of the municipal authorities of spa towns. However, the BSF was later replaced by the Spa Business Association (SpaBa) who in turn redefined the spa, returning the centrality of the role of water by defining a spa as â€Å"an establishment providing a minimum of one approved water based treatment using water of known composition. The spa should be staffed by appropriately trained therapists and have minimum standards of furnishings. The water should be enhanced with minerals, either naturally or with an additive† (Mintel, 2005). Others, especially in the USA, hold a far less rigid view of what constitutes a spa. The Kentucky-based International Spa Association (ISPA), an organization which claims to set the standards for the spa industry makes no mention of water in its definition, arguing that â€Å"a spa serves as an educational and cultural institution that promotes and integrates individual wellness, health and fitness as well as social well-being, harmony and balance through wellness, prevention, therapy and rehabilitation of body, mind and soul (Loverseed, 1998: p. 8). Later, the ISPA offered an all-encompassing, holistic definition, claiming that spas are â€Å"devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit† (Mintel, 2005). It is claimed by Jenner and Smith (2000) that visiting spas is one of the earliest forms of tourism. Spas found their beginnings thousands of years ago, when ancient civilisations used them for their healing properties and as an important part of their social structure (Vierville, 2003; Spaa, 2002). The therapeutic use of baths was remarkably long-lived; such popularity was no doubt partly due to the fact that baths were both pleasant and, by the Roman imperial period at least, comparatively freely available (Jackson, 1990). It was after this time that public interest in baths began to peak (Spaa, 2002). By the medieval period, the idea that thermal springs could have medicinal properties was firmly established. But in the 18th and 19th centuries, taking the waters? began being a fashionable pastime for Europe?s upper classes. In fact, the popularity of this habit is what established places in the UK, such as Bath, Brighton and Harrogate, as early tourism destinations (Jenner and Smith, 2000). Today’s spa is an interesting combination of ancient traditions and modern facilities; in recent years, the value of prevention, healthy lifestyles, and relaxation has been embraced by many and the spa is again finding its place in modern society as a place uniquely geared to address these needs (Register, 2005). In one of the major formative tradition for current pattern of health and well-ness spa tourism worldwide, the Roman Empire left behind a long list of spas all over Europe, which they built while they were occupying new territories. With the demise of the Western Roman Empire in 450 AD, so too came the demise of the Roman bath tradition in Europe, although Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East maintained a highly developed bathing culture. This was a result of the influence of the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire and the subsequent Arab conquests and maintained the influence of Roman bathing tradition in those countries (The Spa Association, 2005). The City of bath in England provides an example of the fusion of Roman history with later trends in spa and wellness demand and supply in Europe (White, 2000). After the springs had been abandoned as a bathing resource in 1978 (although not touristically or respect of their mineral waters), the Bath spa project was launched by the City Council in 1997 in order to restore bath to the leading spa town of England, with the expectation that the project would stimulate the revival of spa culture in the UK. The hew spa facilities in Bath are just a short distance from the original Roman bath site and they used natural hot spring water drawn from the same springs that have served visitors for at least the last two thousand years. The new facilities are designed to offer relaxing and extended therapeutic treatments. Although they will not act as a cure for serious illness they will act as a cure for the human spirit, as outline in reference to the conservation statement for the adjacent Roman Baths (Clews, 2000). In countries such as Hungary the change from centuries of thermal bathing culture to modern wellness facilities has been slower than in countries without a history of hot or mineral hot springs. In Budapest the increase use of day spas builds on the ancient way of relieving stress and physical ailments through hot water treatment, and day spas and wellness facilities are now being established in a society that is becoming more conscious of the importance of healthy lifestyle (LaForest, 2004). In Budapest the locals congregate in public thermal baths such as the Szechenvi to relax, swim and take many of the cures and treatment on offer. They are also known for taking the national pastime of playing chess into thermal pools (The age, 2005). And further to the east in Russia the Soviet era thermal baths were an integral part of the national health system. In Europe Austria was one of the first countries to adopt the more recent concept of wellness and to act upon quickly. The country affectively appeals to key tourist target groups by positioning itself to offer wellness treatments that unite the body, spirit, personal desire, culture, and natural resources embodied by the spring (Nahrstedt, 2002). Australia has an unmatched infrastructure when it comes to wellness holidays and health-related tourism, and was ranked number one in the world for quality of life and its healthcare services in the early 2000s (Garalli, 2002). According to Nahrsetedt (2002) Austria boasts an intact natural environment in conjunction with its wellness spas, an association that is also very popular in the Japanese tourist market. In Japan itself though, with literally thousands of geothermal springs and the Japanese preference for authentic and unadulterated hot spring water, wellness centres are not yet developed to quite the same extent, leaving the European style wellness facility as a potential favorite for the Japanese while on holiday. In Japan, in tradition hot springs have been developed into days spas known as kuahausu derived from the German word kurhaus, providing separates bathing areas for men and women with thermal mineral pools at different temperatures, a cold pool area with fountains and waterslides, bowling alleys, gyms, saunas and steam rooms, massage services, restaurants and bars, relaxation rooms, music rooms, and video games (Altman, 2000: 07). But the main bathing attractions are the traditional hot springs called Onsen. Often used by groups of people who enjoy sharing a bath after leaving the world of corporate work behind? As well as families and couples, a trip to an Onsen is classed as the ultimate bonding experience because all are equal once they shed their designer clothes and other status symbols. The captain of Iceland, Reykjavik, has been designated on official spa city by the European Spa Association (Iceland Express, 2006). This seems well deserved a quite logical, because the Icelanders have many facilities where they can take care of their health, well-being and leisure. Several active Volcanoes and high temperature geothermal field provide natural hot springs all over Iceland and most towns have at least one public geothermal swimming pool. The Health and Wellness Spa Industry Having said that, rising customer expectations concerning health and wellness are the foundation in which the modern health and wellness spa industry is building an ever-increasing supply of facilities for the medical and general (wellness) visitor, to the extent that this form of tourism is now worth in excess of 250 billion US dollars per year and attract some 150 billion active spa-goers world-wide (ISPA, 2007). Caution is needed here though, because for example these figures are said to include 19. 1 million Japanese spa-goers. Japanese data (Beppu International Tourism Office, 2007) suggest that there are over 150 million Onsen users alone in that country (Chapter 9). This discrepancy would appear to relate to the varying definitions of wellness and spa use that were discussed earlier, where the Japanese tradition is more about simply bathing in hot water than about the American tradition of beauty spa that underlies the research undertaken by the International Spa Association. As a result of this, many Japanese users may not be counted if the data are concentrating on analyzing the spa experience rather than the totality of health and wellness tourism based on the use of hot and mineral springs. The trend toward indulgence in a relaxing environment, which began after World War II (Foster & Keller, 2008), has thus turned into a global movement but one that is a significant departure from the original concept of health spa that mainly specialized in rehabilitation of recovering from illness and injury. The new emphasis lies in prevention of disease and maintenance of good health more that cure, with high expectations regarding health improvement even if there are no particular health problems. Along with the body, mind and soul are also catered for in many spas in a holistic approach of creating harmony for those in need. This often includes new-age treatments as well as the more traditional water-based therapy. The key element in all such facilities is water. Be it apart of the natural landscape surrounding a facility (ocean, rivers, lake and waterfalls), decoration in the background (pools, fountains) or an active treatment component, water is a very important element in the world of spas and wellness. More and more spas without a natural hot springs are investigating the possibility if tapping into mineral geothermal water resources to enhance their business. The trend towards natural looking environments or setting is also evident in many spa hotels and resorts where swimming pools and thermal bathing facilities are designed and built to looks are natural as possible, with rock pools the most typical and widespread design. The development of these spa and wellness water resources can be divided into two broad types: Hot spring: These are usually well known and general appreciated for their curative value and their therapeutic benefits based on both water temperature and mineral content; Mineral springs: These can be cold or warm water from a nature spring, with curative value based on the type and concentration of minerals in the water. Often, the water can be taken internally too and is bottled and distributed (Cooper, P. nd Cooper, M. , 2009). Current International Trends in Spa and Wellness Tourism The trends of indulging in a relaxing environment has turned into a global movement but one with a significant difference from the original concept of health and natural hot and mineral spring spas, which mainly specialized in rehabilitation. The new emphasis lies in the prevention of disease and in the maintenance of good health instead of cures, with high expectation regarding health improvements even i f there are no specific problems. Mind and soul are usually catered for long with the body in many spas using holistic approach of creating harmony for those in need, including new-age treatments as well as the more traditional rehabilitative therapies. The main center of attention at present appears to be a natural healing method incorporating Asian treatments accompanied by the esthetic appeal of Eastern lifestyles and culture, which are in great demand. Therapies of Asia origin are often combined with European balneotherapy and hydrotherapy as well as sport and fitness facilities to offer diversity of options in order to attract as many customers and client as possible. Nearly all spas cater for aspects with special signature treatments to ensure that there are no missed opportunities (Cooper, P. and Cooper, M. , 2009). Characteristics of Spa Tourists Traditionally it has been women who have primarily used spas. However, a consumer research conducted by ISPA in 2003 determined that 29% of spa tourists around the world are men; this figure rose to 30% in 2004. As men continue to represent a significant proportion of the spa market, more spas are offering special treatments for them and men-only spas continue to open in cities around the world (Grihault, 2007; Mintel, 2005; Messerli and Oyama, 2004). The Baby Boomer generation (45-60 years old) continues to be the core consumer base for the global spa tourism industry. According to Haden (2007) industry analysts have long known that health conscious Baby Boomers have been the main driving force behind the worldwide boom in the spa industry. However, some argue the appeal of the industry reaches a larger age-range; Swarbrooke (2000: p 78-79) claims that most visitors to spa sites are in the social classes A, B and C1 and are between 30 and 65 years of age. Mintel (2005) have a similar view, claiming it is the 25-64 year old market who dominate the customer base for spas; this group tends not to be at the family life stage, and their members are as likely to be male as female. The average age of visitors to spas is currently 49 years (ETC, 2002). Yet Hudson (2003) argues that by 2050, 20 percent of the world’s population will be sixty years or older; and by 2150, this figure will increase to over 30percent. These claims seem dramatic; however it is clear from all the statistics available that the population is aging and that this trend is set to continue. Latest research by International Database, US Census in 2007 confirms these figures and shows the number of people aged over 55 years is projected to reach 2. 6 billion or approximately 27. 7% of the world?s population by 2050. Thus, the number of individuals aged 55 and over is forecast to grow at a rate of about 4% per year over the next 43 years (Haden, 2007). According to a survey carried out by the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB), 70. 8% of those aged over 45 years had been on holiday in 2006, compared to 64. 9% of the general UK population. A Mintel study of US travellers in 2005 revealed that those over 55 years are more inclined to take holidays lasting five days or longer. Maintaining health in retirement has become a top priority. In a 2006 study of US health and fitness clubs in May 2006, Mintel found that those aged over 55 years were far more likely to participate in some form of strenuous exercise five or more times a week than other segments of the population (Haden, 2007). If such predictions are dealt with wisely, the outlook for the industry appears to be positive; it will help to drive tourism’s growth in general and health-related travel in particular. Taking this into consideration, such a shift will clearly have substantial implications for the international health and spa tourism industry. Research Literature Health spas had their origin in Europe and many resorts had name that were associated with spas. The popularity of mineral springs carried over to Northern America and the springs were the location of some of the earlier resort. It is important to differentiate between spa hotels and resort spas. Spas hotels cater only to spa clientele and all guests must participate in the meals, treatment and exercises. On the other hand, resorts spas are amenities that are available to the guest, and charges are made for the various usage of spa (Liguori, S. and Gray, W. ). Administration of spa hotels heavily involves people with a medical background, whereas resort spas are merely operating departments of the resorts. Exercises-oriented facilities are swimming pools, tennis court, handball and racquetball courts, jogging trails, hiking and weight and aerobic training. Spa program include dietary program, massage, herbal wraps, exfoliation, that also therapy, facial and hydrotherapy. Under both scenarios, staffing involves people experienced in the program and administrative personnel. Ways for boosting revenue The method presented in the previous section illustrated the overall contribution of resort spas to resort revenue, in order to offer more insight into how spa managers can increase their spa revenue, the author of this study conducted to an interview with a spa director of one of the leading resorts spa in Southwest Florida. The director state that resorts should first focus on guest experience to increase their sales. In that director’s case, she mentioned that her resort was able to increase the incremental spending from $658 to $985 per night by packaging spa and other activities together. The director also stated that pre-arrival process is a critical component for revenue maximization. She offered a case as an example where she use a system called â€Å"power booking† in which a spa front desk agent was calling guest two to three days to prior to the spa reservation date and providing the opportunity for upgrades and additional bookings base on availability (Rutherford, D. and O’Fallon, M. 2011). According to O’Fallon M. and Rutherford D. (2011) stated that spas are booming such a significant component of the service menu for resorts and full service hotels that their absence, especially in amenity- rich resort environment, is glaring obvious. Within the leisure industries in 2003, revenues related to spas ranked number four behind golf fees and dues ($19. 7 million0, cruise lines revenues ($14. 7 million), and health club revenues ($14. 1 million). At $11. 2 million, spa revenues outpaced amusement park revenues ($10. 3 million), box office receipts ($9. million), and vacation ownership sales ($5. 5 million (Thacker, 2004; Audi and Wright, 2004). In this section, we first examine trends that support a sea change in North Americans’ attitude toward spa demand demographics; we discuss the type of spas currently popular in the industry, development and operational considerations, the components of a spa experience, compensation issues, and trends in the spa industry. Spa demand According to the International SPA Associations research, between 2002 and 2003, 11% of the national population over the age of 16 made one or more spa visits. This statistics shows that in xten Americans visited a spa during that period. Additionally, of these, 41% were visiting spas for the first time, indicating a larger population embracing spa usage. Age demographics show that 145% of clients are between the ages of 16 and 24, and over 50% are in the 24 to 44 age bracket. An emerging national statistics is the number of male visits to spas. 23% of spa visits and 29% of spa goers were men in 2003, trending toward special gender oriented treatments and male- only spas being opened worldwide. Spa selection criteria are determined by a number of factors. An established and known environment for instance, as part of an established resort, club or destination spa often influences the decision, and does atmosphere, quality of treatment, and friendliness of staff. Additionally, among spa goers nine out of ten respondents report they would return for a similar experience. Most spa customers believe they receive good value for their spa dollar. On a 10 point scale, services were given an average of 8 for value; with massage generating 8. 8 on the value such as Canyon Ranch are opening in the day spa market, adding new competitive pressure on the independents. Non-traditional players are also adding product supply. For example, corporations are creating in house spa environments, hospitals are adding wellness as part of their repertoire, and medi-spas, with a primary focus on cosmetic surgery, are adding spa business as an additional profit center. Health club are also trying to capture a piece of the pie by adding spa practices. The rationale in this market is that time-crunched patrons can benefit from the one-stop-shopping approached to fitness and wellness but the health club operator also uses the spa as an enticement to join the fitness centre. As the day and destination spa markets become saturated, it will become imperative for survival that each operator differentiate itself from the competition. The necessity for market segmentation to ensure clear communication with consumers will be a key to success in the maturing spa market. Another component of success will be a branding strategy that the consumer can immediately identify with respect to spa performance and the consumers personal comfort travel (Rutherford & O’Fallon 2011). Health Issues and Spa Demand. Increasingly, spa goers are looking to create prolonged wellness that integrates and renews body, mind and spirit. To that end, Eastern and Western lifestyle issues related to medicine, philosophy, and spiritual are becoming a mainstay of many spa/wellness experiences. To best deliver this, the wellness spa (located at day, destination, or resort environment) supports guest’ needs by creating an experience, not just a series of treatments. All the guest amenities, treatments, and programs must be seamlessly integrated into a personally tailored guest experience. This experience should be targeted toward couples, parents with children, and teenagers. In the early 1990, spa were considered a natural outgrowth of fitness facilities and focused primarily on treatments related to body wellness. As market sophistication evolved, the body mind connection attracted consumer focus. In the beginning of the twenty- first century, spas and marketers are overtly addressing body, mind, and spirit connections in order to respond to emerging market sensibilities (Rutherford & O’Fallon 2011). Spas as an Operating Department. Historically, spa operations were treated by management similarly to other revenue departments, like catering and restaurants. These departments were simply perceived as an amenity needed to attract guest to the hotel. As long as the department broke even, or didn’t lose too much money, their ability to increase occupancy was deemed sufficient justification for their existence. However, in the late 1990’s, hotel spa followed the path of other operating departments and were transformed from support to profit centres. This trend is strong and continues today (Rutherford & O’Fallon 2011). Spa Trends: On site industry trends Anti-aging treatments and products are driving much of spa menu and retail development. This calls for devoting a treatments room to outpatient medical procedures. Programming and spa menu items include sun damage treatments, chemical skin for renewals, and other rejuvenation techniques that build on repeat procedures. Commensurately, spas are developing retail product lines so that clients can take the spa experience home and continue the wellness regime. Global Industry trends Trends in day, destinations and amenity spas influence each other. According to Susan Ellis (2004), president of Spa Finder, a spa marketing company, after the rise of the medical spa and broadening spa participations by men and teens, spa use is expected to become more popular in the future. Spa Finder’s trends to watch for are: those personal elements that make the spa experience special will find their way into the design of personal living spaces in private homes; private, gated living communities will develop around central spa facilities, much like golf and sly-in communities. Managing visitor’s expectation and experience. Visitor’s expectation of a wellness centre or spa will differ greatly according to which country they come from, their language and their experience of wellness facilities generally. For example, the British or Americans would have a very different understanding of what they would expect to find in spa (i. e. luxury, pampering, and beauty) from a Central or Eastern European (i. e. healing waters, physical health checks, and medical treatments). Information provision and marketing is therefore extremely important in managing visitor expectation. In some cultures, nudity in spa is the norm or even a requirement in some areas (e. g. suanas and steam rooms). This is true of Austria, Germany and some spas in CEE and Scandinavia. However, for some visitors (e. g. American, British, Asians, and Southern Europeans) this can be unexpected and even embarrassing. In some cultures (e. g. Finland and Japan) men are separate from women when using sauna or spa facilities. In other cultures, mixed nudity is accepted. Some nationalities are used to doing activities in groups and are not used to enforced silence (e. . Southern European). This can create a certain amount of tension in countries, where spas and wellness centers are seen as quiet, restful, sometimes even spiritual spaces (especially in sauna and steam rooms) Help may also be needed to guide visitors around spas, as it could be their first visit or rituals and traditions may differ from those in their home country. Language may be a barrier where there is little or no translatio n, especially in countries where language can seem completely unfamiliar (e. g. Finland, Japan, and China). Visitors sometimes have problems knowing which entrance to use if there is more than one, which ticket to buy when there are many options, and might not understand the cloakroom system (e. g. in Hungary, where a cloakroom attendant usually has to be approached for a locker and key) or the new technology (e. g. in Austria when the locker system can be operate using a wristband). Knowing just how long to stay in medical, mineral or thermal waters is not clear to the inexperienced. Even if 20min is the recommended time, bathers need to know how long to rest or whether they should go to a cool shower after. Just a small information panel outside a bath, sauna or steam room can be enough to inform visitors, what the recommended length of time should be. (Smith & Puczko 2009). Atmosphere Creating a relaxing, clean, and pleasant environment is a paramount importance for all wellness facilities, but most especially for spas and spa or wellness hotels, which may also need a touch of luxury (spiritual or holistic tourist may accept more basic facilities). The use of design, colour, lightning, and location of furniture, degree of natural light, greenery, views, music or scents can all contribute to creating a harmonious atmosphere. Certainly, most of these qualities are determined during the planning process. The management may face difficulties when the services and/ or the surrounding environment do not support or accompany each other. These mismatches certainly result in sub-optimal satisfaction and consequently lower the optimal revenue level 9 (Puczko & Smith 2009). Spa Tourism Spa tourism is arguably the best known form of wellness tourism and is sometimes treated as being synonymous with wellness tourism. ISPA (2007) defines spa as ‘places devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit’. ISPA also defines the key elements of the spa experience: relax; reflect; revitalize; and rejoice. It is difficult to distinguish between spas and more general forms of wellness (e. g. holistic retreats); however, it also shows clearly the diversity of the spa sector. There are now numerous sub-sectors within spa tourism and it is no longer enough simply to use the label ‘spa’ and assume that tourist will know what to expect. Perceptions differ greatly, for example, tourist in Central and Eastern Europe are very similar with the concept of historic medical spas, whereas other visitors (e. g. from the United States or United Kingdom) with expect something similar to a beauty salon. Spa are now of a highly complex and diverse nature. This diverse nature starts with the name and its likely meanings. Bath, bano, bad, therme/ terme, grotto, spa, kupele, furdo – all mean a thermal water-based spa, in various languages. The translation of the name from the original language often uses the term ‘spa’, but these establishments are not really always spa. Spas may differ widely in terms of what they offer, that is their services or treatment supply, and however, they have one thing in common, which is the aspiration to improve health and well-being. Most spas have some form of water-based treatments; however there is a difference between mineral, thermal, and healing waters: mineral waters; it has at least the set amount of dissolved mineral content which is minimum 500mg/1 or 1000mg/1; thermal waters: natural waters that are at least 30 C or 32 C at source (this can vary country by country); healing waters; the healing affects have to be proven, that is evidence-based. The International Spa Association (ISPA, 2007) has defined the ‘ten domains of SPA’ or segments of the industry as: the waters; food, nourishment, diet, and nutrition; movement, exercise, and fitness; touch, massage, and body work; mind/body/spirit; aesthetics, skin care, natural beauty agents; physical space, climatology, global ecology; social/cultural arts and values, spa culture; management, marketing and operations; time, rhythm, and cycles. Not every spa contains every domain. The rejuvenation of the spa concept has generated several attempts to categorize spas. Since the modern concept of spas were established in the United States, one of the most comprehensive categorizations comes from the International Spa Associations (ISPA, 2007 and the Spafinder Magazine, 2007): club spa; day spa; spa hotel; holistic spa; medical spa; bath; resort spa; sport spa and structured spa.

Cellular Respiration Study Guide

Cellular Respiration Study Guide 1. What is cellular respiration? Cellular respiration is the process by which cells get their energy from food. It is a pathway where ATP is produced from the working cells. 2. What are the raw materials for cellular respiration? The raw materials are glucose and oxygen. 3. What is the simple reaction for cellular respiration? C6H12O6+6O2=6CO2+6H2O+Energy 4. Why is it not practical for an organism to release all of the energy in glucose at once? There wouldn’t be any energy left to repeat cellular respiration and create more energy. . List and briefly describe the events of the stages of respiration? Glycolysis is where glucose is split into two molecules of 3-carbon sugars. This produces 2ATP, 2 pyruvic acid, and 2 high energy. In The Citric Acid Cycle, Acetyl CoA is created. NAD and FAD are reduced carrying the high energy electrons to the next stage. In the Electron Transport, high energy electrons are passed to oxygen where ATP is then prod uced. 6. What are the three stages of cellular respiration in the correct order? Glycolysis, The Citric Acid Cycle, and Electron Transport. . What is released during cellular respiration? Energy stored in the chemical bonds of glucose. 8. How many molecules of ATP do you get from 1 molecule of glucose in cellular respiration? 28-30 molecules of ATP. 9. What part of cellular respiration occurs in the cytoplasm? Glycolysis 10. What is the net gain of ATP from glycolysis alone? 2 is the net gain of ATP. 11. What is the starting molecule for glycolysis? Glucose 6-carbon sugar 12. What are the two main types of fermentation? Lactic acid fermentation and alcohol fermentation.

Alvin Ailey History Leading Up to ‘Cry’

Alvin Ailey – ‘Cry’ Give a chronological account of Ailey’s background, training and influences up to the time he made ‘Cry’. Discuss how this may have informed the narrative of the dance in the work ‘Cry’ Alvin Ailey used his culture and countless childhood memories to base his choreography. His background, training and influences have informed and influenced the narrative of his work ‘Cry. The concept of cry was devised by Alvin Ailey. ‘Cry’ took its inspiration and stimulus from the suffering and hardship faced by African American Women.It portrays a woman dealing with slavery, adversity and segregation, who overcomes extraordinary situations and misfortunes, and rises up to triumph. Alvin Ailey Jr. was born on the 5th of January, 1931 to Lula Elizabeth Ailey, in Rogers, Texas. His experiences of life being brought up in the rural South would later inspire some of his most notable works. Ailey was an only chil d, and his father left the family when Ailey was the mere age of 1. Ailey soon later moved to Navasota, Texas with his mother. â€Å"There was the white school up on the hill, and the Black Baptist Church† said Ailey in a Times interview.Ailey grew up in this world feeling like an outsider. In 1942 he moved to Los Angeles, where he was introduced to dance by performances by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the Katherine Dunham Dance Company. It was at this time that Ailey became interested in athletics and along with this joined his high schools gymnastic and football teams. He also began taking tap lessons as he had a strong admiration for Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Ailey’s passion for dance further grew when he visited a modern dance school which was run by Lester Horton at the time.This dance school was the first company to accept dancers of all races. He attended Lester Horton’s dance school for one year before leaving. As Ailey had just recently gradua ted from high school in 1948 he went onto to attend the University of California where he studied languages. However, in 1949, Horton offered Ailey a scholarship, which he accepted, and it became effective immediately. Ailey continued on at the Company for again, one year, before this time leaving to attend San Francisco State College. With Ailey travelling a fair amount it gave him little connection and a lack of belonging which later in life would ontribute to the love and dedication he had towards his mother as she was the only real connection he had. Alongside this Ailey grew up with a strong sense of his African American Culture. While Ailey was living in San Francisco he began to dance in various night-clubs as a source of money. Very soon later, once again, Ailey returned to Los Angeles in order to complete his dance training with Lester Horton. It was in 1953 that Ailey ventured to New York alongside Horton and the company to perform. During this trip to New York Lester Hort on had a sudden death, leaving Ailey as Director of the Company.From here Ailey followed Horton’s technique and style himself as it thoroughly influenced on his dance genre, and he, himself produced 2 works. Unfortunately, for Ailey these pieces received very little praise and poor reviews which resulted in the troupe parting ways. Regardless of this minor setback, Ailey’s career truly began to blossom and he successfully moved on in the dance industry. Ailey was cast for numerous productions both on and off Broadway! Among these were the likes off: Sing, Man, Sing; Jamaica; Carefree tree; and Call me by my right name.In 1958 Ailey and another choreographer set out to recruit dancers which would perform several concerts throughout New York City. These new and modern works received successful reviews and high amounts of praise, which led Ailey to schedule concert after concert for the works to be viewed. Ailey’s first major work â€Å"Blues Suite† inspired by blues music was performed at these recitals. It was during this time, that his now most grasping piece â€Å"Revelations† was created and brought to life on the stage. â€Å"Revelations† was accompanied by the clutching music of Duke Ellington.It was this work that introduced the African American Religious Life to the United States, and pulled the audience in leaving them wanting more. It was from here on out that Alvin Ailey realized the impact he had on audiences through the African American context, and he further used this to his advantages to express the hardships that people of this culture faced through dance and art. In 1958 Alvin Ailey established his own company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, to carry out his vision of a company devoted to inspiring the American modern dance heritage and preserving the style and traditions of the African-American culture.A short one year after its creation the company became the resident dance theatre at the Cla rke Centre for Performing Arts in New York City. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre was lucky enough to house the leading African American Soloist being Judith Jamison. Not only was Judith Jamison a part of the company, Ailey also employed Asian and white dancers, making his company tremendously culturally diverse. It during the mid-1960’s when Ailey officially gave up dance, due to personal issues.Although quite recently after this, Ailey alongside his company relocated to Brooklyn, New York. From here on the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre went on to be one of the most renowned dance troupes, touring internationally. It was on May 4th, 1971 at the New York City Centre, where Ailey’s signature work ‘Cry’ was first performed. Ailey dedicated this piece to â€Å"all black women everywhere–especially our mothers. † Alvin Ailey choreographed his memorable solo  Ã¢â‚¬ËœCry’  as a birthday present for his honorable mother, and choreograph ed the dance on his principal dancer, Judith Jamison.Jamison demonstrated Ailey’s mother’s struggles as well as all other African American woman’s struggles at the time of slavery as they fought for freedom. Mrs. Cooper (Alvin Ailey's mother) and Ms. Jamison are considered as the model of an Ailey woman. The role in ‘Cry’ has been passed on to all the Principal Dancers in the company being taught from the original soloist, Judith Jamison. In her autobiography, Jamison wrote â€Å"Exactly where the woman is going through the ballet's three sections was never explained to me by Alvin.In my interpretation, she represented those women before her who came from the hardships of slavery, through the pain of losing loved ones, through overcoming extraordinary depressions and tribulations. Coming out of a world of pain and trouble, she has found her way-and triumphed. † The piece ‘Cry’ very much so illustrates these altered generations of African American women. The work begins with the unraveling of a long white cloth that is personified during the work and takes on many figures; from a cleaning cloth which depicts the slavery the women faced to a physical barrier on the floor preventing escape.Ailey said â€Å"I am trying to express something that I feel about people, life, the human spirit, the beauty of things. † This three female solo, takes the audience on a journey of bitter sadness, ruthless hardship and blissful joy. It is through these factors that we are able to see the narrative of the work cry Ultimately, Ailey strongly used themes and concepts that he experienced from his past training, influences and background knowledge, to create and choreograph his most renowned work ‘Cry’

Leadership term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership term paper - Essay Example So good leadership is basically related to person’s abilities, skills and degree of influence. Good leaders have the capacity to inspire and motivate others to achieve goals. Moreover, good leadership involves managing relationship and communicating within an organization towards a specific targets. Christian churches and organizations are different from other institutions in many ways. Their structures, size and services are determined by internal and external forces such as location, services and personalities. An effective Christian pastor combines different character traits and skills while administering his pastoral responsibilities. Most of the Christian pastors feel that god has given them a unique calling for their life, and they have spiritual gifts of teaching. Generally, the three leadership models used by pastors are coach/ team, shepherd/sheep, shared leadership. So Shepherding and bridge building are their leadership styles of the most of the Christian leaders. Some other styles of Christian leadership are directional, team building, and visionary styles. As a leadership style, entrepreneurial style was the least likely style Christian pastors have. Rearranging, strategizing, visionary and management are some of the very rarely used leadership styles by the Christ ian pastors. An active leader makes things occur, Ministers through formal programmed talks, ministries through words and actions, performs tasks personally and makes decisions unilaterally and individually. On the other hand, a passive leader allots tasks to others, engages and takes part in collective decision making, ministers through personal presence and compassion, preachers via Holy Spirit. Generally, it is very difficult to describe a Christian pastor as an active leader or passive leader because traits of both types of leadership are found in people. In other words, there is no totally passive or active leader, only varying blends of both character traits. The

Supply Chains Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Supply Chains - Assignment Example 1. Suppliers. The suppliers deliver the raw materials needed to produce the finished goods. Without the suppliers, the company cannot produce the products needed by the customers. Without the products manufactured, the company cannot make a sale. Without a sale, the company cannot generate cash inflows to defray the operating and marketing expenses needed by the company. Without the profit, the company will have to close shop because of bankruptcy. 2. Manufacturing. The company applies human labor and other factory overhead expenses to convert the raw materials into finished goods. The manufacturing process includes the work in process beginning inventory, raw materials purchased during the month, and raw materials remaining during the end of the accounting period. 3. Warehousing and delivery to clients. The company stores the finished goods in its major warehouses in each city, community, or state. The warehouses are responsible for delivering the goods to the company’s display centers and stores. The stores are the delivery points where clients can purchase their needs, wants, and caprices. 4. Intermediaries (Agents). Some companies sell their goods and service through intermediaries. Intermediaries include the department stores, grocery outlets, hardware and construction stores, movie theatre stores, office stores, school stores, and community stores. 5. Transport organizations. The airline companies deliver the finished goods to the display centers, warehouses, and delivery the raw materials from the suppliers to company’s production facilities. The trucking companies deliver the company’s goods and services to different cities, communities, and suburbs within the United States. 3. Warehousing and delivery to clients’ display centers. The warehouse may not have enough stocks ready for delivery to the clients’ display centers. The customers may unexpectedly arrive at a computer shop only to find the store is still waiting for the

Money laundering in HongKong Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Money laundering in HongKong - Essay Example Arrangement is the store of funds in financial organizations or the transformation of money into a negotiable tool. Layering includes the wire exchange of funds through a progression of accounts through the monetary framework in attempt to conceal the genuine sources of the fund. Integration is the step to mix legitimate acquired criminal proceeds into a legitimate world. Legally, money laundering refers only to the proceeds of specific crimes, the list of which varies across countries but which has gradually been extended in most parts of the world to all crimes capable of being sentenced to a year or more imprisonment (Levi 533) Since the end of the cold world war, much attention and resource of western countries have shifted to protect domestic security by attacking drug connected and organized crimes. Targeting criminal finance was regarded as an innovative initiative and strategy to achieve better anti-crime effects. Uncovering, tracing, freezing and confiscating criminal proceeds have been focused, which require the criminal justice system to criminalize and combat criminals managing their finance process, which is known as money laundering. The first time that the emergence of money laundering addressed was in the U.S in the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, which demanded that insured depository institutions maintain records and report transactions. The aim was to prevent banks from being used to hide money derived from criminal activity and tax evasion. A few days after the events of 2001 September 11, a war against terrorist has been in effect on different fronts including a direct ambush on money launderin g. In his speech of 13 days after the attack, President Bush indicated his determination to prosecute money launderers, especially those connected to terrorist funds and those who do not report their suspicions of laundering to the police. A clear message was sent to banks and different monetary establishments that

Critical Thinking Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Thinking - Article Example Strategies like demonstration and practice learning hold more appeal to me than other strategies for CT practice since they involve more or less all CT skills and alongwith identifying the need for CT skills in practice, these strategies provide ample opportunity to understand and perform the skills. In case a person has an opposite view such as case study analysis is better strategy over problem learning, then it must be brought under consideration that not only the latter involves all CT skills hence helping CT skills practice, but also in stark contrast to a mere analysis on narrative form, problem learning helps to think independently and stimulates ability to understand and make decision. Next roadblock is Fatigue which is though entirely physical has effect on intellectual skills as well and therefore may result in inaccurate understanding of problem, inaccurate analysis or irrational interpretation or explanation. The only ways to adapt to such situations is to first understand that anyone is prone to roadblocks and accept that fact. Next step is to identify the roadblocks and take care to control or tackle them. There are a few ways in which experts and novices differ from one another. Firstly, within RC when a problem requiring immediate attention and decision making is present, experts who have more experience and have more knowledge would be able to handle the situation by applying CT skills whereas a novice would try and do the same but instead of believing in one’s own self would adhere to rule books and text to get things done correctly. Another major difference is in the decision making. Experts develop an intuition where they are able to segregate each problem from one another and know that each problem requires a different approach. However, the novice having lesser experience cannot rely on intuition and therefore has a textual approach

Low Carbon Building - Proposed_layout_of_New_Community_Centre_Hong Essay

Low Carbon Building - Proposed_layout_of_New_Community_Centre_Hong Kong - Essay Example ctional and structural design for the various alternative energy sources available for the operation(s), demonstrate the workability and economics of the energy source(s) described and Recommend the appropriate energy source(s) to be used for the various operation(s). Light transfer between highly glazed internal spaces such as atria or light wellswhere these features are found Energy Assessors can expect the need to pay moreattention to manipulating input dataand recording any assumptions made and their justification Regulation requires that new buildings must achieve or better this target. The TER is based on the performance of theNotionalbuilding and the following procedure must be followed in order to establish the TER. The procedure converts calculated building loads intoenergy (and hence CO2emissions) using seasonal efficiency parameters The following adjustments must be made, If the calculated value is greater than 0.22W/m ²K, the value of 0.22W/m ²K must be used in the Notional building. If the calculated value is less than 0.22W/m ²K with no added insulation, this lower value must be used in the Notionalbuilding The calculation procedure must always control the space temperature to the set-point defined for the relevant activity area in the NCM database, irrespective of the control temperature prevailing in the building as it operates in practice. The control set point will only vary according to the level of servicing provided. Using the table of the 2010 notional building data, the range of values, the CO2 improvement can be carried out by reduce carbon emissions and atmospheric pollution by encouraging local energy generation from renewable sources to supply much better tolerable ratio of the energy

Advertising is the backbone of a business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Advertising is the backbone of a business - Essay Example However different types of people get attracted to different types of approaches as portrayed by the brands and businesses. which I was tempted only to buy after watching the different advertisements given by them. Nike has adopted a universal approach to hiring superstars in their advertisements and this adds to an advantage to the brand. The brand not only shows professionalism in its advertisements but also adds humour to them. Both these approaches amalgamated together to tempt the people to buy its products. I personally had no interest in playing sports prior to watching the advertisements of Nike. However, after watching Roger Federer in the ads of Nike I was tempted to buy products from Nike. The ad in which a fake coach barges in the house of Federer and makes him practice has a tinge of humour in it which forced me to buy not only the racket but also the shoes of Nike. Humor should be an important part of the advertisements given out by brands and businesses as it forces on e to watch the ad continuously. Furthermore, after watching this ad continuously, one is forced to buy the product. The most effective form of advertisement which tempts me to buy products is of humour and professionalism. The ads of Nike show the professionalism of stars and show us the reality of this world. Shoes, rackets, balls and apparels attract me the most through advertisements. Advertising plays a major role in my life as it tells me about the products I am looking for.

Critically evaluate two language teaching styles and indicate, with Essay - 1

Critically evaluate two language teaching styles and indicate, with examples, their potential use within a specific teaching context with which you are familiar - Essay Example This study is being undertaken in order to assess the usage of these learning styles as part of the teaching process, in the hope of seeking improvements and updating strong points for the benefit of the teacher and, most especially, the learner or student. There are eight known approaches to language teaching. These approaches have been conceptualized in view of the fact that teachers and education institutions have recognized the fact that there is no right and single way to teach foreign languages. The Center for Applied Linguistics acknowledges the fact that there is no superior means of language teaching which would also fit all students in all settings. It identified eight language teaching methods which are being used today. According to Doggett (2003, p. 165), these methods include the Grammar Translation Method which focuses on improving student’s participation in the target literature the teacher’s method in teaching the language. Doggett (2003, p. 165) discusses that students are given target language lines and are then asked to answer the questions which follow. This class is structured with the teacher exerting much control over the learning process. Doggett (2003, p. 165) goes on to discuss another method wh ich is the direct method. She discusses that this method gives students the ability to perceive meaning directly through language, since no language translation is allowed. She also emphasizes that visual aids and pantomime are incorporated in the learning process in order to clearly express the meaning of words and concepts. Doggett (2003, p. 165) also discusses the audio-lingual method of language teaching, which is based on the behaviourist concept which suggests that learning language is about gaining the right language habits. In this case, the learner repeats patterns until he can produce such patterns naturally. According to Doggett (2003, p. 165), the silent way is based on

Third version of Parents Essay Example for Free

Third version of Parents Essay Birth place of parents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both my mother and father were born and brought up in India. My father finished Physical Therapy when he was only nineteen years old, and soon after, he took up a job in Norway. Later on he moved to the USA, got married and settled down in South Florida. Traits of my father.—Intelligence, honesty, integrity, love for the family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     My father is a very intelligent and knowledgeable man He is a very sincere and hard working man and looks for perfection in any job that he undertakes.    .He has conservative family values and never seeks fun and recreation without his family. He is a very honest person and is straightforward. He never goes out to social gatherings without my mother and they are always seen together. My parents have been happily married for nearly twenty five years and make an ideal couple. Traits of my mother—Extrovert by nature, helpfulness, sensitivity, light-heartedness., expertise in public speaking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  My mother is a very fun-loving and out-going person. She does a lot for the community and organizes   six   to seven events a year, in her Indian Community Association. She possesses great interpersonal skills and is also good at public speaking .She can convincingly talk to a crowd without any hesitation and reservation. She is a wonderful home maker.   She loves music and dancing and is also a good orator. Traits that I inherit from my father.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I have inherited the family values of my father and would stretch myself for family and friends. Patience is another trait that I am proud to have imbibed from him. Diligence to duty is the foremost characteristic of my father and I too never shy away from hard work. I am very hard working like my father and give my maximum effort to anything that I undertake. I am also abreast with what is going on in spheres that are relevant to my education and future career and my father is responsible for my interest in commercial business news. Traits that I inherit from my mother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  I have inherited the same leadership qualities, organizing capability, oratory and dancing skills of my mother. My mother is the root cause of my aptitude to public speaking and I can lead a team, organize events and coordinate efficiently .I have also imbibed the proper balance between duties and hobbies in my routine. I am nimble on my feet and this dancing skill has been handed down to me by my mother. Like her, I too love to drive cars fast. .Rapport with my parents   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  I have a great rapport with both my father and mother though I am closer to my mother. The topics of discussion vary. I look up to my father for advice in serious matters, and discussions are restricted to cars, college, business, education and the like With my mother I am more comfortable with emotional problems and can discuss anything under the sun. It can be either be a light-hearted sharing of jokes, holidays, a birthday present, or a tough question paper, an unexpected silly mistake in my Math exam, or a silly argument with my friend.   There is not one problem that I cannot confide in her and seek her intuitive emotional support.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The absolute intellectual rapport that exists between my father and me and the emotional closeness with my mother provide a very good balance in me. Hobbies and interests   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     My father is a good reader. His interests are in world affairs, economy and the financial markets. There is not a day when he would miss reading a newspaper or listening to news telecast. He knows the nuances of business , industry, , fluctuations in stock indices, emerging economies, global trends, growth prospects of different sectors, political trends, and so on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My mother loves reading, music, and participation in social events. She loves to listen to all kinds of music. She is the president of a local Indian Community Association. She has been successful in organizing events because she knows what kinds of competitions and events would interest her friends in the community. She is a perfect coordinator and her friends look up to her for her innovative ideas in social gatherings.     She is quite popular and her name has been published a in the local section of the news papers. Her other interests include car driving. She loves to drive cars and is excited when the speedometer shoots up.

Policing themselves Essay Example for Free

Policing themselves Essay In The Handmaids Tale education is highly restricted, defined by law not to allow the reading of text, therefore diminishing the progression of society on an intellectual level. The former university which once represented freedom and learning now represents regimental order. A distinct absence of education is found as the aim is to repress through the enforcement of ignorance; as Althusser would claim this is a clear ISA, education is used to direct and manipulate the handmaids. The Bible is the only form of legal reading material and the only persons allowed to access The Bible are the commanders we can be read to from it, by him, but we cannot read: this allows them to manipulate the text to suit their needs. Give me children, or else I die. The careful selection and manipulation of material is used to try to promote procreation. The use of religious text from The Bible can be seen as the regimes way of legitimising their actions. Offred realises that the next generation of Handmaids will be more docile because they will have no memories of other possibilities. The stark contrast between Offred the librarian and Offred the Handmaid is used to emphasise how repression has been enforced through the use of literary freedom. Language too is subtly used with links to the old testament the Angels and Eyes are respectively derived from the Guardian Angels and Eyes of the Lord; this subtle insertion of biblical references helps to create the overall feeling of containment; a sharp contrast with the lack of intellectual and educational language which is deliberately removed. In both novels education is a restrictive force however, in Hard Times education takes on a different form of repression. Hard Times uses education as an enforcing presence children are brought into education from an early age, facts, facts and more facts are driven into the mindset of all, therefore firmly placing them within the machine of capitalism. Bitzer is the example of this as he becomes trapped within the system. This shows the strength of education as an ISA; by being embodied in education he knows nothing of life and how to succeed without facts, he knows of no way out of the system imposed upon him by those in power. He himself says, We are so constituted. I was brought up in this catechism when I was very young, sir, as you are aware. Here Bitzer points out that the system of education prevents any way out, distilling the human instincts of capital gain. In comparison this sense of having no way out from repression is shown by the image clusters in the language of Atwoods novel (hands/feet/faces/eyes/blood/wombs) this language works in opposition to the polluted biblical manipulation of the regime and shows the only way out for Offred is through her imagination. Imagination has been removed from Bitzer in Hard Times through education; he has been depersonalised in a way which is also very evident within Atwoods novel through RSAs. Depersonalisation is enforced by the state in The Handmaids Tale with the uniform that the Handmaids are forced to wear the uniform represses sexuality and sensuality. The skirt is ankle length, the breasts a flat yoke. The similitude of the uniform eradicates individualism to the extent that Offred begins to consider herself as we: Shes like my own reflectionfrom which I am moving away. This implication that she is losing touch with her identity by moving away highlights the success of this repressive force. The uniforms worn can be associated with uniforms of armies and law-enforcers such as the police. In this way it can be interpreted that by wearing set uniforms the handmaids are policing themselves. As Dickens uses his novel to strengthen the theory of Benthamism Atwood too uses techniques like the manipulation of uniforms to make a social statement. Living through the 1960s/70s Atwood witnessed the liberation of women in the U.S. and the wider civil rights movements around the globe such as racial equality. The uniforms are just one example of how Atwood is showing the dangers of pursuing a regime of unfair liberation. We can see the success of the uniforms as a repressive force through the change in Offreds nature when I take my clothes off. Only when the uniform is removed at night does Offred seem to escape from the regime imposed upon her; the night is mine shows how she feels about night, her only chance to feel free without a loss of identity. A similar lack of identity is shown in Hard Times through the use of colour. The colours of the town are black and red due to industrial smog. Dickens compares this assimilation of the natural colour of brick with the painted face of a savage, implying that like a savage industrialisation is cruel, barbaric and uncultured. This image of casing nature runs throughout the novel through the use of colour symbolisation. Dickens associated richness of colour with the preservation of life and individuality; neither black nor white are considered as colours therefore Coketown dismisses the idea of individuality by containing people within strict structures like the structural presence of Atwoods uniforms. Utilitarianism has robbed the town of the ability to speak; public inscriptions which are used to voice the needs of the people are black and white therefore they are devoid of any identity; they lack the capacity to provoke change. Colour is used to an extent in The Handmaids Tale to highlight repression women appear to wear set colours, the Handmaids red, the wives blue. I never looked good in redthe colour of blood, defines us. Offred highlights that they are defined and restricted by colour, they are there for a purpose; reproduction. The sarcastic tone represents an attempt to use humour to redress repression. The colour red links also to blood; several links are made to blood, most notably is the blood from the unknown people hung from the wall red is a constant reminder of where their fate could lie. Colour is used to dismiss individuality, yet it is much bolder in Atwoods novel through the images of blood. People are part of the production line, with no lawful means of expressing needs. Stephen Blackpool is used by Dickens as an example of a worker trapped within his class through the laws and structures of society: wishing for divorce he says I mun be ridden o her. As Bounderby highlights, money is the decisive factor: in this capitalist society everything is bound by wealth. There is such a lawbut its not for you at allyoud have to get an act of Parliament. For the working class there is no way of expressing their views, they do not have the power to use the system to their benefit, therefore they remain stuck within their repressed class. In my opinion Dickens highlights this so clearly as he is trying to make a political statement socialism was developing through the mid 19th Century and was popular amongst Dickens target audience, the middle class intellectuals. The novel acts as a political devise for issues of the time. Acts of individualism within this class is likewise repressed. Blackpools decision to abstain from the union leaves him a man on whom unequal laws have fallen heavy; he is compared with Judas Iscariot by his own class showing how individualism is repressed from all levels. The extremity of Blackpools act of abstention is shown by his banishment and need to change his name to acquire work. This brutal act of banishment hangs over the Handmaids too.

Design Thinking and Decision Analysis

Design Thinking and Decision Analysis Topic: How can decision analysis support the decision making process in design thinking in selecting the most promising properties during the transition fromdivergent toconvergent thinking phases? Executive Summary Table of Content Executive Summary List of Figures List of Tables Index of Abbreviations 1.Introduction 2.Overview of Design Thinking and Decision Analysis 2.1.A New Approach to Problem Solving 2.1.1.What is a Design Thinker? 2.1.2.The Iterative Steps of Design Thinking 2.2.Decision Analysis 2.2.1.Decision Analysis Process 2.2.2.Multi Attribute Decision Making 3.Application Based on a Case Study 3.1.The Design Challenge 3.2.The Static Model 3.2.1.The Alternatives 3.2.2.Objectives and Measures of Effectiveness 3.2.3.Multi Attribute Decision Making 3.2.4.Sensitivity Analysis of the SAW Method 3.3.The Case Study’s solution 4.Conclusion List of Literature Statutory Declaration Appendix List of Figures Figure 1: The IDEO process a five step method (Kelley and Littman, 2004: 6-7) Figure 2: Figure 3: The HPI process a six step model (Plattner et al., 2009) Figure 3: Fundamentals of Decision Analysis (Ralph L. Keeney, 1982) Figure 4: Schematic form of a decision tree (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993) Figure 5: A choice problem between two lotteries (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993) Figure 6: MADM Decision Matrix Figure 7: The tree main idea clusters Figure 8: Decision Making Matrix Figure 9: Decision Maker Matrix for the Design Challenge List of Tables Table 1: Different ways of describing design thinking (Lucy Kimbell, 2011) Table 2: Realization of attributes in alternatives scale Index of Abbreviations DADecision Analysis DCDesign Challenge DM Decision Maker DTDesign Thinking HPIHasso-Plattner-Institute HMWHow Might We IWITMI Wonder If That Means MADMMulti Attribute Decision Making MCDMMulti Criteria Decision Making SAWSimple Additive Weighting 1. Introduction Everyone is in the need to make decisions every day. Those decisions may be shaped by an outstanding problem which just needs to be solved or it may just be the question whether to buy a new pair of shoes or not. Moreover, the problem may easily be solvable by a simple equation or there might be the necessity to formulate the problem in the first place since the difficulty is too diffuse to be absorbed. Due to the huge variety of different problems our society faces every day and with all divergent needs for a solution process, there is a constant need to draft and identify methods that support everyone in making decision. Undoubtedly, there are many methodologies and approaches out there that support the decision making process for daily small decisions that need to be made to life changing decisions. Decision analysis (DA), which is one of the formal methods and design thinking (DT), which is one of the innovative methodologies out there, are two instances of problem solving method s. Both methods have been applied in similar fields, such as business, technology, and personal life but with divergent intentions. On the on hand, there is DT which is one of the more recent methodologies that helps to get from a problem to a solution with the support from a finite number of iterative steps that the design thinker will follow. Brown, who is the CEO of IDEO, describes DT as a method that is so powerful and implicit that can be used from teams broadly across the globe to create impactful innovative ideas that can be realized by the society or companies (Brown, 2010: 3). On the other hand, there is DA which is an approach that includes a variety of procedures that helps to find a formal solution to an identified problem and creates a more structured solution procedure. Howard was the person who shaped the term DA in 1964 and has been irreplaceable for the development of DA (Roebuck, 2011: 99). This paper will combine DA and DT to investigate whether DA can leverage the DT process in order to find the most viable solution to a problem. Moreover, this paper will find out whether or not those two approaches can profit from each other. Selected procedures of DA will be integrated in the DT process by reference to a case study. Over and above, the solution generated by the DA technique will be compared with the chosen alternative in the case study that followed the regular DT process. Comparing those two outcomes, this paper will work out whether or not DA can support the DT process. The second chapter is descriptive of the fundamentals of DA and DT. After the outline of the foundations, the third chapter will apply chosen DA procedures into the DT process on the basis of a case study. Moreover, the chosen alternative by the design thinking team in the case study will be analysed. In the final chapter, the major finding will be summarized and evaluated. 2. Overview of Design Thinking and Decision Analysis 2.1. A New Approach to Problem Solving Design Thinking is an iterative and innovative approach to solve problems of all kinds that the society is facing. Moreover, it is a human-centred and at the same time investigatory process that puts its emphasis on collaboration, prototyping, and field research (Lockwood, 2010: xi). It is a set of fundamentals than can be applied by different people and to a huge range of problems (Brown, 2010: 7). DT is not a linear, but an iterative process in which the designers are constantly learning from mistakes and improving their ideas. Designers hope to find a linear model that will help them to understand the logic behind a design process; therefore, it is a constant search for decision making protocols that would support the designers’ processes (Buchanan, 1992). In sum, DT is a user-centred approach to solve a variety of problems with the aim to integrate people from various fields; ranging from consumers and business people to designers. There are a variety of ways to describe DT, as illustrated in Table 1. According to Brown, DT is an organisational resource with the goal to create innovation. Cross describes the method as a cognitive style with the purpose of problem solving. Another famous definition concludes that â€Å"Design Thinking means thinking like a designer would† (Roger, 2009). However, the purpose and aim of DT is in its core identical, whether one is applying the processes modified by Cross or Brown (Plattner et al., 2009: 113). Table 1: Different ways of describing design thinking (Lucy Kimbell, 2011) Over the last five years, the term DT has become very present in our society. On top of that, DT is a new term in design and management circles, which shows the demand for creative and innovative methods across various sectors (Kimbell, 2011). Nevertheless, this method is still underdeveloped when it comes to applying design methods at the management level (Dunne and Roger, 2006). But why is the interest in design growing and the term has become ubiquitous? The society is facing a lot of challenges; from educational problems to global warming and economic crisis. Brown sees DT as a powerful approach that can be applied to a huge variety of problems and as a consequence creates impactful solutions to these challenges. On top of that he argues that design has become nothing short of a tactic of viability (Brown, 2010: 3). The method is not limited to the creation and design of a physical product, but it can also result in the conception of a process, tools to communicate, or a service (Brown, 2010: 7). Therefore, it is a method that helps to learn from mistakes and to find impactful and sustainable solutions. 2.1.1. What is a Design Thinker? Many individuals have their own personal picture of what a designer is and mostly, would not associate themselves with such a term. Nevertheless, the expression designer is not only limited to creative graphic designers that are working in agencies. There are many professionals who would fall under the term designer, from people that are working in corporations and are trying to implement a new innovative way of thinking to people who are creating a new customer experience (Porcini, 2009). Mauro Porcini puts a lot of emphasis on the fact that describing design is a huge challenge, since design can be anything from recognizing impactful solutions to the personal experience that the answers will originate (Porcini, 2009). According to Brown design thinkers have four characteristics in common (Brown, 2008): Empathy Design thinkers have the ability to walk in the shoes of someone else; they view situations from the perspective of other people. This talent allows them to see a lot of thing that others are not able to observe which leads to solutions that are especially tailor-made for the users. Integrative thinking Integrative thinking allows the design thinker to go beyond simple solutions by seeing and assembling all the noticeable coalitions to a solution. The ability to not confide on the processes that are characterized by an A or B choice, allows them to involve even antithetic solutions. Optimism and Experimentalism Design thinkers are individuals who are confident that to each existing solution there is another one which is more impactful and feasible for the corresponding stakeholders. By experimenting with new information and the existing circumstances and moreover, by asking the most powerful questions, design thinkers are able to ascertain long-lasting innovations. Collaboration Another key aspect of the design thinking process is the ability to collaborate with experts from a variety of fields. This talent allows to not only integrating the designers and producers, but also the end user. Moreover, a design thinker him/herself has experience in many different fields and is not only an expert in DT. 2.1.2. The Iterative Steps of Design Thinking As already mentioned above, there are many ways to describe DT. On top of that, the process may sometimes be described in three, five or six steps in literature. For example, at IDEO, which is one of the leading design consultancies in the world, the designers are working with a five step model (Kelley and Littman, 2004: 6-7). Figure 1: The IDEO process a five step method (Kelley and Littman, 2004: 6-7) However, at the Hasso-Plattner-Institute in Potsdam, the process consists of six steps. The two processes consisting of a different amount of steps only differ in their emphasis on the overall process and a different description but not in their principles (Plattner et al., 2009: 113). In order to describe the process which will later be applied to a case study, the thesis will focus on the six steps process described by Plattner et. al. (Plattner et al., 2009: 114). Figure 2: Figure 3: The HPI process a six step model (Plattner et al., 2009) Understand The iterative DT process starts with a phase called understanding, which includes defining the problem and explaining the scope. Defining the so called Design Challenge (DC) is crucial for the success of the method since the whole team working on the challenge needs to have the same understanding of the problem to be solved. Moreover, the target group needs to be identified by the team in order to be able to move to the next phase. In the first phase, the emphasis is put on obtaining the knowledge that is required to solve the formulated DC. Observe The aim of the second phase is to become an expert. The DT team observes all the existing solutions to the identified problem and challenges them; more specifically the team tries to improve their understanding why there has not been an adequate solution up to that point. The team tries to get a 360 ° degree view on the problem, integrating all participants and people affected. One of the main activities in this phase is the direct contact with the future users or clients of the product/service for the intended solution. It is crucial to involve the future users since those people are building the target group and know what their wishes, requirements, way of behaviour and needs are. In addition, the team needs to examine carefully the processes and ways of behaviour. In order to do so the team needs to walk in the shoes of the end users. In sum, the second phase emphasises the need to reproduce the end user’s ways of behaviour while being able to fully understand the end use r’s perspective. Point of View The third phase, called point of view, is the stage where all the findings from the previous phases are interpreted and evaluated. Since in most cases the team has branched out in the second phase, this phase brings everyone together in order to exchange findings. The team will segregate the relevant facts from the dispensable information. This separation helps to define the point of view more precisely which will lighten the fourth phase for the whole team. A method which is often used at this stage is the creation of a persona. A persona is a fictive and ideal-typical end user of the product or service. During this exercise the whole team deploys their findings from the second stage, the observing phase, with the aim to find the right viewing angle on the DC. For the purpose of finding the right perspective, it is important to question and realign the problem from a huge variety of different viewing angles. Recapitulatory, during the third phase the team assembles the key aspects f rom the end users in order to be able to start finding ideas in the next phase. Ideate The ideation phase is characterized by the reorientation of the team’s thinking process from divergent to convergent thinking. In the beginning of the phase, the team is still in a divergent thought process the group of people is generating as many ideas for a solution as possible. All these concepts should contain a potential solution to the DC and should not be debated by the team in the beginning. It is a phase during which the team experiments with a variety of ideas and invests in the creative thinking process by leaving as much room as possible for everyone to generate constructive ideas. In contrast to the first half of the ideation phase, the second half is shaped by the convergent method. During the convergent thought process, the team’s goal is to identify the one solution or the best solutions to the DC. This process consists of logical steps towards the exploration of solution/s. There are some creative techniques on how to narrow down the ideas in the ideation phase, for example (Center for Care Innovation, 2013-2014): Sticky note voting: Every team member gets three stickers and places those next to the ideas that are most viable and feasible to him/her. The ideas with the most stickers will be prototyped in the next phase. Idea morphing: Each idea will be presented in front of the whole team. After each presentation the team is looking out for synergies to merge some ideas or mixing some elements. In sum, during this phase the team generates ideas for the exploration of solutions with the help of the information gathered during the last three phases. Prototype This phase appears for many people to be really different to what they have been used to during solution oriented processes. The aim of this phase is to visualize the ideas for the users; thereby, the users are able to give feedback more easily and may also be able test the idea. The prototype should not be the perfect visible idea, but the preproduction model should be able to transfer the message, show the strengths and weaknesses of the idea, and moreover, it should help the team to improve the idea even further. It is a visualization of the idea with the use of, for example, modelling clay, paper, Lego figures, and any material that might be within reach. If the solution is a service function, the prototype might be a theatrical performance. Moreover, some teams create a virtual prototype if the idea that cannot be visualized in a real model. All in all, the intention of the phase is to make an idea come alive and visible to the users. Test During the testing phase the idea will be tried out with the user. The most important part of this step is that the idea will be tested with the end users and not only within the DT team itself. The testing phase is about identifying the idea’s strengths and weaknesses together with the end user. It is about identifying mistakes because only from these misconceptions the team can learn and further improve the idea, since it is all about the user who will be making use of the idea. Therefore, the team has to put a lot of emphasis on learning from that experience. 2.2. Decision Analysis Every human being constantly takes decisions throughout the day. On the one hand, there are many minor decisions from the preference of food each day, the question if one should stay in bed or not, to the colour of clothes someone wants to wear. On the other hand, people face situations where they have to choose whether to take a job or not or which car they would like to purchase. Some decisions have a larger and more significant impact than others; therefore, it is important to understand the consequences of the decisions that are being made (Gregory, 1988: 2). Decision Analysis is designed to help when dealing with difficult decisions by offering more structure and guidance (Clemen, 1996: 4). DA supports the decision making process: it helps to better and fully understand the obstacles that are connected with having to make a decision and, on top of that, helps to make better choices (Clemen, 1996: 3). Moreover, DA permits the operator to make any decisions in a more effective and consistent way (Clemen, 1996: 4). In consequence, DA is a framework as well as a tool kit for approaching various decisions. Nevertheless, the judgement of each DM differs from person to person. One DM may have a preference which manifests itself in the chosen attributes and alternatives. Another DM may not have a preference and, on top of that, the judgement skills may vary from DM to DM as well (Hwang and Yoon, 1981: 8). According to Keeney, the DA approach concentrates on five fundamental issues that are elementary for all decisions (Keeney, 1982): Figure 3: Fundamentals of Decision Analysis (Ralph L. Keeney, 1982) In order to be able to address multidisciplinary problems, the decision problem is divided into several parts which are analysed and integrated during the DA process (Keeney, 1982). Over the last years, various approaches have been identified, such as the shaped DA process by Keeney or the Multi Attribute Decision Making (MADM) method. The later one supports the decision making when a finite number of alternatives have been identified with various, mostly conflicting attributes. 2.2.1. Decision Analysis Process Over the last decades, many analysts have been working on modifying and improving the DA steps included in the process; therefore, there are many procedures out there with a common purpose: Choosing the best alternative. Keeney describes the DA process in five major steps (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993: 5-6): Preanalysis During the first phase the focus is on gathering the alternatives and clarifying the objectives. The decision maker (DM) faces a situation where there is indecisiveness about any steps that are relevant in order to solve the problem. At this stage the problem is already at hand. Structural analysis At this stage the DM is confronted with structuring the problem. There are several questions that the DM will need to answer; for example, what call can be made? What are the decisions that can be delayed? Is there specific information that supports the choices that could be made? Figure 4 shows a decision tree in which the abovementioned questions are systematically put into place. The decision nodes which are displayed as 1 and 3 (squared) are the nodes that are controlled by the DM and the chance nodes, shown as 2 and 4 (circled), are the nodes which are not fully controlled by the DM. Figure 4: Schematic form of a decision tree (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993) Uncertainty Analysis The third phase, called the Uncertainty Analysis, starts with assigning the probabilities to each path that is branching off from the chance nodes (in Figure 4, these are the paths left and right from points 2 and 4). The assignment of the probabilities to the branches of the decision tree is a subjective procedure (Keeney and Raiffa, 1993: 6; Gregory, 1988: 172). Nevertheless, the DM makes the assignments by using a variety of techniques based on experimental data. These assignments will be checked for conformity. Utility or Value Analysis The objective of the fourth step is the assignment of so called utility values to each path of the decision tree, whereas these represent the consequences connected to that path. The decision path that is shown in Figure 4 represents only one plausible path. In a real problem, many factors will be associated with the path; such as economical costs, psychological costs as well as benefits that the DM considers r

Informix Revenue Recognition Essay -- essays research papers

MEMORANDUM Re:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Group 2 - Case 2.1 â€Å"Software Revenue Recognition: Informix Corporation† Companies following GAAP can manage earnings by simply altering its accounting policy to select those accounting principles that benefit them the most. Entities have a host of reasons for selecting those principles that will paint the rosiest financial picture. Some would argue that the market demands it, as reflected by the stock price punishment for companies that differ by as little as one penny per share from prior estimates. External market pressures to â€Å"meet the numbers† conflicts with market pressure for transparency in financial reporting. Most fraudulent financial reporting schemes involve â€Å"earnings management† techniques, which inflate earnings, create an improved financial picture, or conversely, mask a deteriorating one. Premature revenue recognition is one of the most common forms of fraudulent earnings management and the case of Informix Software Inc. unfortunately illustrates closely this practice. The analysis of this case will shed light on issues like: v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Informix’s revenue recognition policy prior to 1990 and its compliance with FASB Concept #5, FASB Statement #86, GAAP protocols. v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Informix’s reactions to AICPA SOP in changing the revenue recognition procedures and Informix’s reason to prematurely and voluntarily implement the new policy v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The changes that took place at Informix and the financial results reported during 1990 Furthermore, we will also evaluate the software industry practices and the regulations in place at that time. We conclude with lessons learnt and recommendations towards identifying and discouraging non-GAAP revenue recognition practices. 1986-1990 Revenue Recognition Policy at Informix Corporation REVENUE RECOGNITION POLICY BEFORE THE PROPOSED AICPA SOP Prior to 1990 the software industry had the FASB Statement of Financial Accounting Concept No.5 and the FASB Statement No. 86 to provide guidance in the revenue recognition concepts. The Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) No. 45 which discussed long-term construction type contract was also available but did not specify application for the software industry and so it was ignored. Before 1990 (refer exhibit 1) Informix recognized ... ...nbsp;  ($1,503.00)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($327.00) Net Income(Losses)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $0.00   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($10,311.00)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($11,146.00)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($1,503.00)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($327.00) Income per Share Before Extraordinary Items  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $0.00   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($0.80)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($1.00)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($0.13)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($0.05) Net Income (Loss) per Share (Fully Diluted)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $0.00   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($0.80)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($0.94)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($0.12)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($0.03) Total Assets  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $0.00   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($32,102.00)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($17,173.00)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($3,411.00)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ($573.00) Long-Term Obligations  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $0.00   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $0.00   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $0.00   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $0.00   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $0.00

Computers, the Internet, and the World of Education :: Technology Education Educational Essays

Computers, the Internet, and the World of Education Computers and the internet have changed the world of education in innumerable ways. This means the teacher must also change. Most students now have access to countless sources of information from all over the world. They can also talk to experts in multitudes of professions. Many students now learn to type before they learn to write in cursive. Despite these facts not all the changes have been positive. Students are now exposed to outside predators who may try to take advantage of them. In addition they may be exposed to obscene materials. Schools have installed filters, but they sometimes are unable to prevent all inappropriate material from being viewed. Many teachers complain that the internet allows plagiarism and all out cheating with access to pre-made term and research papers (where do you think this paper came from). Many critics of the educational system also point out that often students only like to use computers to access information. They don’t like to use compute rs for their many other uses like complicated math problems or construction of spreadsheets. Unfortunately, this seems to be true computers need to be used across the curriculum not just for research projects. Yet another benefit having computers and internet access in the classroom is the ability of students to be able to talk to experts in their respective fields. Children doing a project on insects can to talk to scientists who work with insects every day. They may be lucky enough to talk to an astronaut or maybe an author whose books they have been reading. Children can also participate in interactive chat rooms with other students or international pen pals. With this said it’s important that teachers take the proper precautions. Everyone knows that the internet poses many dangers especially for unsupervised children. When children are using chat rooms, care needs to be taken to ensure the children safety. Any student using a chat room needs to have a screen name(www.ptft.merit.edu). Teachers have to make sure they go over certain rules before they allow any student use the internet. Students must be taught to never give personal information over the internet this includes their name, location, or telephone number. It can be quite a liability to have internet access in the classroom; teachers must be sure they protect themselves. Another worry is that students may access inappropriate material.

J.R.R. Tolkiens Lord of the Rings Essay -- Tolkien Lord Rings Essays

J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings "Three Rings for the Eleven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his Dark throne, In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One ring to find them, One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them, In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie(Tolkien)." Master of storytelling J.R.R. Tolkien continues the lives of the fictitious creatures that he introduced in The Hobbit, in his modern classic The Fellowship of the Ring. He artfully illustrates the truths of the evil that plague the hearts of man. He tells a story of greed, destruction and how mortal men are enslaved by their delusions of grander and how they feast upon the misery of others to elevate their own pitiful egos, that prove to be their worst vices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is a struggle of good and evil that begins with a cursed gift of a powerful ring, the One Ring, that leads one wise hobbit on the most important journey of his life-time thus far, for he isn't only fighting for his own soul that is threatened to be claimed by the very ring he is given, but those of all of his people. The ring is sought after by its very creator Sauron the all powerful sorcerer, and Dark Lord of the middle-earth to aid in his evil deeds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In his sin blackened hands the ring has the power to rob the creatures of middle-earth of their one fundamental right endowed by God himself; their precious freedom. The story follows Frodo on his journey to the Crack of Doom a fiery mountain in the layer of Mordor where the Dark Lord himself reigns with a swift hand. There and only there may he not only destroy the symbolic ring but put to rest the very demons that drove at his soul and threatened to over power him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  J.R.R. Tolkien was Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, South Africa on January 2, 1892 and died on September 3, 1973. (St. James 558) He delighted and titillated readers of all ages by first introducing them to the middle-earth in The Hobbit, a story of Frodo's cousin Bilbo. The story detailed his mythical journey in which he was accompanied by wizards and elves in search of rumored treasures. The One Ring that plays a major role in The Fellowship of the Ring was the fruit of Bilbo's struggles in The Hobbit. Although The Hobbit was a large success... ...e the evil of so many?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that Tolkien is a supreme storyteller. The very idea of creating a mythical land of middle-earth to allow so much versatility is ingenious alone. The characters are so real they seem to leap from the pages. They are the result of great thought. They have their own very developed vocabularies, eccentrics, and weaknesses yet each character draws an impeccable strength from one another. I believe that this work is a classic because of the very developed plot, characters, and its openness to each individuals interpretation. Whether the reader believes it is implying religious values, social values or telling a unique story unlike any others it is a must read for anyone who enjoys great literature. Works Cited Grotta~Kurska, Daniel. J.R.R. Tolkien Architect of Middle Earth. Philadelphia: Running PRess, 1976. Miller, David M. â€Å"Narrative Pattern in The Fellowship of the Ring.†A Tolkien Compass. Ed. Jared Lobdell. La Salle Il.:The Open Court Publishing Company,  1975. Pringle, David. Ed. St. James Guide to Fantasy Writers. New York: St. James Press, 1996. Tolkien, J.R.R. The Fellowship of the Ring. New York: Ballantine books, 1955