What Is the Right Supply Chain

Dates and Cities of the Olympic Games Throughout History

Dates and Cities of the Olympic Games Throughout History The Modern Olympic Games began in 1896, 1,503 years after the ancient Olympics were abolished. Held every four years- with a few exceptions (during  World War I  and  World War II)- these Games have brought camaraderie across borders and around the world. The athletes within each of these Olympic Games have undergone hardship and struggle. Some overcame poverty, while others overcame sickness and injury. Yet each gave their all and competed to see who was the fastest, strongest and best in the world. Discover the unique story of each of the Olympic Games. 1896 Athens Olympics The first Modern Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece during the first weeks of April 1896. The 241 athletes who competed represented only 14 countries and wore their athletic club uniforms instead of national uniforms. Of the 14 countries in attendance, eleven have officially been declared in awards records: Australia, Austria, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.   1900 Paris Olympics The second Modern Olympic Games took place in Paris from May to October 1900 as part of the World Exhibition. The games were riddled with disorganization and were under-publicized. 997 athletes from 24 countries competed.   1904 St. Louis Olympics The  Games of the III Olympiad were held in St. Louis, Mo. from August to  September 1904. Due to tensions from the  Russo-Japanese War and complications in getting to the United States, only 62 of the 650 athletes who competed came from outside North America. Only  12 to 15 nations were represented.   Unofficial 1906 Athens Olympics Intended to reinvigorate interest in the Olympic Games after the 1900 and 1904 games yielded little fanfare, the Athens Games of 1906 were the first and only Intercalated Games, which had been meant to exist every four years (between regular Games) and only take place in Athens, Greece.  The president of the Modern Olympics declared the 1906 Games unofficial after the fact.   1908 London Olympics Originally slated for Rome, the fourth official Olympic Games was moved to London in the wake of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. These games were the first to feature an opening ceremony and considered the most organized yet.   1912 Stockholm Olympics The fifth official Olympic Games featured the use of electric timing devices and a public address system for the first time. Over 2,500 athletes competed representing 28 countries. These games are still heralded as one of the most organized to date.   The 1916 Olympics Due to rising tensions of World War I, the Games were canceled. They were originally scheduled for Berlin.   1920 Antwerp Olympics The VII Olympiad took place immediately after World War I, resulting in several countries decimated by the war not being able to compete. These Games marked the first appearance of the Olympic flag. 1924 Paris Olympics At the request and honor of retiring IOC president and founder  Pierre de  Coubertin, the  VIII Olympiad was held in his home city of Paris from May to July 1924. The first Olympic Village and Olympic Closing Ceremony marked new features of these Games.   1928 Amsterdam Olympics The IX Olympiad featured several new games, including gymnastics for women and mens track and field events, but most notably the IOC added the Olympics Torch and lighting ceremonies to the Games repertoire this year.  3,000 athletes from  46 countries participated.   1932 Los Angeles Olympics With the world currently experiencing the effects of the Great Depression, traveling to California for the X Olympiad seemed insurmountable, resulting in low response rates from countries invited. Domestic ticket sales also did poorly despite a small bump from celebrities who volunteered to entertain the crowds. Only 1,300 athletes participated, representing 37 countries.   1936 Berlin Olympics Without knowing Hilter would rise to power, the IOC awarded Berlin the Games in 1931.  This sparked international debate about boycotting the Games, but 49 countries ended up competing. These were the first televised games.   The Olympics in 1940 and 1944 Originally slated for  Tokyo, Japan, threats to boycott due to Japans war-mongering and Japans concern the Games would distract from their military goal led to the IOC  awarding  Helsinki, Finland the Games. Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of WWII in 1939, the games were canceled altogether. The IOC did not schedule a 1944 Olympic Games because of World War IIs continued devastation around the world.   1948 London Olympics Despite much debate over whether to continue the Games after World War II, the XIV Olympiad was held in London from July to August 1948 with a few post-war modifications. Japan and Germany, the aggressors of WWII, were not invited to compete. The Soviet Union, though invited, declined to participate.   1952 Helsinki Olympics The XV Olympiad in Helsinki, Finland saw the addition of the Soviet Union,  Israel, and the Peoples Republic of China to countries competing.  The Soviets set up their own Olympic Village for Eastern Bloc athletes and a feeling of east versus west mentality permeated the atmosphere of these Games.   1956 Melbourne Olympics These games were held in November and December as the first Games to take place in the Southern Hemisphere. Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon protest the Games because of Israels invasion of Egypt and the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland boycotted because of the Soviet Unions invasion of Budapest, Hungary.   1960 Rome Olympics The XVII Olympiad in Rome returned the Games to their origin country for the first time in over 50 years due to the relocation of the 1908 Games. It was also the first time the Games were fully televised and the first time the Olympic Anthem was used. This was the last time South Africa was allowed to compete for 32 years (until apartheid ended).   1964 Tokyo Olympics The  XVIII Olympiad marked the first use of computers to keep results of competitions and the first games South Africa was barred from for its racist policy of apartheid.  5,000 athletes competed from 93 countries.  Indonesia and  North Korea did not participate.   1968 Mexico City The Games of the XIX Olympiad were marred by political unrest. 10 days before the Opening Ceremony,  the Mexican army shot over 1,000 student protestors, killing 267 of them. The Games continued with little comment on the issue, and during an award ceremony for winning Gold and Bronze for the 200-meter race, two U.S. athletes raised a single black-gloved hand in salute to the Black Power movement, resulting in being barred from the Games.   1972 Munich Olympics The XX Olympiad is most remembered for the Palestinian terrorist attack that resulted in the death of 11 Israeli athletes. Despite this, the Opening Ceremonies continued a day later than scheduled and 7,000 athletes from 122 countries competed.   1976 Montreal Olympics 26 African countries boycotted the XXI Olympiad due to New Zealand playing independent rugby games against still-apartheid South Africa in the years leading up to the 1976 Games.  Accusations (mostly unproven) were waged against several athletes suspected of using anabolic steroids to enhance performance. 6,000 athletes competed representing only 88 countries.   1980 Moscow Olympics The XXII Olympiad marks the first and only Games to take place in Eastern Europe.  65 countries boycotted the games due to the Soviet Unions war in Afghanistan.  An Olympic Boycott Games known as the Liberty Bell Classic was held at the same time in Philadelphia to host competitors from those countries who boycotted.   1984 Los Angeles Olympics In response to the United States boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games, the Soviet Union and 13  other countries boycotted the Los Angeles-based XXIII Olympiad.  These Games also saw the return of China for the first time since 1952.   1988 Seoul Olympics Angered that the IOC did not nominate them to co-host the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, North Korea attempted to rally countries in a boycott but only succeeded in convincing allies  Ethiopia, Cuba, and Nicaragua. These Games marked a return to their international popularity. 159 countries competed, represented by 8,391 athletes.   1992 Barcelona Olympics Because of a ruling in 1994 by the IOC to make the Olympic Games (including Winter Games) occur in alternating even-numbered years, this was the last year both Summer and Winter Olympic Games took place in the same year.  It was also the first since 1972 to be unaffected by boycotts.  9,365 athletes competed, representing 169 countries. Nations of the former Soviet Union joined under The Unified  Team consisting of 12 of the former 15 republics.   1996 Atlanta Olympics The XXVI Olympiad marked the centennial of the Games founding in 1896.  was the first to occur without government support, which led to a commercialization of the Games. A pipe bomb that exploded in  Atlantas Olympic Park killed two people, but motive and perpetrator were never determined. A record 197 countries and 10,320 athletes competed.   2000 Sydney Olympics Praised as one of the best games in Olympic history, the XXVII Olympiad played host to 199 countries and was relatively unaffected by the controversy of any type.  The United States earned the most medals, followed by Russia, China, and Australia.   2004 Athens Olympics Security and terrorism were at the center of preparation for the XXVIII Olympiad in Athens, Greece due to the rising international conflict in the wake of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.  These Games saw the rise of Michael Phelps, who earned 6 gold medals in swimming events.   2008 Beijing Olympics Despite protests for host Chinas actions in Tibet, the XXIX Olympiad continued as planned. 43 world and 132 Olympic records were set by 10,942 athletes representing 302 National Olympics Committees (countries organized into one represented team). Of those who competed in the Games, an impressive 86 countries medaled (earned at least one medal) at these Games.   2012 London Olympics Becoming the hosts with the most, Londons XXX Olympiad marked the most times a single city has hosted the Games (1908, 1948 and 2012).  Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time with additions from the year totaling 22 career Olympic medals. The United States earned the most medals, with China and Great Britain taking second and third place.   2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics The XXXI Olympiad marked the first competition for new entrants  South Sudan, Kosovo, and the Refugee Olympic Team.  Rio is the first South American country to host the Olympic Games.  Instability of the countrys government, pollution of its bay, and a Russian doping scandal-marred preparation for the Games. The United States earned its 1,000th Olympic medal during these games and earned the most of the XXIV Olympiad, followed by Great Britain and China. Brazil finished 7th overall. 2020 Tokyo Olympics The IOC awarded Tokyo, Japan the XXXII Olympiad on September 7, 2013. Istanbul and Madrid were also up for candidacy. The games are scheduled to begin July 24 and end August 9, 2020.

Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 9

Research Proposal - Essay Example According to Leau et al. (2012), agile practices include Crystal methodology, dynamic software development method, feature-driven development, lean software development, scrum, and extreme programming. These practices could be integrated into the traditional software development life cycle to change how project are run instead of completely changing to the new methods. This would enable software developers take advantage of both methodologies. The purpose of this study is to identify how the agile practice could be integrated into traditional software development cycle instead of completely changing the cycle. The integration can be done in various ways whose difference depends on the type of practice. In the study, we will identify several agile practices as well as analyze how each one of them could be integrated to the cycle to achieve the purpose of the study. The study will have some limitations and delimitations based on the limited resources available for the research and the dynamic changes in the technology of software development. We will therefore use qualitative approach due to the limitation in the resources available for the research. This approach is economical and does not require many resources. Moreover, because of the dynamic nature of the agile practices, we will not be able to study all of them. In this study, we have planned to discuss only the above-mentioned six agile practices although there are some that have lately introduced. Another limitation of this study is the many ways in which agile practices could be integrated into the traditional software development life cycle. Because of these, we will not be able to cover all of them in this study. What will be covered in this study will be the main ways in which these integration could be done. Traditional as well as modern software development life cycle have

The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy - Essay Example 20). Throughout the tenure of John F Kennedy, the nuclear arms race with the USSR and the Cold War remained his prime concerns. As a president and a statesman the spread of communism happened to be the point of focus for John F Kennedy and he considered the onus of wresting a containment of communism as the pivotal priority of the United States of America (Bose, 1998). What were the characteristics and ramifications of the containment strategy eschewed by Kennedy? Kennedy believed that Soviet Union was a potent and implacable enemy that aspired to spread its sway over the world in general and in the Western Hemisphere in particular. Thereby Kennedy laid emphatic stress on the need to maintain a balance of power against the Soviet Union even at the cost of curtailing other salient imperatives (Bose, 1998, p. 23). On the one side Kennedy’s containment doctrine envisaged to curtail the military threat posed by the Soviet Union to the allies and the United States and on the other side it intended to contain the Soviet influence owing to the political and economic ramifications of a possible spread of the communist doctrine (Bose, 1998)). Thereby, considering the military and politico-economic possibilities inherent in the expansion of Soviet influence, the crux of the Kennedy doctrine was to limit the spread of communism in countries across the world. ... The one salient theme of Kennedy’s containment doctrine was the assertion that as United States had the wherewithal and the capacity to influence and control events at the international level, thereby the nation must play a proactive role in actually doing so. Enunciate some of the international events and crisis situations that highlighted the implications of President Kennedy’s containment doctrine? Containment doctrine evinced multiple political and tactical ramifications during Kennedy’s tenure. Kennedy approved the Bay of Pigs invasion which involved the invasion of Cuba by a force of CIA trained Cuban exiles in 1961 (Higgins, 1987, p. 161). This invasion enjoyed an active encouragement and support from the Kennedy administration (Higgins, 1987). Sadly the entire force of the trained Cuban exiles was either killed or captured and Kennedy publicly owned the responsibility for the failure of this invasion (Higgins, 1987). The Bay of Pigs invasions illustrated the commitment of the Kennedy government to curtail the communist influence in the Western Hemisphere. The 1961 Berlin Crisis happened to be the last major politico-military confrontation between the USSSR and the US on the European soil that saw much diplomatic initiative on the part of Kennedy administration, in tandem with the salient containment doctrine. The Berlin crisis was initiated by the USSSR as it asked for an unconditional withdrawal of the Western forces from the West Berlin (Barnes, 2005, p. 194). This crisis culminated with the partition of Berlin and the erection of the Berlin Wall (Barnes, 2005, p. 195). In pursuance of his policy of containment, Kennedy responded to the Berlin Crisis by initiating a significant increase

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example According to the authors, the need is to establish a strong link between theory and practice in order to improve the supervision of students’ activities within the classroom. This article also relates to the subject of supervisory principles in education in a sense that it provides an effective framework for supervisors’ training which teachers can use to improve their supervision skills. The purpose of this article as mentioned by the authors is to identify the key empirical and theoretical considerations that should be able to support the need of effective training for educators and supervisors. The authors have explored the content of different training courses to know whether an appropriate model of supervision exists in the field of medicine or not. In this article, the authors argue that if there is no explanatory model in place for training, the training of supervisors should be based on relevant existing information about models of supervision and learning processes. This article is based primarily on the need to improve teacher efficacy and supervision in the education resource-room context. The objectives of the research were to prove the validity of the Gibson and Dembo Teacher Efficacy Scale in the special education context, as well as to examine the association between the use of instructional supervision and teacher efficacy. The authors of this article examined the relationship in order come up with the judgment about the strength of the relationship and its role in improving students’ learning. The article contains a good amount of information on the relationship between teacher efficacy and instructional supervision. In this article, the author discusses the importance of translating the principles of managing human behaviors and organizational activities into successful business practices. The main idea presented by the author is that the

Pay And Reward Management In Practice Management Essay

Pay And Reward Management In Practice Management Essay Introduction Before undertaking a critical analysis of collective and individual pay systems and how these systems have been affected by key socio- economic changes in Britain over the past thirty years, it is important to first define the meaning of pay, reward/ reward management, collectivism and individualism. From here the author will consider the key socio-economic factors that have influenced the change in practice and look at the development of reward management within the context of personal development. Pay, Reward, Collectivism and Individualism Pay is used to denote the wages, salaries or fees paid by employers in return for the provision of labour. (Hollinshead, Nicholls and Tailby, 1999, p. 332) The concept of reward has developed over the last twenty five years and has evolved from the concept of basic pay. Reward management involves the analysis and effective control of employee remuneration and covers salary and all benefits. It assesses the nature and extent of rewards and the way they are delivered as well as considering their effect on both the organisation and staff. (Cornwell website, 2007) Reward management therefore is a strategic pay control system, which is central both to the organisation and to the management of Human Resources within that organisation. The term Reward Management was coined by Armstrong and Murliss in 1988 and they and other scholars support the view that: Reward management is not just about money. It is also concerned with those non financial rewards which provide intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. ( Armstrong and Murliss, 1988, p.12) Collectivism or Collective Bargaining is the process of negotiation between unions and employers regarding the  terms and conditions of employment  of employees, and about the rights and responsibilities of trade unions. It is a process of rule making, leading to joint regulation. (Eurofound website, 2007). Collective Bargaining is fundamentally a representative process, in which Trade Unions, who represent the employee, negotiate with key organisational personnel i.e. managers, who represent the organisation, in order to reach agreement on the terms and conditions of employment. According to the WERS Report 2004 Inside the Workplace, collective bargaining is most prevalent in large organisations. The term Individualist, Performance Related Pay or Contingent Pay is the standard term used to describe schemes for providing financial rewards which are related to individual performance, competence, contribution or skill. (Armstrong and Stephens, 2005, p.231) Socio Economic Considerations Before delving into the detail of collectivism and individualism, it is important to look at the socio-economic changes that have taken place over the last thirty years. The rise of Thatcherism and the focus on the personal society and the concept of market forces have played a significant part in the changes to pay and reward within the workplace. The Thatcherist doctrine of the 1980s was heavily focussed on curbing the power of the Trade Unions. This she successfully achieved, but at some cost to certain elements of society. Although, still significant players, trade unions are not now as influential as they once were. For example, According to the findings of the WERS Report 2004 Inside the Workplace, the decrease in the number of Trade Union representatives (particularly within non public sector and small work places) between 1988 and 2004, has lead to a decline in collective power. Additionally, the report noted that pay issues were far less likely to be discussed in workplace consultative committees, if a Trade Representative was not present. Again, this demonstrates a move towards a new pay orthodoxy. Margaret Thatcher viewed market forces as a means to promote healthy businesses and expose the weaker ones, seeking to create an entrepreneurial society, with a focus on individual success and performance. This has been the prevalent idea since the mid 1980s and has influenced workers expectations of reward. (BCC website, 2004) The following extract from the Guardian, gives a helpful summary of the economic changes brought about under Thatcher:- The Conservative economic revolution of the 1980s casts a long shadow. It broke the power of organised labour, deregulated the economy and opened it up to global market forces. Geoffrey Howes 1981 austerity budget of public spending cuts and tax increases pitched Britain into mass unemployment and helped destroy the last vestiges of the post war welfare consensus. In 1978 there were 7.1 million employed in manufacturing, by 2008 that had fallen to 3 million. There has been no significant private investment in the de-industrialised regions. They have still not recovered their social fabric or productive economies and are now sustained by government spending. (The Guardian website, February 2010) There are four points to highlight from this quotation:- The rise of individual entrepreneurialism The reduction in the power of the Unions The break-up of large organisations, both manufacturing and other industries (coal.) In such organisations collective pay settlements were the norm, if those people are now employed at all now, it is likely they are in smaller businesses, which tend not have collective bargaining. The change from mainly an industrial, manufacturing economy to one where the service industry dominates. Over the last thirty years, the standard of living in this country has increased significantly for middle and working class workers but as a consequence, contemporary workers have far higher expectations, with regards to pay and reward and want their efforts to be individually recognised. High performance workers demand to be recognised and rewarded and thus both social and economic pressures currently exist to support individualist pay systems. The Development of Reward Management Pay management systems in Britain have changed considerably over the last thirty years and many of these changes have occurred as a result of important external and internal influences on organisations. The author has chosen to focus on the work of Armstrong (1988) to carry out this analysis, as he is a renowned scholar in the field of pay and reward in the U.K. Old Pay Systems The Early 1980s According to Armstrong and Murliss (1998), these were:- Pay based on the national going rate negotiated centrally with the main Trade Unions White collar and managerial fine pay structures, created to assist promotion increases that did not fall within the norms of income policy, were often open to abuse and resulted out of decaying job evaluation initiatives Limited Performance Related Pay or incentive schemes for office, technical, professional or managerial staff Incremental increases on fixed service-related pay were the norm Senior management Tax- effective benefits The late Enterpreneurial 1980s According to Armstrong and Murliss (1998), the entrepreneurial 1980s witnessed dramatic changes to pay systems. During this period pays role changed from being viewed as a back office function to a key management mechanism for change during the formation of the Enterprise Culture. Pay systems became dominated by performance related pay and incentive schemes. Armstrong and Murliss (1998) argue that during this period reward managements philosophy developed important features which demonstrated many similarities to Human Resource Management philosophy, including:- Treating employees as organisational assets Earning the commitment of these employees to the organisations core values and objectives Allowing staff members to achieve their full potential and to contribute fully to organisational goal achievement The Post Entrepreneurial 1990s Many of the simplistic pay models implemented in the late 1980s failed to achieve their objectives (Armstrong and Murliss, 1998) New Pay Systems The 1990s saw the adoption of a more strategically focused pay systems, which are still operational in contemporary private and public sector organisations. Armstrong and Murliss (1998) noted that the main developments to be incorporated into new pay systems in the 1990s included:- People-based pay, with emphasis on role adaptability and a move towards generic roles and job families, which focus on continual development and competence The introduction of second/ third generation performance- related pay, which focuses on improving performance rather than merely rating it Determining the value of employee inputs and outputs in Performance management i.e. development and motivation Recognising the employees as an organisational stakeholder, who is included in processes which affect their parts of the employment relationship for example pay According to the findings CIPD Survey 2004 of Performance Management, (cited in Armstrong and Stephens, 2005), 56% of the 566 respondents had some type of Performance related Pay. Armstrong and Stephens (2005) argue that many people view Performance Related Pay as a key people motivator, however they argue that non financial rewards i.e. the work undertaken and the working environment form an important part of the whole reward package. However, according to the findings of The e-research 2004 Survey of Performance Related Pay (cited in Armstrong and Stephens, 2005) the main factors for using Performance Related Pay are:- To acknowledge and reward superior performance To appeal to and maintain excellent personnel To enhance organisational performance To concentrate efforts on strategic values and results The Decline of Collectivism According to the WERS Report 2004 and Edwards (2003) the declining influence of the trade unions led to the decline of collectivism, which the WERS Report 2004 noted occurred between 1988-2004, particularly in non public sector and private organisations. The WERS Report 2004 noted that By far the most common pay determination in 2004 was unilateral pay setting by management. (WERS Report, 2004, p.19) i.e.individualism. Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector According to the WERS Report 2004, despite the decline of collective bargaining, it is still used as a means to set pay in larger organisations for example, in public sector organisations, for example, in the public administration and Utilities Industries. Collective Bargaining in the Private Sector According to the WERS Report 2004, Collective Bargaining was virtually non- existent in private sector organisations, for example, the Hotel and Restaurant Industry. In addition, the report noted that collective bargaining has not been replaced by any other single pay determination method, however mixed methods were less used and varying methods of single pay determination were used across the workplace. (WERS Report, 2004) Evidence of the Decline of Collectivism in the U.K. The decline in the use of Collective Bargaining in the U.K., as a pay determination method, over the last thirty years, is clearly illustrated in Table 1, Appendix 1. The Rise of Individualism or Performance Related Pay Some of the key reasons for the rise of individualism in pay systems in the U.K. can be summarised as follows:- The Terms and conditions of staff are increasingly important Aspiration and expectation increasingly staff want to be rewarded for doing a good job As mentioned above the socio-economic factors decline of the trade unions Increased competitive pressures Increasingly market forces constraining employers discretion Driving change (in pay and reward) is the need to strengthen the link to business performance , cost control, support for organisational change and recruitment and retention pressures ( Wright, 2007) As we have moved away from Collectivism, the last thirty years has been dominated by change and experimentation. Basic pay, which applies to the collective is supplemented and enhanced by pay systems that seek to differentiate between individuals in some way. Inconsistencies in Individualism/ Performance Related Pay From the research undertaken, it is clear that contemporary pay systems, some of the features of which are noted in brief on page 7, are determined through collective bargaining or Individualism/ Performance Related Pay, the latter of which has given rise to organisation- based pay setting, which has led to inequalities in pay in the U.K. since 1980. (Edwards, 2003) Individualism/ Performance Related Pay does not apply across the board to all categories of staff. Of particular note is the disparity in packages between managers and workers, for example, The WERS Report 2004 recorded that 45% of managers had company cars, while only 15% of workers had company cars and 38% of managers had private health care, while only 16% of workers had private health care. Performance related pay matrices, as illustrated in Appendix 2, are often used to determine pay increases in relation to performance and pay range position ( Armstrong and Stephens, 2005) Managers need to apply these systems both equally and fairly and therefore, there will need to be some form of mediation with all senior managers to ensure o harmonisation and the implementation of quotas, as not everybody can be rated, as excellent, as it would cost the organisation too much money. Decline in Popularity of Individualism/ Performance Related Pay Performance Related Pay became popular in the late 1980s, as noted earlier on pages 5-7, however, numerous reasons have lead to a decline in its popularity , for example:- Performance Related Pay has become surrounded by complaints about inconsistencies, as noted above, and (therefore) bias Managers who carry out appraisals and administer related monitoring processes often lack the necessary training Performance Related Pay assumes that performance is totally in the hands of the individual, however performance is affected by the organisation/ environment they work in The qualifying criteria for Performance Related Pay demanding and difficult to achieve ( Armstrong and Stephens, 2005) Labour Research, September 2000, reported some significant failings of Performance Related Pay in the public sector, by citing IRS Pay and Benefits Bulletin Survey, which found for example, that 75% of public PRP schemes were too insignificant to motivate staff and that 29% of public sector organisations felt PRP was too costly. According to Wright (2007), the Approach has moved on from simply collectivism and individualism to refining thoughts about individualism, taking into account staff engagement, trust and commitment. There is a need to develop management when looking at the design of reward systems. Wright (2007) cites Milsome (2005), who noted from the Reward Management Symposium (2005) that reward practices are rarely based on evidence of what produces good organisational outcomes and what does not. (Wright, 2007, p.159) Pay and Reward Today According to the CIPD (2010) Today the notion of linking pay to a wider definition of employee contribution is gaining ground. This emphasises not only performance in the sense of output (the end result that is achieved) but also the input (what the employee has contributed in a more holistic sense. (CIPD Website, 2010) It could be said that these developments demonstrate a more rounded and fairer approach to measuring individual performance. The CIPD (2010) refer to a members poll, carried out in March 2009 to gauge the effects of the economic crisis on performance management. It is significant to note 92% of the respondents believed there had been an increased level of performance management in general, 88% of the respondents felt that it was necessary to re-evaluate performance measures to replicate the more demanding work environment. With reference to rewarding performance, 63% of respondents felt that it was harder to reward good performance in the current climate and 90% of respondents felt that reward performance should include the use of increased levels of non-financial incentives. (CIPD, 2010) The results from the CIPD members poll clearly demonstrates the continued importance of performance management but it does also highlight that the current economic crisis has and is likely to continue to affect Performance Related Pay. Conclusion It is true that collectivism has declined and individualism has increased but it is not as simple as one approach replacing the other. Collectivism really started to decline in the Thatcher years with the destruction of the trade unions power and the support for individual endeavour in an attempt to improve the UKs economic performance. Thatcher was a great believer in meritocracy and open competition. This lead to the rise of the importance of the individual. Over the years we have seen this develop from being just about Pay to encompassing the wider concept of Reward (e.g. longer holidays, flexible hours, private health, etc). In the early Eighties this type of Reward was the preserve of Managers, but is now applied at many different levels. This has been strengthened in recent years as a result of two key factors: (i) two recessions within the space of 20 years where companies have struggled to find ways to retain and reward skilled employees other than the traditional financial remuneration, (ii) the changing face of the UK industry from manufacturing to services. However, Collectivism still has its place in larger public organisations and some private ones, particularly where it is very difficult to differentiate between the performance of individuals doing exactly the same lightly skilled jobs, and where the going rate for the job is still a valid concept. Although Individualism does dominate, it has itself developed again in the last 15 years where it has moved from pure Performance Related Pay to systems which are more objective in their assessment and also endeavoured to focus on staff improvement and development. Bibliography:- Armstrong, M., and Murliss, H., (1998.4th ed.) Reward Management : A Handbook of Remuneration Strategy and Practice, Kogan Page, pp.1-57 Armstrong, M., and Stephens, T., (2005) Individual contingent pay, in Employee Reward Management and Practice. London, Kogan Page, pp.231-254 BBC News, Retrieved, 2nd January 2011 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3681973.stm, Cornwell website, Retrieved 7th January 2011 from http://www.cornwell.co.uk/people_management/reward_management.asp CIPD (2010) Performance Related Pay Factsheet, Retrieved 10th January 2011 from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/shapingthefuture/_eccrsplrst.htm?IsSrchRes=1 Eurofound website, Retrieved 6th January 2011 from: Edwards, P.,( 2003 ed.) Industrial Relations, Oxford Blackwell Hollinshead, G., Nicholls, P., and Tailby, S., (1999), Pay, in Employee Relations, London: Pitman Publishing, pp.332-377 Kersley, B., Alpin, C., Forth, J., Bryson, A., Bewley, H., Dix,G., And Oxenbridge, S., (2004) Inside the Workplace, First Findings from the 2004 Workplace Employment Relations Survey ( WERS 2004) Labour Research Department (September 2000) Performance -related pay failing in the public sector, Publications Online for Amicus members The Guardian (2010), Retrieved on 2nd January 2010 from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/28/economics-conservatives-legacy-housing-election Wright, A., (2007), Through a Glass Darkly: problems and issues in reward, in Porter, C., Bingham, C., and Simmonds, D., (2008), Exploring Human Resource Management, McGraw Hill. London, pp.159-177 Appendix 1 The Decline of Collective Bargaining in the U.K. Membership % of Density % Covered by Collective Bargaining 1979 13 million 59 70 1997 7.8 30.2 33.3 2006 7.6 28.4 35.3 Constructed from data provided through the Workplace Industrial Relations (and Employee Relations) Survey series 1980-2004 and a certification Office report for 2007

greek philosophy Essay -- essays research papers

Greek Religion is the beginning to Greek philosophy and the beginning to many great philosophers. The lack of stimulation that Greek religion is the main reason why the study of philosophy became so popular in Greek culture. Philosophy of religion was studied because people like Socrates did not understand why things were and why they had to be only that way. The lack of religion is what led to people and philosophers questioning the ethical choices people followed. Philosophy is a study of beliefs and knowledge by a group or an individual; the study of philosophy according to Socrates was supposed to lead man with knowledge that equaled virtue that eventually led to happiness. Philosophy was a way of living back in Greek culture. There were philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Arcamedies, and Aristotle that were constantly question why things happened and went against what was Greek religion. These men taught the Greek people to study philosophy and knowledge so it would free their souls. Socrates felt that mans soul was rational factuality but the soul was filled with irrational choices. Man needed to focus on what they could do to become truly pure and rational that would led them to there rational soul.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Greek sophists were the professional educators in the poleis. It was these sophists that taught Greek men and boys to open their souls and become one with themselves. They mad them question everyday living and why things were there. A sophi...

Reflecting on one’s Communication Skills Essay

Introduction Nursing students can enhance their learning through reflection that is, reflecting on a situation that involves nursing care (Parker 2006, p.115). In line with this thought, I shall reflect on an experience and discuss the communication skills I used or should have used during the patient encounter. I will use the three what model based on the work of Borton (1970) and Boud (1985) to help structure my reflection. Before going any further, I am invoking the provision in the NMC (2008) code which declares the need to respect people’s confidentiality; hence, the identity of the patient who will be cited in this reflection will be kept anonymous. He will be given a pseudonym and will simply be referred to as Mr. B What? Mr. B is a 75-year-old patient in a nursing home diagnosed with dementia. Initially, it was my mentor who initiated nursing care to him and I was instructed to continue its delivery. The rationale why my mentor assigned me to Mr. B was so I can sharpen my communication skills. During my interaction with Mr. B, I tried to remain calm and spoke in slow and short sentences. I also used simple words although at times, I cannot help but repeat what I have already said because I was not sure whether the patient understood my statements. So What? At first, I was honestly hesitant and quite nervous when I interacted with the patient. I was already aware of his condition; hence, I was in a dilemma as to how I can communicate with him. This experience helped me realise that communication is truly an important part of nursing practice. Mastering all the routine nursing tasks and other complicated nursing interventions will all have been for nothing if a nurse does not know how to initiate a nurse-patient therapeutic relationship or interaction which naturally begins with communication. To simply put it, Ellis, Gates and Kenworthy (2003, p.214) declare that good communication is vital to effective nursing. According to Collins (2009) good communication helps build a therapeutic relationship which is central to nursing. It is a must for a nurse to be able to communicate effectively with the patient because communication is the tool that will allow the nurse to reassure a patient, empower the patient, motivate the patient, put a patient at ease, and convey understanding of the patient’s concerns (Collins 2009). I realised that communicating with a patient with dementia is more difficult than I have actually predicted. His condition was definitely the barrier that hindered effective communication. Even though I spoke in clear, short and simple sentences, there were still instances when the patient did not understand what I said or may be pretended to have not heard what I said. With this, I realise that one effective counter against such circumstance is to establish and maintain genuine rapport with the patient which can be done through frequent therapeutic conversations with the patient. Rapport entails trust and confidence of the patient to the nurse. Without, a nurse will have difficulty convincing a patient to follow instructions or adhere to advices. The experience also led me to realise the importance of valuing non-verbal communication. Before, I honestly took for granted non-verbal communication because the patients I handled in the past had no cognitive impairments that hindered verbal communication. It was only during this experience that verbal communication is less reliable due to the patient’s condition. This experience pointed out that a patient’s facial expression, presence or absence of eye contact, and bodily gestures can all help decipher a patient’s mood, feelings and attitude towards the nurse and the interventions given by the nurse. Videbeck (2010, p.107) relate that it is crucial for a nurse to understand what a patient is trying to communicate by means of observing non-verbal cues. I learned that a truly competent nurse is someone who is able to assess not only what a patient can verbalise but also assess those non-verbal cues displayed by a  patient which may lead the nurse to truly unde rstand how the patient feels and what the patient needs. Now What The experience helped me learn the importance of both verbal and non-verbal communication. As an aspiring nurse, I have to continuously sharpen my communication skills because I shall be interacting with more varied patients in the future. I have to be able to establish rapport with each new patient and I can do this by communicating with them. I must maximise my communication with my patients because I can do a lot of things by communicating such as motivate, empower, educate and understand my patients. Conclusion To sum up, reflecting on an experience will help discover different important learning. It will increase one’s knowledge identify strengths and weaknesses in one’s skills. Communication is key to building rapport and therapeutic relationship with patients. A nurse must always improve on his or her communication skills in order to better deliver nursing care. References Collins, S. (2009). Good communication helps to build a therapeutic relationship. (online) available at: http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice/clinicalspecialisms/educators/good-communication-helps-to-build-a-therapeuticrelationship/5003004.article Ellis, R., Gates, B. and Kenworthy, N. (2003). Interpersonal communication in nursing: Theory and practice. London: Churchill Livingstone. Nursing & Midwifery Council (2008). The code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London: NMC. Parker, M. (2006). Aesthetic ways in day-to-day nursing. In: Freshwater, D. (Ed.). Therapeutic nursing: Improving patient care through self-awareness and reflection. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Videbeck, S. (2010). Psychiatric-mental health nursing. 5th edn., Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Introduction Aseptic technique is the practice of carrying out a procedure in such a way that minimises the risk of introducing contamination into a vulnerable area or contaminating an invasive devise (Dougherty and Lister 2011, p.129). Aseptic technique includes several methods such as sterilising instruments, using antiseptic hand scrubs, and donning of sterile gowns, gloves, caps and masks (Cho and Alessandrini 2008, p.43). In line with this thought, this essay will explore the underlying rationales and evidence for the performance of two common methods of aseptic technique. These methods are hand washing and gloving which I personally performed many times during practice placements. Practising Aseptic Technique The delivery of effective nursing care rests on the hands of the nurse. This statement does not only apply figuratively but also literally because the hands of a nurse must not only be capable of performing tasks, it must also be clean while performing such tasks. Hand washing is simply indispensable in the performance of any and all kinds of nursing care activities. It becomes too mundane that sometimes it is intentionally or unintentionally neglected or performed in a manner that is less than satisfactory. As a student nurse, it was made clear to me that proper hand washing is a very important initial step in the delivery of nursing services. I have performed hand washing countless times, some at an acceptable standard while others below standard. The origin for strongly recommending or rather enforcing the need to perform hand washing may be traced from Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis who advocated the performance of hand washing with a chlorinated solution among doctors before assisting women in labour (Case 2011). White (2005, p.527) defines hand washing as the rubbing together of all surfaces www.newessays.co.uk and crevices of the hands using a soap or chemical and water. It is a part of all types of isolation precautions and is the most basic and effective infection-control measure to prevent and control the transmission of infectious agents. Hand hygiene which includes hand washing and gloving, is the single most crucial means of preventing transmission of antibiotic-resistant organisms such as the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci or VRE (LeTexier 2011). The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2003, p.28) or NICE in its guideline for infection control dictate that hand washing and gloving are two fundamental modes of preventing healthcare-associated infection. The World Health Organization (2006) highly recommends that health care workers wear gloves to prevent microorganisms present on the hands to be transmitted to patients and to reduce the risk of workers acquiring infection from patients. The effectiveness of donning gloves in preventing contamination of infectious agents has been confirmed in many clinical trials (WHO 2006). To reiterate, both hand washing and gloving are two of the most indispensable methods of aseptic technique; however, amidst the overwhelming evidence on the benefits of both procedures, there are still erring professionals. Nurses, doctors and other health care professionals still do err in the performance of such procedures. In my case, I have done it many times before but sometimes, I still forget to do it or consciously neglect to do it. Perhaps, the problem lies not within the knowledge of the need to perform it but rather on the manner by which it should be perform. There are varying ways and means of performing hand washing. In fact there are different kinds of hand washing. There is the medical hand washing which is similar to ordinary hand washing and there is also the surgical hand washing. Every institution has its own version on how to perform hand washing. This is also true for donning gloves. There are different brands of gloves each of which advertise some form of advantage over the other. There are also different modes of donning gloves such as the open technique and the close technique. There are also different varieties of gloves like clean gloves and surgical gloves. The differences and varieties with the way hand washing and gloving may be performed may account for the reason why some professionals err in the performance of these two important aseptic technique procedures. Another factor in the possible non-compliance of some healthcare professionals may be related to convenience in the performance of such procedures. For instance, when a nurse is overwhelmed by work-related stress due to high inpatient census, sometimes, the simple act of washing hands is intentionally neglected. As a solution to this, it is recommended to make hand hygiene convenient (JCR 2009, p.64). Instead of the traditional soap and water, it is possible to achieve the same effect with alcohol based scrub; thereby, eliminating the need for washing hands with water. It is also advisable to choose gloves that have special fit for different sizes of hands rather than the fit-all type of gloves. Conclusion In summary, hand washing and gloving are two common types of aseptic technique which are indispensable in the everyday practice of nursing. It has been well established that hand washing and gloving are crucial in the efficient delivery of services particularly in the aspect of preventing the spread of infection. Despite this known fact, some still err in complying with such procedures. References Case, C. (2011). Handwashing. [online] Available at: http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/CC/hand_background.php Cho, C. and Alessandrini, E. (2008). Aseptic technique. In: King, C., Henretig, F. and King , B. (Eds.). Textbook of pediatric emergency procedures. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Dougherty, L. and Lister, S. (2011). The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures: Student edition. 8th edn., Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Joint Commission Resources (2009). Meeting joint commission’s infection prevention and control requirements: A priority focus area. 2nd edn., Illinois: Joint Commission Resources. LeTexier, R. (2011). Preventing infection through hand washing. [Online].Available at: http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/2000/07/preventing-infection-throughhandwashing.aspx National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2003). Infection control: Prevention of healthcare-associated infection in primary and community care. [online]. Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG2fullguidelineinfectioncontrol.pdf White, L. (2005). Foundations of nursing. London: Thompson Delmar Learning. www.newessays.co.uk Nursing Essay: Sample World Health Orgnization (2006). The first global patient safety challenge: Clean care is safer care. [online]. available at: http://www.who.int/gpsc/tools/Infsheet6.pdf www.newessays.co.uk

The man without a face

The man without a face Free Online Research Papers The Man Without a Face is a 1993 drama film starring and directed by Mel Gibson. The film is based on Isabelle Hollands 1972 novel of the same name. Gibsons directorial debut received respectful reviews from most critics. Contents [hide] 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Treatment of sexuality 5 Urban legend 6 References 7 External links [edit]Plot The film takes place in the turbulent era of the late 1960s. For the past seven years, Justin McLeod (Gibson) has been living the life of a recluse painter. McLeod, a former teacher, has lived this way ever since a car accident left him disfigured and killed one of his students. However, a young boy named Chuck needs a tutor to help him pass a military academys entrance exam. He eventually is able to persuade McLeod to become his teacher, and the two develop a friendship. Chuck keeps his daily meetings with McLeod a secret to avoid the scorn of being associated with the disfigured man with a past shrouded in mystery. When his mother learns that Chuck has been visiting the man, she and the rest of the town are convinced that McLeod must have been molesting the child, despite Chucks repeated denials. Chuck confronts McLeod, and learns the full story of his disfigurement: McLeod, a former teacher, was in a car accident with a student who was in love with him. He was branded a pedophile and exiled from his hometown. Once his relationship with Chuck is discovered, McLeod is once again railed out of town and ordered by the authorities not to have any sort of contact with Chuck. On his way out of town, McLeod leaves Chuck a note wishing him the best of luck in his academic goals and a reminder to tolerate people who are different. In the films finale, Chuck is shown graduating with honors from the military academy and sees a mysterious figure in the background, recognizing it as his tutor, the man without a face. [edit]Cast Mel Gibson as Justin McLeod Nick Stahl as Charles E. Chuck Norstadt Margaret Whitton as Catherine Palin Fay Masterson as Gloria Norstadt Gaby Hoffmann as Megan Norstadt Geoffrey Lewis as Chief Wayne Stark Richard Masur as Prof. Carl Hartley Michael DeLuise as Douglas Hall, Glorias Boyfriend Ethan Phillips as Todd Lansing Jean De Baer as Mrs. Lansing Jack De Mave as Mr. Cooper Viva as Mrs. Cooper Justin Kanew as Rob Lansing [edit]Production The Man Without a Face was filmed in Maine and marked the film debut of Nick Stahl. Mel Gibson initially had planned only to direct the film, and he asked three other actors to play the role of Justin McLeod. However, due to difficulty securing funding, Gibson decided to star in the film.[citation needed] [edit]Treatment of sexuality The films treatment of sexuality between Justin McLeod and Chuck Norstadt differs from the book by Isabelle Holland. In the original novel, McLeod behaves in a way that could be interpreted as child grooming, taking Chuck swimming and being affectionate to him. Chuck, meanwhile, seems to be attracted to McLeod as more than just as a father figure. There is one scene where it is strongly implied that McLeod sexually abuses Chuck in his bedroom. In the film, McLeod demonstrates no sexual interest in the boy at all, even though Chuck appears downstairs in his underwear when the police officer calls. Critics have noted that the books criticism of homophobia had been obscured in the film version. Gibson has expressed dislike for the book because of its implied sexual contact between McLeod and Chuck: I read the script first and thats what I liked. The book is just Im sorry, but the guy did it. And you know, like, why? I just wanted to say something a lot more positive.[2] [edit]Urban legend Around the time of the releases of Gibsons films The Patriot and Passion of the Christ, an internet rumour falsely attributed to radio commentator Paul Harvey claimed this film was based on an actual incident that happened to Gibson as a young man. It proved to be false.[3] Research Papers on The man without a faceStandardized TestingWhere Wild and West MeetTrailblazing by Eric AndersonBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XQuebec and CanadaMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito

Free Essays on Emerald Nuts Campaign

in each of the commercials to make you remember the name of the nuts. I think the idea seems to work well. The Emerald website gives their mock media strategy for their commercials: â€Å"Our goal is to create a strategic media plan that is every bit as bold and provocative as the advertising. The EN Media Strategy: Extemelysavvyandboldmediaplan Noblyimplementedtoinsuremarketsuccess.† (EmeraldNuts.com)... Free Essays on Emerald Nuts Campaign Free Essays on Emerald Nuts Campaign Everything’s Nuts Advertisements are meant to catch the attention of the viewer while getting them interested in the product being offered. The commercial for Emerald Nuts definitely catches attention while making the viewer wonder what is trying to be sold. The reason why this advertisement turns viewers’ heads and makes the viewers think about their nuts is because the ad campaign is humorous. Humor makes people feel good and consumers feel less threatened buying products that come off as soft sells. One of the reasons the use of humor is so widespread is that it is such a versatile tool because humor is universal it can also act as a catch-all, a way of appealing to everyone. (Benaday) I think that unlike using sex to sell products, humor can work on all people, regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation. The Emerald Nuts campaign has many different witty commercials. The first ad I saw was of a man and two women dressed up giving a news report, which seemed odd because they were also working-out. Before you can even take a guess at what the commercial is about, the announcer says, â€Å"Exercising Newscasters like Emerald’s Nuts.† It is pretty bizarre so it makes it a memorable commercial, but even after I watched it, I couldn’t remember the correct name of the product. Some other of their other commercials acrostics are â€Å"Ear-muffed Negotiators, Eavesdropping Nebraskans, Eerie Name-callers, and Egomaniacal Norman’s.† (Emeraldnuts.com) The campaign includes fifteen short commercials. They use the E N words in each of the commercials to make you remember the name of the nuts. I think the idea seems to work well. The Emerald website gives their mock media strategy for their commercials: â€Å"Our goal is to create a strategic media plan that is every bit as bold and provocative as the advertising. The EN Media Strategy: Extemelysavvyandboldmediaplan Noblyimplementedtoinsuremarketsuccess.† (EmeraldNuts.com)...

Article Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Article - Assignment Example The first article â€Å"Aligning Supply Chain Strategies with Product Uncertainties† by Lee discusses theoretically the process involved in supply chain management and the factors, which necessitates the same. The article elaborately discusses the risks in production entailed by demand and supply sides. The center point is supply uncertainties that thereby leads to reinforce the necessity of supply chain management. The second article ‘Avon gets its Makeover’ by Cohen and Roussel point out how Avon, a global cosmetics firm has reformed the infrastructure in its manufacturing and transportation base using an end-to-end approach and the benefits which resulted form this step. The third article ‘Making Supply Meet Demand’ by Fischer, Hammond, Obermeyer and Raman focuses on the errors in forecasting and other means of uncertainties affecting demand supply interaction. The fourth article ‘Mass Customization at’ by Feitzinger and Lee explains t he strategies employed for mass customization. All four articles also incorporate the role played by information in supply chain management. Demand-Supply interaction and supply chain management Managing supply chains is closely associated with demand related uncertainties. Supply Chain Management is an integrated set of complex operations needed for a business to succeed in a competitive atmosphere. Efficient supply chain management functions practiced by a company help it in achieving several business objectives. It helps in reducing the cost of operations, improving the quality of the products and services rendered and in maintaining efficient delivery system. Moreover effective supply chain management practice promotes the system of spontaneous innovation taken by a concern. Effective supply chain management helps in the augmentation of the value and quality of products through proper forecasting of market demand and thereby making necessary replenishment (Fischer, Hammond, Ober meyer and Raman). The challenges and benefits of supply chains should be closely studied before any practical strategies are framed and Lee successfully explore that focusing on the uncertainties on both demand and supply sides. Management of supply chains have been more complicated owing to the shortening of life cycles of a product, expansion of business worldwide and persistent up gradation of information technology. The main indicators of the health of supply chain are its market position, inventory, customer service, cost and returns on assets. One important thing must be noted here. Every product or segment cannot have the same kind of supply chain management and a market with unstable demand or uncertain supply source cannot be managed in the same way as that with a stable demand and supply dynamics. For instance products, which are functional, might have lesser uncertainties in demand structure than those that are innovative in nature (Lee). The distinction on grounds of pre dictability can also be made on grounds of accurate response. Fischer, Hammond, Obermeyer and Raman discuss different models for forecasting demand and consequently supply. The products, which are functional in nature, can be forecast without much risk of deviation (Lee). An instance of a successful supply chain management might be found in case of Avon. The company undertook an end-to-end supply chain structure where it could see the entire chain as

Critically discus Visit Scotland Organisation and its contribution to Essay

Critically discus Visit Scotland Organisation and its contribution to the development of Scottish tourism in the past ten years - Essay Example These organisations play a fundamental role in development of tourism products within different markets. This article presents an analysis of the national tourism agency for Scotland; VisitScotland. The article identifies the numerous approaches the organisation has pursued in development of tourism within the country, and the result of these strategies on the tourism industry in Scotland. The report provides several recommendations that could enhance the impact of the organisation on the tourism activities occurring within the country. Table of Contents Executive summary 1 Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Methodology 3 Background of Visit Scotland 3 Findings 4 Partnerships 4 Marketing 6 Provision of information 7 Quality and sustainability 7 Discussions 8 Recommendations 9 Conclusion 10 References 11 Introduction VisitScotland is the Scottish national tourism agency that undertakes the role of marketing the country as a tourist destination in the world. The organisation is a gover nment funded public body that plays a significant role in coordinating various stakeholders within the tourism industry, in Scotland. The organisation has continuously been actively involved in the development projects of many tourism-based investments within the country. ... These activities have provided significant impacts in the development of tourism activities within the country; consequently contributing to economic improvement through sustainable tourism activities (Yeoman, para 1). Methodology The research gathered in this report was taken from various literatures available online. Journal articles and books have also been utilised in gaining an objective perspective of the organisation. Background of Visit Scotland Visit Scotland is an executive public body in Scotland, which coordinates tourism activities in Scotland and acts as the national tourism agency. The organisation operates from head offices located in Edinburgh, Scotland as well as other locations across the country (VisitScotland, para 1). The organisation was established in 1969 as the Scottish Tourism Board, and has continued to undertake tourism related activities since inception. The organisation is charged with the responsibility of attracting visitors to the country; an ope ration it undertakes through advertising, promotional campaigns and many other approaches. The organisation works closely with VisitBritain, a similar organisation with similar tasks across the entire Britain. The organisation coordinates tourism-marketing activities within the country, and seeks to ensure sustainability of the tourism sector within the country (Yeoman, Galt, and Mcmahon-Beattie, 14). Findings The organisation has been fundamental in the sustainability of tourism activities within the country for many years. The presence of the organisations remains essential in the tourism activities undertaken through the country. The organisation has over