Sleep Journal

Jennifer Nguyen Professor Perry Daughtry Intro to Psychology 09-28-2012 Sleep Journal Essay College students like myself often put off sleep for other activities like studying, doing homework or even just staying up all night with a friend. Our body follows the twenty-four hour cycle of each day and night through a biological clock called the Circadian rhythm. On the weekdays, staying up all night and skipping meals makes it difficult to focus in class. After lunchtime, I become sleepy and have difficulty focusing on my other classes.In the afternoon, this affects my body because it does not give me energy, but instead it makes me crash earlier in the day. David Myers, the author of Exploring Psychology the eighth edition, says, â€Å"Everyone needs to get eight hours of sleep† (Myers, 75). This quote I think is so underrated, because some people in our world today only get six to nine hours of sleep, on a daily basis. If you think about it, going to sleep is not that easy. Th ere are five unique stages to sleeping. In stage one, this cycle is considered to be between being awake and slightly dozing off.When you are in this cycle, you wake up, but you do not feel like you fell asleep. The brain produces theta waves, which makes the brain waves decrease when you go into other sleep stages. In stage two, the brain begins to relax more. The sleep spindles, which are rapid, rhythmic brain waves, are present in this cycle. Your body temperature starts to decrease and your heart rate starts to slow down. In stage three, this cycle is forwarded to deep sleep. In stage four, you are in a deep sleep, but not enough to dream.Also in this cycle, â€Å"some children might wet the bed or even sleep walk† according to David Myers. In stage five, also known as the rapid eye movement (REM), the heart rate increases and eyes begin to move under the eyelids. Most dreams occur here because the brain activity was increased. The importance of sleep is a big deal, that if you did not sleep, you would die from sleep deprivation. You need sleep so that your body can restore all its needs for the next day. Not enough sleep can produce a lot of problems like car accidents, memory problems, and sleep disorders.Two most known sleep disorders are insomnia and sleep apnea. Insomnia is a sleep disorder where you cannot fall asleep. Insomnia can happen to anyone and can be either a short term or a long-term process. Another sleep disorder is called sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is caused by irregular pauses in breathing, during sleeping. Both of these disorders, if not treated, can cause heart problems and even death in most cases. There are many reasons why we dream at night. An Austrian Neurologist named Sigmund Freud considered dreams the key to understanding our inner conflicts.Some researchers believe that the dreams can help sort experiences on a daily basis, while other researchers believe that dreams may also serve a physiological function. Other theorie s suggest that dreams flow from neural activity moving upward to the brainstem. The first three nights of sleeping in my sleeping journal, my dreams were nightmares. The first night I had a dream that my grandmother passed away and nobody was there to help me through the tragedy. From the feelings of abandonment, I just went psycho. Unfortunately almost two years ago, my grandmother in fact passed away.It is unclear to me why I dreamt of this memory. My second dream was that my psychology class had visited a local jail and our teacher created an experiment where every other student was a prisoner, and everybody else was a guard. I was one of the prisoners and the guards tortured me to a point where I could no longer think. My psychology professor Mr. Daughtry, told our class about this experiment on actual prisoners, which influenced to dream of this particular subject. My third dream was that I had rented a cabin with my friend.The owner was a psycho killer with the intention of ki lling us. We made it out alive. These dreams caused me to wake up with sweat all over my body and my head would spin a little bit. The next four nights of sleeping were fairly decent. The dreams consisted of dreaming about being in a fairytale and going back to high school because in that dream it was mandatory to go back to the high school. The last seven nights of my sleeping journal, I only had one nightmare, because I went camping with my church group and we were in the woods and we had told scary stories.My sleep patterns on the weekend are very different to my sleep patterns on the weekday because I usually go to bed really late and not wake up until late in the afternoon. During this journal, it was hard for me to get used to waking up on specific times, since I would stay up late to do homework or study for a test coming up. This is one of the reasons why my sleeping habits have not been normal. I have learned that my sleeping habits do have an affect on my daily life. I sho uld try and get enough sleep, so that my body can actually rest and not be so stressed out.I wish that I would not skip dinner for homework, because when I do wake up, my stomach hurts a lot from not eating. This problem also makes me crash during the day since I do not have enough time to eat, and so my production level decreases. Sleep Journal Entries Jennifer Nguyen Mr. Daughtry Intro to Psychology 09-09-2012 Day 1: I went to sleep at 1:00 am and woke up at 6:11 am. The dream was that my grandmother passed away and that I had nobody to confide in. It got to a point where I just went psycho and was led to a mental house. 09-10-2012 Day 2: I went to sleep at 12:00 am and woke up at 7:30 am.The dream was that my psychology class went to visit the local jail. My psychology teacher decided to do this experiment, where every other student was a prisoner and the rest were guards. I was unfortunately a prisoner, and the guards tortured me so bad that it broke my spirit. 09-11-2012 Day 3: I went to sleep at 10:00 pm and woke up at 7:00 am. My dream was that I went to go on a vacation on a remote island. I went with a friend and the person who owned the cabin was a strange man. We discovered that the strange man was a killer and he went after us. We called for help and we never saw that guy ever again. 9-12-2012 Day 4: I went to bed at 3:14 am and woke up ate 8:00 am. I could not remember this dream. 09-13-2012 Day 5: I went to bed at 1:20 am and woke up 6:52 am. I could not fall asleep. After twenty minutes had gone by, I dreamt that I was with my boyfriend and we had gotten into this big argument and he dumped me. The next day, he decided to show up to my house with a girl, and I cried. He said that he was just joking and that it was his friend. He wanted to g back out with me and we did. 09-16-2012 Day 6: I went to bed at 9:00 pm and woke up at 6:00 am. My dream was that I was getting married to a famous prince.Before this all happened, he proposed to me and he ha d this big secret. He did not tell that he was a prince and I inherited everything. This dream was a total fairytale! 09-17-2012 Day 7: I went to bed at 12:12 am and woke up at 6:32 am. My dream was that I was back in high school and that I had to go back to my high school because it was mandatory for all 2012 graduates. 09-18-2012 Day 8: I went to bed at 9:20 pm and woke up at 5:52 am. My dream was that I was in a theatre play and I was the main lead. I did so well that I was booked in Hollywood as a professional.I was basically a celebrity. 09-19-2012 Day 9: I went to bed at 1:18 am and woke up at 6:30 am. My dream was that I went to school and our school had won this lottery where we got to see Kate Middleton in person. She was really nice and sweet. 09-20-2012 Day 10: I went to bed at 11:20 pm and woke up at 6:25 am. My dream was that I had grown up and that I had my life all settled. I was a nurse and that I lived comfortably in a house with my husband and two kids. 09-21-12 Da y 11: I went to bed at 3:00 am and woke up at 8:00 am. My dream was that I was at camp and I happened to be all alone.Then all of a sudden, the killer came out and tried to kill me, but I managed to get to safety. 09-22-12 Day 12: I went to bed at 1:00 am and woke up at 7:45 am. I could not remember this dream. 09-23-2012 Day 13: I went to bed at 9:00 pm and woke up at 6:31 am. I could not remember this dream. 09-24-2012 Day 14: I went to bed at 9:00 pm and woke up at 6:15 am. My dream was that I was in a relationship with Ian Heccox and we have been dating for a long time. He got down on one knee after we have a very romantic boat ride in Paris. Of course I said yes. We got married in Paris and it was very magical.

Measurements: Accuracy and Approximations

The need for accurate and precise measurements in today’s modern world cannot be understated.   Every discipline, from the physical sciences to the social sciences requires measurements that are both accurate and repeatable.   It must be accepted, though, that any measurement has inherent inaccuracies and imprecision and is indeed an approximation. Any measuring device has limited accuracy.   The inability to read the measurement beyond the smallest division shown on the device creates an approximation.   If the smallest division on a ruler is one millimeter, then the accuracy of the measurement will be to the nearest millimeter (Giancoli 2005, p. 5).   No measuring device can give absolutely accurate results.   There will always be an uncertainty generated with any measurement.   The more accurate the device, the less the amount of uncertainty that will be generated, but absolute accuracy will never be obtained.   Therefore all measurements will include some error (Giancoli 2005, p. 5). The awareness of the unit size that is being used to record the measurement and the need for accuracy is a critical aspect of measurement.   Measuring an item when accuracy to the nearest kilogram is all that is needed is far easier than measuring the same item to the nearest microgram.   The difference, of course, is that in the kilogram example the amount of error is plus or minus one kilogram, and in the second case it is plus or minus one microgram. Obviously, the second measurement is far more accurate, but harder to obtain.   The smaller the unit size that the device is capable of measuring, the greater the accuracy, and normally the more expensive the device.   If great precision is not needed, then a less expensive device may be used. Consider the difference between a scale in a supermarket used to measure vegetables and a scale in a pharmaceutical laboratory that is used to measure drugs.   In the first case the scale may be accurate to only one tenth of a pound.   This level of inaccuracy is acceptable for  vegetables.   If you are buying five pounds of tomatoes, it really does not matter if you get 4.9 or 5.1 pounds.   The laboratory scale, though, must have a higher level of accuracy.   Obviously, an error of plus or minus one tenth of a pound is unacceptable in the pharmacy business.   In this case, accuracy to the nearest tenth of a milligram would be more reasonable. Another comparative example of how the awareness of the need for accuracy would affect the level of error is in the measurement of volume.   If a contractor is going to repave a stretch of street with asphalt, that contractor would measure the length and width of the road, probably in feet, and the thickness required, probably in inches, and calculate the cubic yards of asphalt needed for the project.   The amount of asphalt would be, in all likelihood, measured to the nearest cubic yard.   A cook in a restaurant adding water to potatoes is going to measure the amount in cups, with an accuracy that is dependent on the quality of the measuring cup.   Obviously the cook has a much greater need for a higher level of accuracy than the contractor. REFERENCES Giancoli, D. C. (2005).   Physics.   (6th ed., pp. 5-7).   Upper Saddle River:   Pearson Prentice Hall.   

Ethical Principles/Theories

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES/THEORIES ?Situation Ethics oSituation ethics views Pornography as moral if and only if it is used in moderation and with the right mind set of the individual to use it to benefit oneself or others in a good way. ?A married couple who are unable to show their love to each other can use a type of pornography called â€Å"cybersex† to help them cope up with the loneliness of being away from their loved one. oBut if an individual indulges his/herself into pornography to harm the people around him/her, and lets pornography destroy ones morality, Situation ethics views it as something immoral. A couple decided to film their sexual intercourse but they promised to keep it private. Suddenly the woman found out that his partner has uploaded their video on the web. ?Pragmatic Moral Principle oIn Pragmatic Moral Principle, the bottom line is the most realistic, beneficial, and useful. If we apply it in Pornography, we can indeed agree that looking at pornography as a f orm of education for adults can save more time and money, rather than going to a sexologist and other doctors of the same field. A married couple who are both inexperienced in sexual intercourse can be helped by pornography to educate them on how to deal with this field they are unaware of. ?Divine Command Theory/The Will of God oâ€Å"An act is good because God willed it to be so and bad because God forbids it. † -Samuel Von Pufendorf oThe will of God is the basis of what is moral and immoral. ?A 14 y/o boy is curious what pornography is like, and then decided to look it up on the internet.He reached a pornography site but the site requires the one should be at least 18+ y/o to enter the site. The boy then lied about his age and entered the site. ?Utilitarianism oIt may be justified if the act benefits or brings happiness to an individual and overweighs the negative effect. ?A married couple who were first unfamiliar with coitus later tried reading porn magazines to help imp rove their sex life and to help prolong their relationship.

The Function and Role of the Chorus in Medea and Lysistrata Essay

The Function and Role of the Chorus in Medea and Lysistrata - Essay Example Euripides uses the chorus in a limited but important way. The chorus does not drive the action; indeed, the chorus is in many ways detached and, at times, almost physically helpless. The chorus, however, is an essential and meaningful element of the play. The chorus reacts to the action and expresses itself as an overarching conscience. The chorus expresses sympathy and understanding. The chorus expresses sadness and lamentations. Its perception of the main characters changes throughout the play, and these changes compel the reader to continuously reevaluate the main characters. In addition to these reevaluations, the chorus functions as a signifier of change in the play. The chorus is often used by Euripides to signify a further development in the play. In short, the chorus is intimately connected to the play, even though it is in many ways detached from the underlying action, and it functions to force deeper assessments of the main characters and to signify developments in the play . As an initial matter, the chorus in Medea is used to function as an overarching conscience and to compel the observer to reassess the main characters. ... This is a woman whom has been betrayed. Her wrath and her pain are justifiable. The chorus judges Medea the innocent victim, "for thou wilt be taking a just vengeance on thy husband, Medea. That thou shouldst mourn thy lot surprises me not." (Medea, 117). The chorus declares Medea oppressed and her husband perfidious. The nature of the revenge decided upon, and the breadth of victims, force changes in the opinion of the chorus. Medea's plan to poison her husband and his bride, as well as her subsequent killing of her sons, elicit a quite different reaction from the chorus. Indeed, when Medea reveals her plans to the chorus, it remarks, How then shall the city of sacred streams, the land that welcomes those it loves, receive thee, the murderess of thy children, thee whose presence with others is a pollution 'Think on the murder of thy children, consider the bloody deed thou takest on thee. Nay, by thy knees we, one and all, implore thee, slay not thy babes (Medea, 998). The chorus is recharacterizing Medea and being used by Euripides to explore both the nature of vengeance and the limits of justice. Medea is fairly motivated, but her plan goes beyond what the chorus deems moral and just. In the end, as the chorus witnesses Medea's killing of her sons, they remain outside of the action. They play no protective role bound by their oath not to intervene, and they witness the death struggle and the screams helplessly. They simply observe that, "Can there be any deed of horror left to follow this Woe for the wooing of women fraught with disaster!" (Medea, 1209). The chorus judges Jason and Medea excessive. The children are innocent victims. A vengeance, once

Ethical Issues in Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethical Issues in Management - Research Paper Example Hence, Brown and Trevino (2004) have tried to debunk common misconceptions about this term. It is important to note that ethical issues are never easy and the notion that it is not meant to be managed is very wrong. Therefore, it is very important to be wary of possible ethical issues that must be given attention to as well as an acceptance that the complexities of these issues require a very intricate process. Also, it is likewise important to be able to look into the strong possibility that the bad people in the organization that are usually the ones to blame may just be symptoms from a systemic problem in the organization. Hence, there must be a deeper examination of this probability and that the underlying problem must be solved so that there will be a lasting solution to these ethical issues. Character and Ethics Furthermore, there must be a stronger effort than the codes and programs in order to be able to take in these challenges and that there must be the realization and acce ptance that despite all talks about accountabilities and chains of command, corporate leaders cannot really take all the blame for their staffs or employees that go astray. Many leaders are formed by their strong character and an overarching appreciation of their calling (Gallos, 1997). Hence, the many people in the organization cannot be always influenced by their leaders as these people are However, despite the recent issues about these scandals, this has been going on since the time that humans basically started commerce. Indeed, Bowen (2002) stresses the need for a coordinated and strongly planned approach to these ethical issues and that these must be integrated within the organization and even in the vision mission of the company. Indeed, the role of the organization must be very prominent in addressing these ethical issues as this can be the strong force that will enable the company to be able to really direct their efforts at ensuring the maintenance of integrity within thei r ranks (Smith, 1990; Hanson, 1991). Areas of Concern Becker (2010) highlights the dilemmas whereby there are four major areas that must be considered. Hence, in dealing with ethical issues, the human resources must be considered since there lies the enablers and the possible causes of ethical problems. Moreover, the confidence of customers must be adequately considered since business confidence can be greatly affected when ethics crises sets in. This brings forward the next area of concern which is the possible sources of conflicts of interest that the company must look into in order to maintain a spotless record with their stakeholders. Finally, the company must watch over their company resources and how these are spent. Indeed, ethical issues can be very challenging and finding solutions to these problems has been greatly hampered by the aforementioned myths. Although these ethical issues go way back, it must be noted that the current trends in business and society has been great ly influential in its proliferation as well as in its recognition. Social networks have considerably grown in prominence at the turn of the century boosted by the rapid greater improvements in the communications capability worldwide. As such, Borgatti and Molina (2003) have pressed the need for an ethical framework that will govern researches made in these social networks. There have been many reports of privacy concerns arising from such

Evaluation Forms and their Application Assignment

Evaluation Forms and their Application - Assignment Example As the aim here is to evaluate Australian Cancer Education Prevention fund, the best approach here at this stage would be to monitor the existing situation of the fund, the health department, health care facilities and general awareness level of people of Australia. At this stage as monitoring is important for further decision making, the best evaluation approach will be to use monitoring form as tool. This tool will help in making final choice amongst various probable steps that could be taken. The second form for the study of Australian Cancer Education Prevention fund would be the study of impact form. Looking at the topic under discussion (which is Australian Cancer Education Prevention Fund) it is important to study the impact of this fund in spreading awareness and controlling this health issue. The best approach thus would be to use impact form as a tool in this case. While evaluating anything related to the field of health and medicine, it is important to note that not every time researchers get a second chance. Human lives are involved. It is very important that evaluation in this field is done very carefully. For that purpose, monitoring and impact forms can help in decision

Accounting Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Accounting Case Study - Essay Example In order to increase profitability of the business, the company should reduce the cost of salaries and wages (Maher, Stickney, & Weil 139). Also, miscellaneous expenses are too high and thus the manager should establish the cause of such an extreme cost. Furthermore, the CEO can control development cost of producing books by apportioning production cost to the number of books at various stages (Maher, Stickney, & Weil 142). They should differentiate between direct and indirect cost. All the direct costs associated with each unit produced should be added directly at each production stage while the indirect cost incurred at each stage of production in each department should be distributed to respective department (Maher, Stickney, & Weil 158). Apportioning the production cost at different stages will enable the CCP Publishers to establish the actual cost of finished products instead. The estimated profitability of books at the time of signing contract is an estimate of finished goods w hile actual cost may be inclusive of work in progress and unsold stock. The company should determine the factors responsible for high cost and establish measures to reduce the cost. For example, the salaries and wages may have increased due to contracting out of most its activities. The management can decrease the value by offering such services internally instead of contracting out (Maher, Stickney, & Weil

Challenge of Intercultural Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Challenge of Intercultural Communication - Essay Example Intercultural perspective helps to deepen our knowledge and broaden horizons. During my studies I was involved in the common project with my Iranian friend, we provided each other with useful insights about our countries. Comparative analysis made our essays better and, as a result, we both got excellent marks. Even though now I understand how beneficial intercultural experiences might be, earlier I had some prejudice regarding meeting representatives of other cultures. I was especially suspicious about meeting Iranian men, whom I imagined as very closed-minded and even dangerous people. Probably, such prejudice was formed in my mind by popular mass media, talking a lot about Muslim terrorists and difficulties in negotiations with Iran. When I first met Ahmad, first representative of his race, ethnicity, nationality and religion, I was confused and hesitated to start conversation. However, our common task made me do so, and when we started talking, I realized that I met very interesting open-minded person with broad and yet deep knowledge in different spheres of social sciences. Ice was broken, we made a great common project and even became friends afterwards. Later on, I told him about my initial prejudice and we laughed together on it. This intercultural encounter has taught me to be mor e open to representatives of other cultures. I made more international friends which made my life more exciting. I believe that it is important to be able to overcome all stereotypes and prejudices as this is essential basis for our own well-being, the way to enrich our life and make it more interesting. Most importantly, this is the only possible way to peaceful coexistence in our world, which is so diverse and intercultural, though globalized and highly interconnected. Advertisement campaigns usually appeal to societal values, which are important for consumers. Companies try to understand the identity of the person who would buy the

Why impacts of HRM are important on company growth Essay

Why impacts of HRM are important on company growth - Essay Example It includes activities related to staffing, training and development, performance review and evaluation as well as compensation,† (Jackson et al 2001:242). It can be noted that people are the most important resource in the production of goods and services and are capable of setting pace of company growth or otherwise. The human resource approach is more ideal as far as company growth is concerned. This is a twofold approach through which the organisation benefits in two ways where it seeks to increase its effectiveness as well as increasing the satisfaction of the workers. This approach posits that, rather than addressing organisational goals and employee needs as separate and exclusive, these are mutual and compatible: one set need not be gained at the expense of the other (Carell et al 1995). As noted already, the human resource is the major driver of the organisation and its development hence measures should be put in place that are meant to ensure that the need for the organisation to achieve its goals as well as satisfying the needs of the employees are balanced which can be a long term guarantee of organisational growth. Against this background, the study seeks to investigate why impacts of HRM are important on company growth. To a greater degree, the effectiveness of an organisation depends on the effectiveness of its employees. Thus, the main objective of this study is to investigate why the HRM function is pivotal in the effectiveness of the organisation. The hypothesis is meant to test the assertion that HRM is important on company growth. This will further investigate how company growth can be directly influenced by the performance of the human resource. Recruitment can be loosely defined as a process used by companies to select appropriate job candidates to fill vacant positions (Pfeffer 1989). Thus, recruitment efforts seek to fulfill the needs of both the applicant as well as those of the

Personal & Professional Development Essay Example for Free

Personal Professional Development Essay 1.1  Cunningham1 has defined self-managed learning as â€Å"†¦idealised adult action learning†. Therefore, self learning is a process where the learner develops their learning goals, decides on strategies to make it happen, identifies resources needed to achieve it and adopts the process to evaluate their achievement. Self managed learning can only be effective if a person has the ability to independently decide about their learning and can manage this without much institutional support. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that most people, though understanding the need for such learning approach, are unable to identify and manage their learning without guidance and support from an institution. Hence, people go to an institution to learn. However, It is the responsibility of the learner to take charge of their learning. In an adult learning environment, where most learners have been out of touch with learning for a while, it is important that the tutors initially provide hands on approach to guide the learners. Gradually, ‘tutor dependency’ reduces and the learner becomes more self dependent, starting to manage their learning more effectively. Self learning process can be facilitated through research, using online tools such as web logs, wikis, search engine facilities, use of social software and other multimedia tools such as audio and video equipment. 1.2  Lifelong learning is a process that takes place throughout an individual’s life based on their life experiences, interaction with others and range of different circumstances which are used to acquire knowledge. It is, defined as the ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons’’[2). There are various methods of learning, which can be termed as ‘life long learning’. These are: †¢ Home schooling : People learning at home rather than at an institute. †¢ Adult education : Enrolling in an adult learning course to gain formal qualifications for work or leisure. †¢ Continuing education : Courses to gain further knowledge without getting any formal qualification. †¢ Knowledge work : On-the-job training but can also include practical courses for professional development. †¢ Personal learning environment: Using a range of sources and tools including online applications. Lifelong learning is the most effective way to enhance personal and professional development. Therefore, all the above methods should be encouraged and used to gain relevant knowledge in relation to an individual’s goals and aspirations. A method used by a person depends on what their personal learning goals are, and on the answers to the key questions of what, when, where, how and why. 1.3  The benefits of self managed learning to individuals and organisations are many fold. The key benefits are : †¢ Ability to choose the content :Allows people to pick and choose what they are going to learn, and who they are going to learn from, depending on personal level of knowledge and preferences. †¢ Determining the schedule : Allows people to adapt learning process to their personal agenda, without depending on time schedules imposed by others. †¢ Learning with passion : Topic is chosen based on what the learner wants to learn, making the learner more engaged and the learning process more enjoyable. †¢ Sense of accomplishment and satisfaction : As the learner has chosen the topic, it provides greater degree of satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment within learners. †¢ More productive life : As it is a learner guided process, there is more passion and commitment within the learner about their learning, enhancing their chances of securing more expertise in the area. †¢ Develop expertise and skill : After gaining skill and expertise in the chosen field, a person is more likely to become an expert in the area, with others seeking their expertise and be willing to pay for it. 2.1 Since leaving school, I have worked within the catering sector all my working life, initially as a General Assistant in the kitchen, helping cook and chef. However, through my competence and performance, I was able to gradually rise to the position of Head Chef, with people working under my supervision. This allowed me to have experience of managing people effectively in a challenging fast moving environment. In addition, I was able to gain adequate knowledge and understanding about various health safety guidelines through relevant training, including gaining relevant qualifications. I was able to comply with the professional standards for a Chef through the training I received. Also, working closely with the management, I was able to understand fully the key aims and objectives of the business and focused on ensuring that through my work, I help the business to fulfil them. It is important for a restaurant to provide good quality food and customer service – the two key aspect for such business. Unless the quality of the food and the level of customer service is to their satisfaction, customers will not come back, which is vital for a business. So, my role as a Head Chef is crucial to the success of the company. Since the restaurant is doing well, I feel confident that I have contributed towards the achievement of the company’s aims and objectives, complying with the professional standards required for my job. 2.2  Having worked in the kitchen all my working life, I would now like to have a change of career and move to management, where I would like to manage the whole business, either by setting up my own restaurant or be employed in a restaurant owned by others. In order to help me achieve my aim, I would need proper qualification, understanding and knowledge about how to manage a restaurant efficiently. Therefore, my development needs are as follows : †¢ How to devise an effective business plan †¢ How to prepare a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy †¢ How to be a competent business manager †¢ How to manage a business efficiently and profitably In order to acquire the knowledge required to achieve those aims, I need to enrol in a business course which will not only allow me to have the relevant knowledge but would also enable me to have thorough understanding of these areas, resulting in a qualification. In addition to the areas mentioned above, I also need to focus on some other areas, such as enhancing my literacy and numeracy skills as it would be necessary if I am to manage to restaurant. I also need to improve my social and communication skills too, which is vital for a business within the hospitality sector. 2.3 Since I don’t currently have any formal qualification other than GCSE, the only way for me to achieve my goal of enrolling in a course to acquire relevant knowledge and gain qualification would be to enrol in a course that does not have an entry requirement of any formal qualification and would accept someone with only GCSE. So, I started researching about various courses available that is relevant to me and is available for people who only have GCSE. I have identified that the Business Management HND is the best course for me as it offers all relevant aspects to help me achieve my developmental needs while allowing people with only GCSE to enrol. Therefore, I have enrolled in this course. However, I am seriously considering taking this further and go into further studies on business management, either through university or an informal course in continuing education, which may not result in a formal qualification but would provide me with the knowledge I need to achieve my goals. I feel that enrolling in the Business management HND is the first step towards achieving my aim of acquiring all relevant information and gain relevant qualifications regarding running a successful restaurant business. I also researched about courses to facilitate my aim of enhancing my literacy, numeracy, social and communication skills and have identified some of the courses that will be relevant to me and would assist me in achieving my goals.

Electronic Tools as Distribution Channels

Electronic Tools as Distribution Channels Introduction Internet has been recognized as an effective tools which not only provide opportunities for hospitalities organization to present their products and services, but also a platform of getting customer feedbacks and comments. The Internet Distribution System plays a significant role in hospitality distribution channel. The internet has enabled organizations to perform both distribution and marketing communication activities online (Bowie and Buttle, 2011). Hotel webpage allow their guests to reserve and pay online and build a good communication with customer, they can put information and pictures to make their customer know more about this hotel. This research paper based upon the investigation into the importance of using electronic tools as distribution channels which made a significant contribution to Chinas economy. Bowie and Buttle (2011) summaries that a good internet distribution channel help hoteliers to make a better understanding of the different roles that the distribution and marketing communication play in the market mix and it provide time and place utilities or benefits to customers. And how will the different distributional influences on the sales of 5-star hotel in China. The definition of Distribution channels Hayes and Miller (2011) indicated that distribution channel is a source of business customers or a vehicle used to communicate with a source of customers. Distribution channel management is the process by which RMs target customers by promotion room sales among their various selling alternatives and, as a result, optimize revenues. The concept of a distribution channel is relatively simple, but in practice can be extremely complicated, especially for large organizations. The role of distribution is to help customers find information about products and to make purchasing easy. (Bowie and Buttle, 2004) Distribution channel is a hotels circulatory system which provide a steady flow of customers. A well-managed distribution system can make the difference between a market-share leader and a company struggling for survival. In the global market, electronic distribution techniques, and the perishable hospitality products have increased the importance of distribution. (Philip, 2014) Hospitality principals, especially larger companies, need intermediaries to distribute their product either solely or combined with other travel products in a package. Intermediaries sell the principals products customers and are normally paid by the principals. (Bowie and Buttle, 2011) The Development of electronic and hospitality distribution The origins of electronic distribution stemmed from the airlines internal inventory systems developed in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1976 SABRE established the first GDS, followed by Amadeus, Galileo and later World span. Until the early 1990s, hotel electronic channels of distribution were as described as a cosy status quo between the CRS and the GDS. Each system Cooperated, rather than competed, with each other, participants operated a closer user group and relationships were effectively linear, with each participant playing a mutually beneficial role. (OConnor, 2004) Spurred by the internet, electronic hotel distribution is increasingly user intimate, screen oriented, and content rich. (Carroll and Siguaw. 2003) Consequently, by 2005 an estimated 1 in 5 hotel bookings will be made online, up from 1 in 12 in 2002.( Carroll and Siguaw. 2003 ) With the continuing geometric growth of individual access to the Internet the volume of reservation coming directly to hotel from individual will increase dramatically in the next few years.(Hsu and Powers, 2002).Major hotel companies with thousands of bedrooms to fill in hundreds of locations need to use a wide range of distribution channels to reach their targeted customers.( Bowie and Buttle, 2011) The Trends of Distribution channels Leading into a discussion of the current distribution landscape, it would be appropriate to start with the hottest areas of growth: search engines, social media and mobile. These three technologies are the most influential in terms of sheer visits or growth rate in consumer usage. (Green and Lomanno, 2012) Social media: The phenomenon that is growing very quickly in recent times is the social media, and particularly the social networks that deal with travel. With the appearance of the internet, new types of intermediaries have emerged and many systems have established mutual connections. (Buhalis and Law, 2008) Facebook which is the leading social site has 750 million members with 70% outside the United States, and site usage is staggering with 50% of users logging on in any given day, each with 130 friends on average and spending approximately 30 minutes per day on the site. (Green and Lomanno, 2012) Search engines: The players that have achieved the greatest impact in the online travel booking spaces are the search engines (Kracht and Wang, 2010) Google or Yahoo generate millions of travel-related bookings every day and there are millions of new potential search engines enter this market. For example. the world of travel-specific search has recently become a major battleground with Googles acquisition of airfare engine ITA Software followed by the launch of Googles Hotel Place Ads and Hotel Finder products in July 2011.(Green and Lomanno, 2012) Mobile and Mobile APPs: A discussion of distribution is not complete without a significant reference to the importance of mobile. It is likely the single technology category that will most affect every aspect of distribution and yet, it is still largely in development. Many hotels have launched basic mobile-friendly websites, and have had enormous numbers of consumers download apps that assist with travel booking. For example, a discussion of distribution is not complete without a significant reference to the importance of mobile. It is likely the single technology category that will most affect every aspect of distribution and yet, it is still largely in development. Many hotels have launched basic mobile-friendly websites, and have had enormous numbers of consumers download apps that assist with travel booking. (Green and Lomanno, 2012) Travel Reviews This is currently one of the fastest growing phenomena. Webs such as TripAdvisor or igougo.com (Buhalis and Law, 2008) are already very mature sites and have almost become an obligatory stop for online travel buyers. According to a recent survey by Forrester Research, 30% of online travel buyers read the online advice of other travellers. (Antoni et al, 2013) The power of consumer review sites as a popular form of social media is gaining influence in travel. From the December 2011 spinoff of TripAdvisor (previously an Expedia company), and the emergence of new consumer review-oriented travel sites, it seems that they may create a new type of distribution channel that may be one part each social, inspiration and booking referral site. (Green and Lomanno, 2012) Overview of Electronic Distribution Channels The structure of the travel and tourism industry is continually evolving. There are different structures in different countries depending on the historical development of tourism. Although the vast majority of tourism intermediaries are small, independent organizations, a few major international companies have emerged with dominant market position. From hospitality perspective, intermediaries can be categorized under the following broad headings (Bowie and Buttle, 2011) Traditional distribution channels in the hotel industry: Travel agents: Travel agents are retail business that provide information, advice and booking for individual and group travel in both business and leisure market. The concept of a travel agency is well established in the travel market. They act as an intermediary between customers and principals such as airlines, hotels, car rental companies, attractions, entertainment, event and sporting venues. (Bowie and Buttle, 2011) GDS Global Distribution System: The GDSs were the first electronic channel, predating Brand.com and the OTAs by several decades. Typically, these systems were used by the broadly defined category of travel agents to book airlines and hotel rooms for their clients. While generally not accessible to the broader public at large, they were a relatively easy way to connect a potential customer with a hotel room. (Green and Lomanno, 2012) CRS/Voice: A Call centre is a central location phone bank, also called a central reservation office (Laura, 2011). Bookings through this channel have accounted for a declining share of both total room reservations and the revenue associated with those bookings for several years now. That decline is evident at both the national level and for each of the chain scale categories. While there has been a decline, the volume is still significant and only slightly less than the brand.com channel contribution. (Green and Lomanno, 2012) Property Direct/Other: Groups/meetings, contract business, rooming lists, and walk-ins are all the types of business that fall into this channel category. With this in mind, and knowing it has such a mix of business types, it makes this category the most difficult for the property or brand to manage without parsing it into its component parts by business segment. Due to the large amount of business transacted locally, it is still likely to be several years before any other channel overtakes property direct/other as the most widely utilized booking channel. Emerging Distribution Channels Online Travel Agencies (OTAs): OTA is an acronym for online travel agents, who have the same function as traditional physical travel agents, but the service is conveyed via the Internet. Unlike traditional travel agents, OTA specializes in offering vacation-planning sources and booking resources. (Yu, 2012) Of all the distribution channels the OTA opaque model is probably both the least financially understood model as well as the one that creates the most controversy. It is least financially understood because of the nature of the arrangement with the hotels that keeps the properties from knowing what the guest actually paid for the room. So while the properties know what room rate they receive from the vendor, the differential paid by the consumer on the upside remains unknown to the hotel. Brand.com (A hotels website): On average about 16% of all hotel room bookings are being made through either the brand or property website referred to in this study as brand.com. This number grew slightly in 2010 and has been on an upward track since the widespread use of the Internet about a decade ago. (Green and Lomanno, 2012) More and more hotel brands build their own websites and provide booking service on their home pages, which enables customers to be driven from OTAs to their own websites. (Yu, 2012) Mobile Apps: A recent study by BIA/Kelsey concluded that by the end of 2013 local businesses will be receiving three times the number of phone calls as they do currently because of the increase in mobile marketing and smart phone searches. The trend is emerging (Michael, 2012). Over the last five years, mobile has become closely correlated to local. People are looking for a restaurant nearby, a hotel nearby. The Wyndham hotel group has dedicated numbers on its 13 mobile websites, with a dedicated number assigned to every brand. Finally, the increase in call-centre volume has been noticeable (Keith, 2012). Mobile phones will be a great source of business, though this may present issues on the logistical end. If such issues arise, hotels will need more staff to take calls and, the call centre will need to be developed extensively (Harvet, 2012). The implement of Distribution Channel Since the GDS is a Distribution provides two key utilities or benefits to customer. Distribution makes hospitality products and services available when and where customer want them; there are known as time and place utilities, respectively. Online and traditional intermediaries, for example, travel agents and tour operators, help customers to find and choose hospitality and travel products. (Bowie and Buttle, 2011) For several years travel has been the most popular products sold online. The Internet is the perfect medium for selling travel products as it brings together a vast network of suppliers and a widely dispersed customer pool into a centralized market place. (OConnor, 2004) The structure of the travel and tourism industry is continually evolving. In Europe, change drives include the deregulation of air travel and the growth of Internet technology, which can deliver economies of scale and cost savings to the large tourism organization. From an accommodation providers perspecti ve, effective Internet marketing is based upon an understanding of how search engines work, recognizing the importance of destination links, development accessible and easy-to-use websites, developing effective booking engines, and the transparency of pricing. Numerous survey confirm that internet users depend upon search engines and directories when looking for information on the internet Search engines such as Google and Alta Vista Provide an indexed guide to website. Directories or website, grouped into categories such as business, a website needs to ensure that the domain name, destination, text copy. Page titles, description tag and Meta tags are designed to ensure that search engines and directories find the web pages. Optimizing ensure that search engines and directories find the web page. Optimizing easy accessibility for Internet searchers is clearly important for the hospitality brand. (Bowie and Buttle, 2004) The management of distribution channel The hospitality industry varies from other industries significantly due to the perishable and intangible nature of the hospitality service/product. (Bastakis, Buhalis, Butler, 2004) As Bowie and Buttle (2004) said because of the high commission fee which can be 8 present and the norm is 10 present, with certain hotels playing up to 30 present commission on specific products available during the low season and the cost of GDS which can be assumed a $100 per night room rate, the total deductions can be as much as $26.55 (Middleton, 2000), which only leaves $73.45 for hotel (although this dose include an internal company charge of $9 for the hotel chains CRS), some hospitality companies wish to reduce or eliminate. Hospitality companies see the Internet as a means of reducing distribution costs and enabling direct communication with consumers and customers. There can be significant hardware, software and human resources costs attached to developing and operating a direct-to-customer di stribution strategy. From an accommodation providers perspective, effective Internet marketing is based upon an understanding of how search engines work, recognizing the importance of destination links, developing links, developing accessible and easy-to-use website, developing effective booking engines, and the transparency of pricing.( Bowie and Buttle,2004 ) However, hospitality organization will loss of control of a key element in the marketing mix, which can lead to an unhealthy dependence upon intermediaries and it can be closer to the end user, taking ownership of the customer away from the hospitality organization. Reference http://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1062context=articles