Hospitality industry and entrepreneurs

Introduction In the current days, a number of factors continue to serve as impediments and opportunities for entrepreneurs when setting up businesses. More particularly, the upheavals that the entrepreneurs face when they attempt to establish businesses in the hospitality industry are increasing exponentially.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Hospitality industry and entrepreneurs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this report, there is going to be exploring of various factors that may act as either opportunities or risks for entrepreneurs seeking to start businesses in the hospitality industry. There is going to be examining of both external and internal factors that may affect an entrepreneur who wishes to set up a business in the hospitality industry. In the conclusion, some recommendations are going to be given that may serve to help overcome challenges that may be faced when setting up a business in the hos pitality industry and capitalising on opportunities. The business environment The business environment impacts in a significant way on the growth of the SMES that are just coming up (Delmar and Wiklund, 2008). A larger number of the business organisations in the hospitality sector are SMEs. The definition for the business environment is given as the entire variables or factors, internal as well as external to the firm, which may have a continued victorious existence of the firm (Smit et al, 2007). These factors, both internal and external, may either offer opportunities or challenges and risks to a business organisation (Shane Cable, 2002; World Bank, 2006). An argument was presented in which it is pointed out that in order for an SME that is just coming up to expand, it is imperative for it to not just make the inside environment to be stronger but to as well make the outside environment to be strong as well (Beck Demirguc-Kunt, 2006). Internal environment These refers to those f actors in an organisation’s environment that are, to a large extent, under the control of the organisation (Phillips Wade, 2008). One of these factors is access to finance. The firms in the hospitality industry, just like in any other industry, require financial resources so that they can be able to start trading and to finance business growth. As Cassar (2004) points out, lack of availability or access to finance can serve as a big constraint to business growth. New SMEs can receive finances from the owner’s wealth, or from the external sources which may include friends and family members and this are informal sources. Finances can also be obtained from the lending institutions such as banks or from private equity organisations as well as venture capitalists which are formal sources of funding (Olawale Garwe, 2010, p.731).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An other internal factor is management skills. It is pointed out that decision-making competencies involves having attitudes, skills as well as knowledge which make a contribution towards developing personal efficiency (Hellriegel et al, 2008, p.31).It was found out by Martin and Satines (2008, p.1) that not having management understanding as well as skills are major causes of the new firms failing. Location is another factor that can be largely under the control of a firm. It is pointed out that where the business is located has an impact on market prospect and expansion opportunities of the business organisations that are just coming up (Olawale. Garwe, 2010, p.731). The geographical closeness to the critical suppliers or buyers creates a kind of better environmental scanning which makes it possible for the new businesses to identify opportunities in the market in a more easy way and be able to capitalise on them (Mahadea, 2008). According to Dahl and Sorenson (2007), this has an im pact on the market potential of the new businesses. Another factor that a firm should consider is â€Å"investment in technology and cost of production† (Olawale. Garwe, 2010, p.731). Investing money in technology and ensuring that there is keeping up with IT is, on an increasing level, imperative for any firm. The role that is played by technology is critical for the development of an SMEs that is just starting up (Wong, Ho Autio, 2005). Technology does not just assist in developing of a â€Å"multi-pronged strategy†, it as well assists in the maximisation of the business opportunities†( Olawale. Garwe, 2010, p.731). The external environment The political, legal and technical factors and Government Policy The theories give a demonstration of the impossibility of separating the outside or external environment from the process of entrepreneurship (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.143). External environment concept is meant to encompass the influencing factors as well as elements that are external to the boundaries of the organisation which have an effect on the actions of the organisation. It as well encompasses wide-ranging technological, economic, political-legal, and socio-cultural factors which offer wider context for the entrepreneurial development as well as growth (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.143).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Hospitality industry and entrepreneurs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, evidence was found the outcome of the â€Å"government regulations, policies, and procedures as well as political and legal forces, attitudes, and public support for entrepreneurship† (Fogel, 2001, p.105). The external forces may have an effect on entrepreneurship through loan availability, physical facilities, technical assistance and information on the achievement of firms that are just starting up (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.143). There has been adva ncing of a number of models which make an attempt to label and offer explanation of the several development stages of the entrepreneurial firms. The organisational lifecycle models as well as development stages give out information in regard to the kinds of problems that are faced by business organisations in the course time and give out a suggestion that every development stage is linked to particular problems (Zapalska Brozik, 2007). The researchers in the field of entrepreneurship have committed much effort to have the understanding of the relationship that exists between business environment, the strategy for the fresh venture, as well as performance (Zapalska Brozik, 2007). As on one hand there has been a discussion about these relationships in a theoretical as well as empirical way in the market economies, on the other hand, it is imperative to have consideration of the relationship that exists between business achievement and the business environment within transitional eco nomies (Porter, 1989, p.51). Several features of the business environment have been shown to have an influence of the performance of the new business enterprise (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.144). Among the environmental influences which have been identified are the existence the factors like the accessibility to capital, other entrepreneurs, technically skilled labor, suppliers, clients, government motivation for setting up business, equipment, plant, supportive home culture, support services as well as desirable living conditions (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.144). Other studies undertaken in various nations show that entrepreneurs indicate that the nations can bring up the level of the chances of new business enterprise start-ups business expansion in several ways (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.144). These encompass maintaining rules or regulations at a lower level, giving out tax breaks among other possible incentives, and availing financial resources to the start-up entrepreneurial ventu res offering training as well as counseling services to them (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.144). There are also studies which show that entrepreneurs encounter a number of obstacles like not having adequate information about a number of business aspects, large taxes, inflation rates which are high, and not having financial support (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.144). Such findings give a suggestion of a number of policy decisions for setting up businesses that are small in size.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The policy decisions may encompass offering business enterprise capital funds, offering incentives that are tax-based and government procurement programs, protecting propriety ideas as well as innovations, encouraging entrepreneurship through educating organisations, and bringing down the level of barriers to entry (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.144). Cultural Factors Jordan (1997, p. 529) points out that, at the outset, various factors may act as challenges, when attempting to venture in hospitality industry. Cultural and gender considerations have been in the forefront in running business. While it is recognizable that the world has made strides in enhancing equal opportunities for both men and women, the latter are still challenged in the hospitality industry (Birley,1989, p. 35). Women experience clash of roles in the workplace and at home which render them unable to manage such firms effectively. According to Kirby (2003, p. 121), it is difficult for women to strike a balance betwe en work and home responsibilities. Research has shown that European women who have ventured in the business sector devote a huge amount of time to the fulfillment of domestic roles. This represents three folds of men’s time that goes to performing domestic roles (Morrison Thomas, 2004, pp. 23: Purcell1997, p. 123; Schein 1973, pp. 95-100). It is pointed out that when women combine both domestic and work roles, it is an uphill task for them to begin entrepreneurial endeavors (Jackson, 2001, pp. 31-40). As such, it denies women entrepreneurs the opportunity to gain insightful experience of establishing a business in hospitality industry. This is not only a challenge in the short run, but it limits women from exploring other opportunities within the hospitality industry that may require such experience (Liff Ward 2001, p. 31; Vianen Fischer 2002, p. 327). Demand Seasonality The firms in the hospitality sector are normally affected by the cyclic demand fluctuations (Baum Lund torp, 2001, p.20). It is pointed out that the seasonality in tourism demand leads to having fluctuations in the tourism volumes in the course of the calendar year â€Å"and must be differentiated from longer-term business cycles and short-term changes related to weekly and daily travel patterns† (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.143). Demand seasonality is normally brought about by natural or institutional forces with the pattern typically staying to be stable in the course of a large number of years (Carter Rosa 1998, p.225). This seasonality predictability enables businesses as well as investors and lenders to engage in anticipating a large number of seasonal impacts (Zapalska Brozik, 2007, p.144). Small Businesses in the Central and Eastern Europe It is pointed out that the small business organisations in such places as in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) face a number of uncertainties because of the ongoing lack of stability of the basic regulations of the market economy m odel, the environment profile continue to be of great importance (Johnson Loveman, 1995, p.215). It is also pointed out that there is increasing interest in carrying out the measurement of the failures as well as successes of the transition processes in the CEE countries. There have been a small number of studies that examine the family entrepreneurial business enterprises, especially the ones that operate in hospitality and tourism sector of an economy that is reforming (Butler, 2001, p.10). There is need to have an all-inclusive investigation of entrepreneurship in the family enterprises in hospitality and tourism business which are operated in CEE. There is holding of a belief that the detailed and incorporated scrutiny of entrepreneurs as well as their business enterprise will offer more insights which can be helpful in the formulation of the public policy on the development of entrepreneurship. Conclusion Various factors have presented hospitality industry with challenges and opportunities. There are both external and internal factors. It is imperative for the new businesses in the hospitality industry to understand both the internal and external environment in order for them to be able to capitalize on the opportunities and to avoid risks. There is need for the government to come up with the appropriate policies and allow these businesses to operate efficiently and effectively. Such other factors as the cultural one are supposed to be overcome. There is need to ensure that the managers have adequate experience and skills to run the business. There is also need to have a suitable location for the business to operate effectively and profitably. There is also need to understand demand seasonality in order to come up with the appropriate decisions to ensure successful operation of the businesses. References Beck T, Demirguc-Kunt A, 2006, Small and Medium Size Enterprise: Access to Finance as a Growth Constraint. J. Bank. Fin. Vol. 30 no. 1, pp. 2931-2943. Birley, S 1989, â€Å"Female entrepreneurs: are they really any different?† , Journal of Small Business Management, vol. 27 no. 1, pp. 32 – 37. Butler, R., 2001, â€Å"Seasonality in tourism: issues and implications†. In: Baum, T., Lundtorp, S. (eds) Seasonality in tourism. Pergamon, Amsterdam, pp. 5-22. Carter, S Rosa, P 1998, â€Å"The financing of male- and female-owned businesses†, Entrepreneurship and Research Development, vol. 10 no. 3, pp. 225 – 241 Cassar G, 2004, â€Å"The Financing Of Business Start-Ups†. J. Bus. Venture  Vol. 19, no.2, pp. 261-283. Dahl MS, Sorenson O (2007). Home sweet Home? Social capital and location decisions. Web. Delmar F, Wiklund J., 2008, â€Å"The effect of Small Business Managers’ Growth and Motivation on Firm Growth,† Entrepreneurship Theory Pract. Vol. 32 no. 3, pp.437-453. Hellriegel D, et al, 2008, Management. 2nd South Africa edition. Oxford University Press. Oxford. Fogel, G., 200 1, â€Å"An analysis of entrepreneurial environment and enterprise development in Hungary†, Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 103-10. Hellriegel D, et al, 2008, Management. 2nd South Africa edition.Oxford University Press. Oxford. Johnson, S., Loveman, G., 1995, Starting over in Eastern Europe: entrepreneurship and economic renewal, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, pp. 212-220. Jordan, F 1997, ‘An occupational hazard? Sex segregation in tourism employment’, Tourism Management, vol. 18 no. 8, pp. 525-534. Kirby, D 2003, Entrepreneurship, McGraw-Hill Education, New York. Liff, S Ward, K 2001, â€Å"Distorted Views through the Glass Ceiling: The Construction of Women’s Understandings of Promotion and Senior Management Positions†, Gender, Work and Organization, vol. 8 no. 1, pp. 19-36. Mahadea D, 2008, The Environmental Context for SME Entrepreneurship in Kwazulu-Natal, University of Cape Town, Cape Town. Martin G, Staines H (2008). Managerial competencies in small firm. Web. Morrison, A Thomas, R 2004, SMEs in tourism: an international review, Association for Tourism and Leisure Education, London. Olawale, F. Garwe, D., 2010, â€Å"Obstacles to the growth of new SMEs in South Africa: A principal component analysis approach. African Journal of Business Management Vol. 4 no.5, pp. 729-738. Phillips P.A, Wade M.A, 2008, Performance Implications of Capital Structure; Evidence From Quoted U.K Organisations With Hotel Interests Service Industries J. vol. 24 no. 5, pp. 31-51. Porter, M., 1989, Competitive Strategy, New York: Free Press. Purcell, K 1997, Women’s employment in UK tourism: Gender roles and labor markets, Routledge, London. Schein, V 1973, â€Å"The relationship between sex role stereotypes and requisite management characteristics†, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 57 no. 2, pp. 95-100. Shane S, Cable D, 2002, Network Ties, Reputation and the Financing of New Ventures, Ma nage. Sci. Vol. 48 n.3, pp.364-381. Smit P.J, Cronje G.J, Brevis T, Vrba M.J., 2007, Management Principle: A Contemporary Edition for Africa. Juta and Co Ltd. Cape Town. Vianen, A Fischer, H 2002, â€Å"Illuminating the glass ceiling: the roles of organizational culture preferences†, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, vol. 75: no. 2, pp. 315-337. Wong P.K, Ho, Y.P, Autio E., 2005, â€Å"Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Growth: Evidence from GEM data†. Small Bus. Econ. Vol.24, no.3, pp. 335-350. World Bank, 2006, World Development Indicator Database. Web. Zapalska, A. M Brozik, D., 2007, â€Å"Managing family businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry: the transitional economy of Poland†. Zb. rad. Ekon. fak. Rij. vol. 25 no. 1, pp.141-165. This report on Hospitality industry and entrepreneurs was written and submitted by user Keaton Irwin to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How is Juliet presented to the audience at the beginning of the play Essays

How is Juliet presented to the audience at the beginning of the play Essays How is Juliet presented to the audience at the beginning of the play Essay How is Juliet presented to the audience at the beginning of the play Essay Romeo and Juliet are clearly famous literature characters with definite labels and expectations of both of them. Before reading the play, a clear expectation of Juliets character is respected and holds powerful position in society due to the status of her family. Furthermore I expected Juliet to be a self-conscious character, with a constant worry over her appearance to others. However this is not the case. Juliet acts differently to her expectations to the audience.Juliet first appears in Act 1 Scene 3 when she is called upon by Lady Capulet, her first appearance to the audience is as though she is acting as a servant for Lady Capulet. Madam, I am here. What is your will? Surprisingly she shows a sense of loyalty towards her mother, furthermore she appears to commonly act as a servant for her mother by the language she uses when talking to her.My thoughts of a mother and daughter relationship would definitely not involve a servant act, played by the daughter. This is surprising as my main expectation of Juliet was as a respected individual. Being called upon by Lady Capulet suggests to the audience, that perhaps Juliet has little importance in the play. In addition to this, Juliet is a young girl in a difficult social position. Her behaviour throughout the play reflects that.A clear lack of closeness can be seen between Lady Capulet and Juliet at the start of Act 1 Scene 3, Nurse where is my daughter? Lady Capulet gives off an impression that she is un-aware of Juliets actions. She also seems un-comfortable and shows an awkward tone during the presence of Juliet. It seems she isnt quite sure what her role as a mother really is. Nurse, give leave awhile: We must talk in secret. Nurse, come back again. Lady Capulet shows an insecure relationship with Juliet here, perhaps she has always had guidance of the Nurse. A mother daughter relationship should include openness, however Lady Capulet cannot be open with Juliet, the Nurse is used as a kind of surrogate.Unlike Lady Capulet, the Nurse seems to be able to interact with Juliet. The two seem to be able to relate and a clear relationship can be seen by the audience. Go girl, seek happy nights to happy days. The Nurse wants Juliet to be happy and shows affection towards Juliet. Perhaps this is because she feels it is her duty because she is close to Juliet. In addition she might feel sorry for Juliet because she doesnt seem to receive any support or real emotion from Lady Capulet. The Nurse seems to understand Juliet; she seems to know what is best for her. Maybe Lady Capulet uses the Nurse to guide Juliet because she thinks the Nurse is better at it.A main expectation I had of Juliet would definitely give her a manipulative and commanding personality. Interestingly she does not give off a commanding side to the audience. Despite this she does give off a stronger appearance than Romeo. During her first meeting with Romeo, she is the character in the stronger position. A clear anticipation of Romeo before the play is a strong, hero type character. Surprisingly he seems a little weaker and sensitive than expected.During the scene where he is wandering from the rest of the Montagues, he shows a more affectionate side than the rest of the Montagues and appears to be different. A major similarity that can be seen between Romeo and Juliet is that they both appear to be detached from the rest. Juliet is introduced off-stage, Romeo is moping about a lost love. They seem to be slightly individual to everyone else and this gives them a more personal appearance to the audience. They have a different character and are not just average.Interestingly a connection can be seen between Romeo and Juliet immediately at their meeting. A spark can be seen between the two characters. Going against my expectation of Romeos strong character, we find him chasing Juliet and immediately showing affection towards her. Surprisingly not for the first time Romeo finds himself i n a weak position, within the Capulet party.Juliet expresses a different side during the presence of Romeo. Between them they find themselves almost rebelling against their expectations. Juliet is supposed to be marrying Paris however finds herself falling in love with Romeo. She shows signs of strength and wants to do what she wants to do. Romeo seems to launch straight into his love for Juliet. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, for I neer saw true beauty till this night. Romeo shows signs of his affection and sensitivity here and that he is not such a strong character he could be expected to be. A question can be asked that can Romeo really fall in love straight away. Perhaps he doesnt know what love really means.Unlike Romeo, Juliet doesnt launch straight into her love for Romeo. She is playing a more hard to get role and this is shown in the famous Shakespeare balcony scene. For the second time in the play Romeo finds himself in a weaker position. Juliet has a high er stance and her strong role is represented by her introduction to the scene in a position up high in the balcony. It is as if she is looking down upon Romeo. This furthermore suggests Juliet has more importance than Romeo. In this scene Romeo again launches straight in to telling Juliet how he feels.He shows a little too much emotion and this suggests he is slightly weaker and sensitive. With loves light wings did I oerperch these walls, for stony limits cannot hold love out Juliet simply replies with If they do see thee they will murder thee. We are now aware that Juliet is thinking more of the well being of Romeo and the consequences of his actions. She is also scared that Romeo will be caught and would rather him be safe than them share their love. This also shows she is less sensitive, rather more sensible than Romeo. She is showing her intelligent side, which the audience only clearly sees during the presence of her Romeo.Juliet is clearly thinking more realistically than Rom eo. She is telling him to think more seriously about his love for her. It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, too like the lightening. Romeo keeps coming out with soppy lines trying to impress Juliet and she is telling him to be serious and realistic. This suggests that Juliet thinks more clearly and intelligently, unlike Romeo who tries to impress Juliet. Juliet boldly states that she is worth more than other girls and Romeo will have to do more than come out with soppy weak comments trying to impress her. At this point Juliet shows her stronger side we only seem to see her express during the presence of Romeo. Our opinions then change from the servant like girl we are first introduced too and are expectations begin to get met.

It Week8 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

It Week8 - Assignment Example However, the old network, IPv4, cannot be done away with until the transition period is complete (Venkata et al., 2012). The benefits that IPv6 offers surpass the limitations that IPv4 has. For instance, the new IPv6 makes it possible to have a plethora of IP addresses as opposed to IPv4. The burgeoning protocol has 128 bit addresses as compared to IPv4, which only has 32 bit addresses. The bit addresses that IPv6 uses enable the availability of numerous IP addresses. In addition to this, IPv6 eradicates the need for network address translation (NAT) which is present in IPv4 resulting in better peer-peer networks connectivity. Further, IPv4 presents security issues, which IPv6 eliminates as it promotes interoperability between myriad implementations (Venkata et al., 2012). Venkata, P., Reddy, P., Mohammed, K., Ali, I., Sandeep, B., & Ravi, T. (2012). Importance and benefits of IPV6 over IPV4†¯: a study. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2(12), 1-2. Data Definition Language (DDL) refers to statements that define the schema or database structure. For instance, CREATE – creates objects, ALTER – alters the database structure, DROP – deletes objects, COMMENT – adds comments to the dictionary of date, and RENAME – Renames database objects. DML refers to Data Manipulation Language, which are simply statements that manage data within schematic objects. For instance, SELECT – helps in retrieving data, UPDATE – updates data already present in a table, and CALL – Calls Java or PL/SQL. Data Control Language (DCL) includes commands such as GRANT. It mostly deals with permissions, rights, and additional controls of the database. SQL Server 2012 relies on the above SQL commands for interaction. Transact-SQL presents as central in sending and receiving communication with the SQL server (Microsoft, 2006). Distributed File System (DFS) enables administrators to make a group of shared

Singapores Energy Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Singapores Energy Diplomacy - Essay Example Being an economy with almost no natural resources, the country Singapore is more exposed to the threat of rising energy cost . This threat actually affects the national economy in a huge way. For that reason it is very crucial for the country to take necessary steps so that the energy efficiency is increased. In the month of October, 2002, at the Energy Forum, the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Mr. Raymond Lim mentioned that the country would be projecting a three-phase response to combat the energy challenges . The first step, which was proposed by the deputy minister, stated that the industry base of the country should be strengthened by the up gradation and improvement of the oil-refining sector of the country . The first statement also focused on the development of the supporting functions for these oil refineries. The supporting components include promotion of e-business, proper supply-chain and logistic management, a development in the fiel d of information science and promotion of international oil trading. In his second recommendation the deputy minister stressed on the fact that for a country like Singapore, fighting against the energy crisis is important to develop a hub for alternative energy sources . The high-end alternative energy plans, which Mr. Lim proposed, were fuel cell technology and hydrogen economy. These technologies include test-bedding, manufacturing of the system for producing fuel cells and eventually marketing these products.The third and the final proposition focused on the liberalization and the improvement of energy efficiency of the country and also optimizing the usage of the un-renewable energy sources.

Assessing Globalization In Saudi Arabia

Assessing Globalization In Saudi Arabia Globalization is defined as a process in which people companies and governments of different countries interact and integrate among each other. This process has been found to be driven by international trade and is also significantly aided by information technology. Since we are more interested in its effect on the economic condition of Saudi Arabia, hence the term that is of greater importance for us is the term economic globalization that refers to the integration of national economies to form an international economy. When talking of economic globalization we are more interested in knowing the foreign direct investments, migration, capital flows and the spread of technology for a country. The process of globalization affects the environment, culture economic developments, prosperity and the physical well being of humans. As people going to different places and performing business at different places have an effect on the people of that place and thus we can say that globalization has resulted in widening of cultural boundaries around the world. Although globalization is thought of as a relatively new process but if we go in depth history we find that globalization has been affecting the people around the world for years. If we go into the history we find signs of globalization since the time when China and Europe were connected to each other through the famous Silk Road in the Middle Ages. If we the features of compare current wave of globalization with the time just before the First World War in 1914 we find that there are many similarities Although there have been instances of globalization since ancient times but the speed at which the world globalized was never the same as it is in the current era. The main reason for this have been technological advancements and the policies implemented by the countries in the past few decades. Going into the details of figures we find that the volume of world trade has become 20 times of its volume in the year 1950. The pace of globalization can also be observed by observing the foreign investments taking place around the world. Observing this factor our statement gets even more support as flows of foreign investments were observed to be doubled in a span of just two years in the period from 1997 to 1999 when they increased from $468 billion to $827 billion. Thus observing these figures we can say that the globalization today is taking place at a much faster rate than it has ever been in the past. Observing the increase in the pace of globalization it is important to observe the factors behind this rapid increase in the rate of globalization around the world. The policies adopted by the governments of various countries around the world have served as an accelerator for globalization. The policies of governments around the world since the second world have led to opening up of economies around the world. The countries have adopted free market economic systems around the world. These steps have led to numerous opportunities for international trade and investments. It has also been observed that various restrictions on foreign trades and investments have been relaxed over the past few years especially the last two decades. Thus these policies have helped in the achieving the aim of international, industrial and financial business structure. Since the Second World War the politicians have been planning to break down borders that hampered trades in the process they have found several international institutions intended to see that this process could be easily facilitated. Institutions like World Bank and International Monetary fund (IMF) were setup in the process. There were many agreements on opening up of trades after the Second World War which led to the formation of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Since then World Trade Organization (WTO), which was found as result of agreements signed under GATT has been working with an aim of promoting Global trades freely. As mentioned above technology has served as one of the key drivers for globalization. Information Technology in particular has played a dramatic role in transforming economic life around the world and has played a key role in promoting globalization it has brought consumers, investors, business together by means of internet and e-commerce. It has brought all the information from around the world available to each person who wishes to get access to the information. It has resulted in faster and more detailed analysis of economic trends, has made the transfer of assets easier and has also made communication between distant people much easier. History of Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia, the homeland of Arabs is also considered to be the place of origination of the second largest religion- Islam. The holy cities of Mecca and Medina are situated in Saudi Arabia which attracts a large number of pilgrims each year to the country. Ibn Saud who ruled from 1882-1953 is considered to be the main creator of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ibn Saud was a descendant of Wahhabi leaders and emerged out as a leader of the Arab nationalist movement. The discovery of oil in 1936 served as a milestone for Saudi Arabia as Saudi Arabia is a major producer of oil and has huge reserves of oil since ancient times. With the beginning of commercial production of oil during the World War II huge revenues started flowing into the country thus leading to a large amount of wealth for the country. As a result free health care and education were provided to the residents of Saudi Arabia without any collection of taxes. Saudi Arabia was permitted to become to be the charter member of United Nations even though it was neutral during the World War II. The country became a member of the Arab league in 1945 and played an important role in the 1948-49 war against Israel and still does not recognize Israel as a country. The year 1953 marked the death of the king that is considered as the creator of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With the death of Ibn Saud 11 year long reign of his son Saud began. Sauds reign was marked by increasing hostility of Egypts Gamal Abdel Nasser towards radical Arabism. In 1964 Saud was dethroned and replaced by the Prime Minister. Crown Prince Faisal was appointed as the prime minister of Saudi Arabia. Faisal did not give any military support to Egypt during the 1967 Arab Israel war but gave only vocal support. Faisal was assassinated in 1975 by a degraded kinsman. This assassination shook the Middle East but Faisals kingdom remained unperturbed and he was succeeded by his brother Prince Khalid. Prince Khalids support Egypt during negotiations on withdrawal of Israel from Sinai desert was quite influential. King Khalid died due to a heart attack in 1982. King Khalids half brother, Prince Fahd Bin Abdulaziz became the successor of Prince Khalid but he chose his half brother Abdullah as the crown prince. With the fear of becoming Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeinis next target if Iraq was conquered by Iran Saudi Arabia along with smaller oil rich states of the Arab on the Persian Gulf made huge financial contributions in the 1980s towards Iraqi war effort. Due to conserved efforts of oil consuming nations and Saudi Arabia being cheated by other members of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) led to a reduction in oil prices. The revenues coming from oil into Saudi Arabia reduced from $120 billion to $25 billion within a span of 5 years from 1980 to 1985. After suffering an incapacitating stroke, King Fahd passed his authorities to Crown Prince Abdullah. In 1998 Saudi Arabia entered its first recession in six years when its oil income fell by 40% due to a worldwide decrease in oil prices. An overview of Saudi Arabias economy and the state of their economic progress: During the last fifty years the economy of Saudi Arabia has developed at a swift pace as the Saudi state has been established and expanded. The country is economically very diverse but the income coming from oil revenues has played a significant role in the development of the state by the help of modern institutions of bureaucracy. It would have been quite difficult to think of a separate state of before the discovery of oil. Before 1930s the region which later came under the state of Saudi was composed od several regions with different regions depending on different products for their income. The Hijaz which was a western province, for example was dependent chiefly on subsistence agriculture, long distance trades and pilgrims coming to visit the holy places of Mecca and Medina as a source of revenue for the state. Since there many deserts in Saudi Arabia and the living conditions were quite hostile due to its harsh climate and lack of water there was a huge geographical separation between people of the country as most of the population concentrated at places where water was available. The influence from the outside world was quite negligible a as it was not only difficult to travel within the country but also the country lacked natural resources that could attract people from outside. There three main events that have led to the current structure of the Saudi Arabian economy. These events were the discovery of oil just six years after the establishment of Saudi Arabia, the rebuilding of Europe after the World War II which was greatly based on industrialization and the increasing demand of oil. All these events worked as a catalyst in increasing the growth rate of Saudi Arabia and led to enhancement in its position. With the discovery of oil there was a huge increase in revenues flowing into Saudi Arabia and the country witnessed a huge increase in the treasury during the rule of Abd Al Aziz Al in Abd also known as Rahman Saud from 1932 to 1953. This inflow of funds helped him to exert greater economic and political control over the territories under his control. This control helped him to implement all his ideas effectively and efficiently and during his reign the state saw a significant economic change with a shift from the traditional economy to an economy which depended primarily on states outlay. The huge reserves of oil in Saudi Arabia have not only driven huge revenues for the country but have also added to the importance of Saudi Arabia to the world. Initially with industrialization Europe was dependent on Saudi Arabia but today the flow of oil has become very essential the economic stability of the world. Saudi Arabia being the only major oil producing country that has significant excess capacity of crude oil has made the oil production and investment policies of Saudi Arabia an issue of international importance as the country has a strong influence on prices and supplies of oil internationally. Despite the attempts of authorities to diversify the economy and develop a non oil based sector in the country but practical implementation of these plans have proved to be more difficult than was expected by the authorities as Saudi is still under the influence of its traditional customs and although huge revenues have been flowing into the country since the invention of oil but the average standard of living of an average citizen of Saudi Arabia has increased as would be expected. Hence the real income source for Saudi Arabia is still the revenues coming from export and trading of oil. In the 1990s Saudi Arabia set out to meet the challenges of increasing oil production with the increasing demand and lower supplies from the former Soviet Union countries. As a result the authorities applied expansion plans for oil industry. In the process firstly the national oil company, Saudi Aramco planned to increase the domestic crude oil production from 8.4 million barrels per day in 1992 to between 10.5 million and 11 million barrels per day in the year 1995. In the process increased the share of production of lighter grades of crude oil. As a result of pollution and global warming becoming important aspects for all countries and with the demand of oil increasing Saudi Arabian Marketing and Refining Company (SAMAREC) decided to upgrade its refineries in order to meet high environmental standards followed in the western world. This step could also be seen as a step to increase production and keeping the demand of oil for Saudi Arabia constant without being affected by the lack of demand due to higher standards of oil required by the western countries. Thirdly the country acquired refineries in other countries and also planned to purchase refineries in places closer to their key consuming markets in order to reduce the cost of transportation incurred by the company and also led to an increase in the market share of Saudi Arabia in the world market. There was a sharp increase in the oil prices during 1970s and early 1980s which led to a huge increase in revenues for Saudi Arabia. This increase helped Saudi Arabia to get out of the chronic financial constraints that Saudi Arabia had been facing during the last few years. Since Saudi Arabias economy was not one of the best at time so its absorption capacity was also limited which resulted in delays in using the funds which led to creation of a large amount of funds for both government and private sectors of the Dubai economy and a large part of these surpluses were in international financial institutions and in securities of western government. In 1982 the emphasis of the government changed from managing surpluses to dealing with growing budgetary and concentrated on balancing payments shortfall. During the same time the world saw a decrement in the oil prices which resulted in a decrease in revenues for the country. This led the government into a problem as they were largely committed to big projects and the government had to make a large budget which resulted in a drawdown of foreign assets of the country. The country was also hit by the devaluation of dollar in the international market as the oil payments are made in dollars so the country had to face a double blow due to a reduction in oil prices and the weakening of dollar. The impact of rapid economic change or growth on employment and the workforce of the country: There have been many rapid economic changes in the world today. Most of these have affected almost all the countries across the world. Economic changes around the world have taken place since ancient times but with the opening up of economies around the world their effect is felt by almost all companies around the world. As today most of the countries are engaged in cross border businesses and trades. The effects of globalization have affected almost all the countries. Even though Saudi Arabia still has a relatively much close economy but it too has been affected by the rapid changes taking place around the world. Saudi Arabia is a major exporter of oil and its products which has become a necessity for any country around the world hence the economy of Saudi Arabia is bound to be affected by any economic changes taking place globally. As oil payments are made in dollars a change in dollar prices affects Saudi Arabia. Any recession hitting the world also affects Saudi Arabia as the dem and for oil reduces during even a hint of recession. Out of the many rapid changes, globalization has been a change that has affected the world greatly and there have been positive as well as negative responses of globalization. With globalization economies have opened up and restrictions on trades have been reduced greatly. Restrictions on imports and exports have been relaxed greatly in all parts of the world. The world today has become a global village. As a result of globalization which has been one of the most significant economic changes over the last few years the quality of oil produced within the country has been increased. The workforce of the country although still comprises mostly of the residents of Saudi Arabia only as the economy has not opened up as much as other countries have opened up. Also the education system and the traditional ways of working are still followed in Saudi Arabia. The employment has increased with the recent changes and the world turning up to industrialization more and more oil refineries have been setup in order to meet the increasing demand of oil around the world. Challenges and opportunities for Saudi Arabia: The opening up of the world and the closed structure of Saudi Arabias economy has also created some challenges for the country. It has been internationally recognized that the standard of living in Saudi Arabia is not as good as other parts of country. The mindset of the people living is still more influenced by the Arabic and Islamic cultures and the people are not quite open to accept views of others even if they might be better than what they might have thought. The country today also has a challenge of improving the education standard of the people living in the country. As the education standard of people living in Saudi Arabia is far below standards. Also the technological advancement is far slower than other parts of the world. The major challenge for the economy of Saudi Arabia is to develop other sectors of the market also and reduce its dependency on oil as oil being a non renewable source will be exhausted one day and it is important to have other sources of income also. Although the country also has many opportunities and also has the inflow of income required to help them achieve their goals. The income coming in from their oil reserves can be implemented in order to develop other sectors of market. The people of the country need an exposure to the outside world which may be possible if the economy opens up. The standard of education is currently a big concern which needs to be tackled properly. The current up comings have revealed that the government of Saudi Arabia has understood the importance of English and has started laying stress on promoting English amongst the people of the country. If the country is able to develop technically and the standard of education could be increased then there are probabilities that the outcome for the country would be quite good and self explanatory and will have a fortifying effect in its position among other countries of the world. Interesting Facts about Saudi Arabia: Some of the interesting facts about the country are listed below: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the official name of Saudi Arabia. The system of absolute monarchy s followed in Saudi Arabia. In terms of area it is the largest country in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is also known as the land of two holy mosques as it houses Mecca and Medina the two holiest places in Islam. Oil accounts for more than 75% of the governments revenues and forms part of more than 90% exports from Saudi Arabia. The largest oil producing company ARAMCO is situated in Saudi Arabia. The first university in Saudi Arabia was found in 1957. Conclusion: From the study made to prepare this paper it is quite clear that the economy of Saudi Arabia is based on revenues coming from oil. The study has also revealed the closed structure of economy of Saudi Arabia and has exposed the lower standards of living and education standards in this country which is the largest producer of oil in the world. The country has a good impact on the world as it is the largest producer of oil in the world and oil is essential for any country in todays era of industrialization. All to compete with the world in a more profound manner it is important for them to improve their base in technological sectors and also improve the education standards of the country. The emphasis on English also has to be increased in order to promote talks internationally and remove third party intervention in international talks. Lastly I would like to say that the country has large inflow of income due to its richness in oil reserves and if the funds coming in from the oil produ ction are applied in right direction and with emphasis on technology and education Saudi Arabia can develop into a country which can compete with any world class country.

Pros and Cons of the Mandatory Seatbelt Law Essay -- Pro Con Essays

An enormous division currently exists between the people who believe that automobile safety should be an option and those that feel it must be a requirement. The federal government feels the morally obligated to create the safest driving environment possible. On the other end of the spectrum, opinions exist that the average driver has ability to make the choice of safety on their own. Editorials, political assemblies, debates, and conversations have arrived on the concept of click it or ticket. This idea refers to ticketing any motor vehicle driver and passenger that is not fastened by a seat belt. Arguments have been made for both sides, and have been reviewed in multiple states. One particular article has been written, by Dr. Walter E. Williams, that discussed the negatives of click it or ticket, and has actually demoralized this idea (Williams 2003). The article is properly titled 'Click It or Ticket', and was written in the fall of 2004. His educated opinions reflect one side of the controversial argument; however also contain bias statistics and opinionated logic. Dr. Williams has researched the programs purpose and actions and feels strongly against the policy (Williams 2003). His motive of convincing readers to side with him exists in his tone of rebellion, astonishment, and confusion. His argument lies on the basis of opinion and not practicality. On the other hand, his reasons are just and well-explained, and therefore make for a liable argument. Dr. Williams provides statistics, facts, and general observations to collectively explain his view of the click it or ticket policy (Williams 2003). The first area of Dr. Williams? argument focuses on government responsibility, rights, and laws (Williams 2003). His ge... ...ay of laws and reasonable policy. Dr. Williams is obviously an individual of knowledge and pride, however, his education may not provide the key his views of positive policy. Instead of viewing the governments? attempt at safety as a negative authority, he should reflect on the physical benefits instead of the intangible conflicts. Therefore, the ?Click It or Ticket? article described one way of viewing a current law of governing safety. Dr. Williams clearly disagrees, but an audience should generally view the attempt at safety as the proper acts of government as opposed to the negative. Safety is a necessity for a civil society, and click it or ticket laws allow for a safer than nothing transportation situation. This should be appreciated and will eventually quiet all critics by accurate statistics of saved lives while maintaining a reasonable spending platform.

Asses the View That Pressure Groups Benefit Democracy

Pressure groups have many features about them that determine whether they are democratic or undemocratic. If we have to determine whether Pressure Groups benefit democracy or not, we have to know what part they play in our society. As we know, pluralists have a very positive view on pressure group politics; believing that they promote healthy debate and discussion. This is true in some aspects of society and our democracy, but pressure groups also have many undemocratic features about them. Firstly, the most important democratic feature of pressure groups is their way of representing the people in our society. Their main function is to represent our interests and those who are of minority, making sure that their voice gets heard, whether we take an active part or not. To demonstrate how representative they really are, in virtually all our activities, there is probably a group which is seeking to secure favourable legislation or decisions and to avoid unfavourable ones. However, some pressure group leaders may not truly represent their members. Trade union leaders were charged with this and it remains a danger. Furthermore, party politicians are made accountable for their actions through the electoral process and through representative institutions; which is seen as vey democratic. Pressure Group leaders are not accountable, which means that if they don’t fulfil their representative aims we can’t do anything about it which conveys that pressure groups are undemocratic. However, pressure groups are seen as very democratic when it comes to participation, and how they are making many more people partake in politics, and make politics more aware to people. A passive citizenship is often seen as an extreme danger to democracy; many people do not involve themselves in political activity; producing the strong probability that the government will become dictatorial, safe in that they know that they’re power will probably not get challenged. Pressure groups are therefore important because firstly they prevent excessive accumulations of power and to ensure that government remains accountable to the people. It is known that especially young people enjoy taking part in demonstrations which is evidence for pressure groups trying to get people more politically aware as active. However, pressure groups are queried as undemocratic; due to their disproportionate influence. Some pressure groups do not conform to democratic principles around the nature of influence. If all groups enjoyed the amount of influence which their size and importance warranted, the outcome might be considered democratic however, some groups wield more power that their relative importance. For example, the farming community accounts for a tiny proportion of the total population but farms are responsible for much of our food supply. Finally, pressure groups most important democratic feature is the fact that they make sure all of us, in small or large groups, are taken account of, awarded an equal status, and protected. If this does not work, we will simply be ruled by the majority, which ultimately means that nothing would change. Majority rule also, is not a true democracy. Seeking majority support, political parties will inevitably have to ignore the interests of many minorities. Pressure groups therefore play a very vital part in ensuring that party rule is not converted into tyranny and minority groups are heard. Another undemocratic factor however that can balance how democratic pressure groups really is their size and finance. It is clear that some pressure groups are considerably more wealthy than others, having an unfair advantage. Everyone from sectional interests inevitably gain funds whereas charities have to get their funds from the public. It is seen as undemocratic, because with particular wealthy groups, they have adopted the practice of donating money to political parties in order to seek a sympathetic government. An example of this is the event â€Å"cash for peerages† where it was alleged that money was being donated in return for peerages. Furthermore pressure groups size is seen as a very undemocratic factor because even though some pressure groups have a sheer amount of numbers to go on to protest, it does not always reflect the public opinion. For example, The ban on hunting with dogs for example, 300,000 took to the streets and put the government into panic. However, the majority of those people wanted a full ban on fox hunting. In conclusion, weighing up the democratic and undemocratic features, overall, pressure groups do benefit democracy. Firstly they promote healthy debate and discussion. Pressure groups have made many more people politically aware and have increased the amount of political participation through demonstrations, protest, marches and even petitions. They may even be the reason for the increase of election turnout in 2010 elections due to them making people more politically aware. Another way that pressure groups benefit democracy is their role of representation towards minorities as well as everyone in our society. Even though pressure groups do have some aspects to them that are seen as very undemocratic, pressure group politics is a very healthy way of strengthening our government.