David Beckham :: Biography Biographies Bio

David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born May 2, 1975) is an English footballer born in Leytonstone, London. He is a midfielder for Real Madrid and captain of the English national team. He is noted for the quality of his crossing and ability to hit free-kicks and corners, particularly at long-range free-kicks and also for his marriage to a Spice Girl. He has played most of his career for Manchester United. Although there are arguably many better current players in world football none are as famous. Manchester United 1995-2003 Beckham first signed a YTS (youth training scheme) contract (this is similar to an apprenticeship) with United in 1991, and made his League debut in 1995, aged 19. The next year he helped the side to the Premiership and FA Cup trophies and to their dominance of domestic football. In the 1998-99 season, he was part of the United team that won the "treble" - Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, a feat unprecedented in English football, which earned the club's manager, Alex Ferguson, a knighthood. In total, Beckham scored 86 goals in 397 games for Man United, a rate of roughly 2 goals every 9 games, highly commendable for a midfielder. Club Career Real Madrid 2003-present On June 17, 2003, Beckham signed a four-year contract with Real Madrid of Spain, potentially worth up to â‚ ¬35 million (Â £25 million, USD 41 million). Plus 2. Apart from benefiting from his football ability, this transfer gives the Spanish club an opportunity to profit from merchandising, especially in the Far East, where Beckham is enormously popular, and Manchester United have until now had the lion's share of interest. It is probably no coincidence that Beckham was transferred just before Real started a far-eastern tour, but it would be very unfair to say that his marketing potential alone was the only reason for his transfer. At the time of the announcement of his transfer to Real Madrid, Beckham and his wife (Victoria) were on a week-long tour of Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand promoting beauty products, chocolate, motor oil, and mobile phones, which it was reported would earn them more than the entire first year of his Real Madrid contract. (Western journalists are excluded from the Japanese "press conferences" organised by his sponsors because of the embarrassment they would cause him in the West.) He successfully completed the transfer on July 1 and was presented with the squad number of 23 on July 2.

The Benefits and Costs of Two or More Countries Sharing a Common Currency

Examine the benefits and costs of two or more countries sharing a common currency, and comment on the impact of the ‘one size fits all’ monetary policy of the Eurozone. Normally, the accumulation of a set of countries accepting a specific common currency is known as a monetary union. This involves the countries becoming part of the same trading bloc and accepting free trade policies between the member countries. Since the focus of the question is centrally revolved around the monetary union, the other aspects of the union will not be considered in detail. Naturally, the prime example to use when discussing the use of a common currency is the European Monetary Union. Launched on January 1st 1999, the union boasts a 16 country agreement to use the same currency- the euro. For countries to merge by a single currency requires the merging countries to meet certain criteria. This obviously brings both benefits and costs to the table. Benefits are associated with higher stability of the union as only those countries that meet the minimum requirements can join. This allows the union to ensure that the countries that join add something to the union and add value to the currency. For example, conditions in the European Monetary Union state entrant countries must have interest rates within 2% of the 3 lowest interest rate countries in the EMU and also have inflation within 1. 5%. This is important because if we take a scenario where the inflation rate is excessively high in a country, then this will affect the value of the currency by devaluing it. This devaluation has clear knock on effects as the devaluation will cause the cost of imports to rise. Domestic consumers will also shy away from domestic consumption as they see the high prices and so they will shift their consumption on consumer durables from other countries. Exports would be heavily affected by this scenario as the foreign countries would see the high prices associated with the importing of the goods and shift their interest into consumption from countries with lower relative price levels. Not only does the high inflation associated with the currency affect consumption but also investment. The unstable level of inflation will deter foreign direct investment and also reduce the net domestic investment as the returns to the investment would have a high risk associated. So obviously having specific criteria that member countries must meet help to ensure stability in the union. The negative associated with having these criteria is the one size fits all policy which will be discussed later. There are many costs and benefits associated with having the same currency. There is a key advantage to consumers and residents in the country of having the same currency. The transaction costs associated with exchanging the currencies is eliminated. This means that if domestic consumers were to travel abroad to countries within the monetary union, the identical currency would enable them to spend abroad without the need to swap currencies. This advantage is more of a social benefit as this would reduce stress to the consumer. This is because the consumer would not be worrying about if their money would arrive on time. Also the excess commission associated with changing the currencies is eliminated. Although again this commission only represents a small amount of GDP the advantage is again a social benefit as the consumer escapes the hassle associated with the exchange of the currency- often quite a stressful factor when planning to travel. There is also a benefit associated with price transparency where if the same good is sold in many of the countries in the monetary union, then it is easy for the consumer to compare prices. This should reduce price discrimination and increase competition. This is a healthy scenario for the consumer as they would benefit from price competition- often the price of the good or service falls. Despite this potential benefit there is evidence that this is not the case and that price differentiation exists- an example being price differences within member countries in the EU. The same currency and stability associated with the monetary union encourages transnational companies to invest. This is because there would multiple countries across the zone to invest in and get returns from as they all follow the same currency and would all be under the same central control. This may help the multi-national countries achieve greater economies of scale as there would be easier trading and investment capabilities across the zone. This would lower average costs for firms and increase the relative GDP in the zone. This would increase economic growth. Therefore having the same currency enables economic growth in a country through increased business confidence as there is increased stability. The drawbacks of using the same currency are also quite evident. The main and key drawback is the ‘one size fits all’ policy. Here the monetary policy is controlled by the central bank. Countries have no ability to set the interest rates in the country. This can be disastrous in a country with low consumption or investment levels. This is because if the central bank placed high interest rates on countries within the union, consumption would be further detracted, leading to a drop in economic growth. Therefore the loss of individual control is a major factor that needs to be considered before becoming part of the same currency. There can also be a case where the central bank will set interest rates that accommodate the larger, higher productive countries in the union. This will mean the smaller countries will grow at a slower rate and potentially lead to greater inequality. The one size fits all policy may mean that the union becomes less flexible and therefore the policies can place constraints on economic growth for countries. This can cause inefficiency as the production will not be at optimum potential and will limit countries. Another huge drawback is the effective exchange rate differences would be eliminated. For example, during the economic boom of the early 2000’s, England had a very strong exchange rate compared to the other European countries. This enabled cheap imports for the country, increasing domestic consumer welfare. By switching to the euro, the imports would not have been cheaper and would have left consumers with a drop in welfare as they would not have been gaining through a stronger exchange rate. Overall the costs of switching to the same currency have its drawbacks outweighing its benefits. This is especially the case for the one size fits all policy as this is the policy that loses the country its individuality and means the country loses control of its monetary policy.

Obesity: Who Is at Fault?

Obesity: Who is at Fault? Name University of International Business and Economics Obesity: Who is at Fault? It is no secret that an increasing amount of Americans are gaining weight and much of this blame is put on fast food establishments such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and Krystal’s, to name a few. According to Warren Belasco and Philip Scranton (2002), â€Å"The increasing consumption of convenience foods is an international trend influenced by changing lifestyles† (p. 3) From a superficial perspective, this doesn’t seem like much of a problem.However, Robert Jeffery and Simone French (1998), authors of the article Epidemic Obesity in the United States: Are Fast Food and Television Viewing Contributing? assert that â€Å"Obesity is an important public health problem that, in recent years, has reached epidemic proportions† (p. 277). In fact, some are calling the problem the â€Å"obesity epidemic. † Several lawsuits against fast food establishments have been filed by those who are overweight. It’s a serious problem, one that cannot be ignored. Before anyone assumes that it’s just the United States, think again.With the increasing number of fast food establishments in countries other than the United States, such as China, Japan, and Brazil, so are obesity rates. The obesity epidemic can no longer be ignored and must be solved. While the problem is known, the source of it is not and must be traced. What exactly is the source of obesity? Many people believe it to be fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Krystals, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell. After all, are they not the ones distributing the food so unhealthy and high in calories? Are they not the ones advertising delicious, backstabbing food?Are they not the ones making the food so addictive that the consumers have no choice but to eat it and come back for more? It is not a secret that there have been countless lawsuits against fast food establishments. One of the most popular lawsuits, Pelman v. McDonald’s, has been nicknamed the â€Å"McLawsuit. † In this lawsuit, two overweight children (one of whom was nineteen years old) sued McDonald’s seeking compensation for their health related problems cause by obesity. There is no debate that most people understand that fast food is unhealthy, regardless of what the Pelman v.McDonald’s lawsuit claims. There have been documentaries recording, such as Morgan Spurlocks’ Supersize Me, in which he eats McDonald’s for three meals for a month. The result is irrevocable and much more severe than any of the three doctors he had hired imagined. It would be hard to find someone that denied that fast food was unhealthy. However, this does not mean that it is the reason for obesity. Fast food establishments should not be blamed for the obesity epidemic because when it all comes down to it, it†™s a simple matter of choice.Fast food establishments do not hold their consumers at gunpoint and force them to buy their food, nor do they additives in their products to make it chemically addictive, despite what the plaintiffs lawsuit claim. Todd G. Buchholz, an international economist, keynote speaker, and author of â€Å"Are Fast-Food Establishments Making Americans Fat† poses an interested scenario: The overweight baseball fan jumps to his feet in the bleachers of Wringley Field, screaming for the Chicago Cubs to hold onto their 3-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning.He squeezes a Cubs pennant on his left hand while shoving a mustard-smeared hot dog into his mouth with the right. The Dodgers have a runner on the first who is sneaking a big lead off the base. The Cubs’ pitcher has thrown three balls and two strikes to the batter, a notorious power hitter. The obese fan holds his breath, while the pitcher winds up and fires a blazing fastball. ‘Crack! â €™ The ball flies over the fan’s head into the bleachers for a game-winning home run. The fan slumps to his bleacher seat and has a heart attack. Who should the fan sue? a) The Cubs for breaking his heart? (b) The hot dog company for making a fatty food? (c) The hot dog vendor for selling him a fatty food? (d) All of the above? (p. 1) While this scenario seems completely absurd, there is quite a lot of truth in how today’s society works. The question that Buchholz proposes must be dealt with. Just who is to blame for obesity? The vendors? The fast food corporations? There have been lawsuits, many which are still prevalent today. The question has not been answered and people are still seeking answers.As stated earlier, many believe the fault lies with the fast food corporations, which is why countless lawsuits have been filed against them. However, perhaps there is more than one reason why fast food establishments have been under attack. Buchholz examines this very perspective. Lawyers are under pressure to take these cases for fear that if they do not, their reputation will be tarnished. Under any normal circumstances, it would be easy to turn the cases down. Unfortunately for them, it they are no considered normal circumstances.Despite the popularity of fast food, it has become quite popular for people to denounce the restaurants because of reasons such as: the food is making the people fat, the corporations brainwash kids, and they bribe the children with toys. Michelle M. Mello, Eric B. Rimm, and David M. Studdert analyze one lawsuit in particular. Pelman v. McDonald’s, or rather, the â€Å"McLawsuit,† as it was dubbed by the public, was filed against McDonald’s by two overweight children seeking compensation for their health problems caused by obesity. They had claimed that McDonald’s had deployed deceptive advertising, promotion, and sales.In addition, the corporation had produced food that was not only unsafe but had also failed to warn consumers of the dangers of its products. It is quite interesting to note that the plaintiff’s attorney had also filed a similar lawsuit against McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants on behalf of adults. Believing it would be unsuccessful, the attorney withdrew the case to pursue Pelman. With children as plaintiffs, it was believed that the success would be higher, as the children would be seen as representatives of the afflicted population (Mello, et al. 2003, p. 208).The judge, Judge Sweet, dismissed the case, stating, â€Å"Nobody is forced to eat at McDonald’s, except, perhaps, parents of small children who desire McDonald’s food, toy promotions or playgrounds and demand their parents’ accompaniment†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Stout 2003). In an interview with the plaintiff’s lawyer’s colleague, John Banzhaf, he admits: The biggest problem is what lawyers call causation†¦it’s hard to tell what cau sed a heart attack. What percentage is obesity, versus other factors? And was McDonald’s 4 percent, versus 2 perfect for Haagen-Dazs? Everybody knows that, if you want to lose weight, you eat less, less calorie input, and more exercise.You don’t have to learn that. (The Center for Consumer Freedom, 2003) The case drew national attention but many spectators realized it was more or less a farce in order to make a few extra dollars for the plaintiffs and their lawyer. The authors list key points of the case made by the plaintiffs’ lawyers, one of which the case is compared to those made against tobacco companies. However, there are significant differences. Unlike tobacco cases, there has been no evidence to prove that fast food contains chemicals that are addictive. Mello, Rimm, and Studdert are not the only ones to note this. Buchholz also acknowledges this key point.Additionally, no person has claimed that they have ever become sick from â€Å"second hand† eating. Another key point is that while cigarette research has been consistent over the years, diet research fails to do the same. In fact, their research is often contradictory. There are claims that the consumers are often too ignorant to understand the risks of the food they eat. However, this is a moot point of fast food restaurants. Consumers are becoming more aware of nutritional and caloric value of food and because of this, fast food restaurants, have reacted by making their nutritional value readily available to the public.Not only that, they have also changed their menu to feature more salads and foods with less calories. Buchholz brings up yet another important and crucial point: to understand the answer, you must understand the nature surrounding the problem. He states that even with the popularity of fast food establishments, people still eat two thirds of their daily calories at home. So while critics do a wonderful job of portraying fast food restaurants as manipulat ive, evil corporations, they fail to compare fast food to food made at home, school, or restaurants that do not fall into the fast food category.While plaintiffs’ lawyers condemn the nutritional value of fast food, they fail to acknowledge that alternatives are just as bad. For example, school meals are not much better than fast foods. While the schools provide few calories, in place is more saturated fat, more than fast food establishments provide. Saturated fat is â€Å"the more dangerous subset of fats† (Buccholz, p. 4). In fact, Buchholz notes, fast food actually has fewer calories today than they did four decades ago. In the 1970s, the fat content of fast food meals and home cooked meals were very similar.Even twenty-nine years ago, while home cooking may have won prizes for their extraordinary taste, very few would receive them from today’s nutritionists. Of course, that’s not the only thing to focus on. Modern jobs frequently require less physical work, meaning less time spent burning calories and more time being stationary. There are more desk jobs, which means workers are paid to sit in their seats rather than exert energy. Work at home jobs are also more prevalent. With the growing popularity of the Internet, money can be made without even taking a step outside of the house.A survey shows that while people are not eating larger meals, they are snacking a lot more, something that definitely contributes to the calorie count. According to Buchholz, people have actually doubled the calories consumed between meals. This is a crucial point to keep in mind when examining the cause for obesity. Portion size is something else that is also criticized harshly. While fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s have been super sizing meals, they seem to be the target of many consumers despite other places that have also been supersizing their food, with little or no criticism.Examples provided by Buchholz include movie theatre popc orn containers or all-you-can-eat buffets. Studies show that people can eat bigger portions of fast food-like meals such as hamburgers and fries not at the restaurants but in their own home kitchen. Home cooked hamburgers on average now weigh eight ounces rather than the five to seven ounces served in restaurants, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.Despite the movie theatre down the block selling super sized popcorn or the all-you-can-eat buffet, which encourages people to loosen their belt buckle, they are not under attack as a cause for obesity. Common sense dictates that McDonald’s, even if they have a super size option, does not encourage the consumer to eat all they can. All-you-can-eat buffets, on the other hand, do. Buffets encourage the consumer to exceed the limitations of their stomach and eat as much as possible. However, ironically, buffets have evaded the line of attack and blame by consumers.Yes, fast food restaurants contain plenty of calories and no one denies that this is not healthy. However, in comparison with other food alternatives, fast food does not seem as bad as the media portrays them to be. â€Å"Unlike smoking, fast food appears to be safe when consumed in moderation†¦scientists at snack-food companies have reportedly investigated how certain foods trigger overeating, but not damning evidence has emerged that food manufacturers manipulate the content of their products to get consumers addicted† (Mello et al. p. 211) Moderation is the key. In a study done by Robert W.Jeffery and Simone A. French, the objective was to observe the correlation of TV, fast food, and body mass index (BMI). The results showed that the former two were positively correlated with BMI in women but not in men, and predicted weight gain in women with high income. This information is supports the claims made by Buchholz. Buchholz stated before that there are more people simply staying in one place rather tha n burning calories. Such is what happens with television viewing. To watch television means to do little to not moving, equaling to no calories burnt. Epidemic Obesity in the United States: Are Fast Foods and Television Contributing† concluded that increases in availability of fast food and television may contribute to growing obesity rates. Fast food is a lot more prominent and available than it was in the past. It is simply a lot more accessible than before. However, Buchholz has this point covered; while fast food is a lot more prominent, so are jobs that require less moving and increase in time to eat and snack. Fast food may contribute to obesity but it simply not the only cause, nor should it be the main focus if people are looking to fix the problem.In â€Å"Fast Food: Unfriendly and Unhealthy† by S Stender, J Dyerberg, and A Astrup, association between fast food intake and weight gain is shown. The authors note ways in which fast food can be â€Å"obesogenic. à ¢â‚¬  One must look at necessary things such as the portion size, energy density and fat content. The authors then conclude that reducing portions to normal sizes, eliminating trans fat, switching to lean meat, and other such actions would benefit the consumers in their quest for lowering obesity rates. However, by reducing portions to one size takes away the right of the consumer to make choices, argues Buchholz (p. 0). Beyond medical research, Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker, produced the documentary Super Size Me in 2004. In this film, Spurlock undergoes a mission to see what would happen to his body if he eats McDonald’s three times a day for one month. The rules were simple: if it wasn’t on the McDonald’s menu, he couldn’t have it; he must sample everything on the menu within thirty days; he must have McDonald’s three times a day; he can only and must super size the meal when asked; and will attempt to walk as much as the t ypical American.Throughout the film, Spurlock goes through a change, both physically and mentally. His three doctors, nutritionalist, and personal trainer that he had hired all agreed that he was physically above average before his experiment began. Though all three doctors had predicted that the â€Å"Mcdiet† would have a negative effect on his body, none expected anything to be as drastic as what really happened, included but not limited to heart palpitations, and liver deterioration. Some of the results were irreversible.At the end of the documentary, Spurlock shows that some people do indeed eat McDonald’s more frequently than they should, resulting in their weight gain and obesity health issues. Spurlocks’ main focus is on the negative impact of McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants. However, this is unfair to the corporations. While McDonald’s may cause health problems, it only does so when consumed frequently. Even though he has shown t hat there are people who eat McDonald’s frequently, he failed to mention that the consumers have a choice.Fast food corporations are not holding their consumers at gunpoint and forcing them to buy their food but Spurlock presents his information in such a way as to convince his audience that it is indeed the corporations who are at fault and thus, it would be counterintuitive to his position on the subject matter. Daniel J. DeNoon (2006), author of â€Å"Obesity More Complex Than We Think? ,† suggests that even though doctors are blaming obesity on overeating and inactivity, there are other factors that play critical roles. Even if the other causes have little effect, they may together make a big difference.Other reasons include, but are not limited to, lack of sleep, pollution, and prevalence of air conditioning, side effects of medicine, genetics, and age. So while fast food corporations may contribute to the obesity problem by providing food high in calories, the co rporations cannot control any of the other factors that may lead to obesity. While it seems to be quite the trend for consumers sue fast food corporations for their obesity problems, one must reconsider if the question of whether the problem lies within the food or the corporation and reevaluate their position.It’s easy to point the finger and there is no denying that fast food, when consumed frequently, is harmful. However, there has been no evidence stating that when consumed in moderation it is harmful. Unlike the lawsuits against tobacco companies, there is nothing chemically addictive about fast food, nor has anyone died of second hand eating, since swallowing food requires self consent. In fact, fast food restaurants have been proven to not be physically addictive (Buchholz 3).By blaming corporations for the food the public is choosing to eat, it suggests that the public is incapable of making wise decisions and thus degrades the individual. Everybody wants a scapegoat for their problems because nobody likes to admit that it may not be their personal fault. Fast food isn’t to blame. The consumers are. Fast food establishments aren’t making consumers fat. Consumers are making consumers fat. Works Cited Belasco, W. , & Scranton, P. (2001). Food nations. Routledge. Buchholz, T. (2003). Are fast-food establishments making americans fat?.Journal of Controversial Medical Claims, 10(4), 1-10. DeNoon, D. (2006, June 27). Obesity more complex than we think?. Retrieved from www. webmd. com/content/article/124/115592 Jeffery, R. , & French, S. (1998). Epidemic obesity in the united states: Are fast foods and television viewing contributing?. American Journal of Public Health, 88(2), 227 228. Mello, M. , Rimm, E. , & Studdert, D. (1998). The mclawsuit: The fast-food industry and legal accountability for obesity. American Journal of Public Health, 88(2), 207 216.Special report: Judge dismisses frivolous mclawsuit. (2003, January 22). Retrieved fr om http://www. consumerfreedom. com/2003/01/1753-special-report-judge-dismisses frivolous-mclawsuit/ Spurlock, M. (Director) (2004). Super size me [DVD]. Stender, S. , Dyerberg, J. , & Astrup, A. (2007). Fast food: Unfriendly and unhealthy. International Journal of Obesity, 31, 887-890. doi: 10. 1038 Stout, D. (2003, January 24). Obese teens lose mclawsuit. Retrieved from http://www. theage. com. au/articles/2003/01/23/1042911491525. html

Competitors Of Tui Based On Market Share Tourism Essay Essay Example

Competitors Of Tui Based On Market Share Tourism Essay Essay Example Competitors Of Tui Based On Market Share Tourism Essay Essay Competitors Of Tui Based On Market Share Tourism Essay Essay The undertaking of the undermentioned assignment is taking a strategic tantrum for a bundle vacation company. A bundle vacation company is defined as one that offers lower limit of travel and adjustment in a individual bundle. One company that operates internationally and offers minimal bundle of travel and adjustment is TUI Travel. TUI is the universe s prima international leisure travel company runing in four different sectors ( tuitravelplc.com ) The chief rivals of TUI based on Market portion are: Carlson Wagonlit Travel Thomas Cook plc. Travelport Ltd Vision Statement Our vision is Making Travel Experiences Special ( tuitravelplc.com ) Undertaking A: Market Environment Analysis In order to analyze the market environment proper analytical tools should be chosen: PESTLE Analysis for Macro Environment Porter s five forces for Micro Environment PESTLE Analysis Political Factors Changes in the revenue enhancement policy of the authorities in UK, such as addition in VAT per centum by 2.5 % may hold a negative impact on inward touristry in UK as the monetary values of trade goods will lift. Besides, 24 % Britishers claim that addition in VAT will besides take to expensive staycations ( Casal 2011 ) Unstable Political environment can earnestly impact the touristry industry of a state as the travellers fear for their safety and tend to avoid that state. Such as recent Political rebellion in mid E has lead to 50 % cancellations in Arab states ( Zablit 2011 ) . Security and safety concerns have major impact on touristry industry. Terrorist onslaughts of 9/11 in US led to 10 % autumn in demand for travel and touristry ( Bennett and Barry n.d. ) . Such onslaughts besides raise a inquiry on national security of the state and stifle the tourer s assurance. Economic Factors Recession: UK s program to emerge out of recession may merely be stretched farther as the recent political rebellions in Middle East and catastrophe struck Japan may hold prolong effects on the universe economic system, impacting the touristry industry every bit good. In steps to maintain family budgets low, households are looking into more of domestic shore vacations, besides stated as staycations. In twelvemonth 2009 there was a lessening by 14 % in abroad vacations in UK, whereas the domestic shore market rose by 5 % ( Mintel Report 2010 ) . Currency Fluctuations: In the twelvemonth 2008 there was opposition amongst the US visitants for the UK due to strong Pound. Against the dollar, Pound was at biennial low. ( Ashby 2008 ) Looking at the tabular array 1, which shows Dollar beef uping against the lb in the recent old ages, may pull tourers from US. Furthermore, beef uping of Euro and Dollar can be stated as a cause for escalated involvement in staycations and a concern for outward touristry from UK. Table 1: Currency Monetary values for last 5 old ages, with basal currency being Pound ( ? ) ( Beginning: XE.com ) Fuel Monetary values: Year Euro Dollar 2006 69 P 57p 2007 68p 51p 2008 76p 49p 2009 92p 71p 2010 90p 66p The Oil monetary values rose to $ 120 per barrel in February 2011 due to political rebellion in Middle East and have left air hoses worried. International Airlines Group has decided to cut back by winging less frequently. IAG s CEO said if the fuel monetary values do non withdraw the ultimate consequence would be on menus ( Milmo 2011 ) . This would take to increase in packaged vacations monetary values. Social Factors: Demographics: Mintel study 2009 suggests that the diminution in mean families is projected to go on whereas 5 % growing in 1-3 individual families. It states about 48 % of 1 member household went on a vacation as compared to 68 % of marries, 60 % of three individual and 70 % of four families. ( Mintel Report 2010 ) Table2: Showing % alteration in families in UK. ( Beginning: Mintel Report 2010 ) By 2031 it is projected that the individual families ( chiefly people over 55 ) will consist of 18 % of the entire families in UK. Therefore it would be a major market for the bundle operators ( Communities 2009 ) Health concerns. 2004 2009 2014 % Change % Change Meter Meter Meter 2004-09 2009-14 One-person families 7.6 8.35 8.8 9.9 5.4 2 individual 8.96 9.54 10.02 6.5 5 3 individual 3.95 3.97 4.15 0.5 4.5 4 individual 3.3 3.31 3.33 0.3 0.6 5+ individual 1.67 1.65 1.64 -1.2 -0.6 Entire families 25.48 26.81 27.93 5.2 4.2 Continued concerns over wellness and hygiene are seen amongst UK occupants. The eruption of Foot and Mouth disease in twelvemonth 2001 led to 16 % autumn in visitant outgo in UK taking to negative images of Britain as a vacation finish ( Pasty 2003 ) . But, with the upcoming Olympic gamess 2012 and Royal Wedding in 2011 will take to high volume of tourers sing UK. Aging Population. As per the National statistics organisation ( 2010 ) there were one in five people of retirement age in the UK. As the population is ageing there will be an excess cost for the companies who offer pension strategies to their employees so that their staff lives longer ( Oxford University Press 2007 ) . Technological Factors Internet: In UK there were 20 million Internet endorsers out of 27 million families. High Level of Internet incursion is a cardinal lending factor to online travel retailors executing better. Online gross revenues of travel retail merchandise represented 34 % of the entire gross revenues. This besides has led to fierce competition amongst the participants as the clients are looking for inexpensive holiday bundles, 3rd most of import factor when choosing vacation bundle ( Euromonitor ) Better Technology: Latest engineering promotions in sectors such as technology, air hose industry, conveyance, substructure etc. such as coming of luxury rider planes such as Airbus A380 and Boeing s 787, Eurostar via Eurotunnel have made cross boundary line travel easier and swifter than of all time. Legal Factors Emissions Trading Scheme: This strategy was presented in the twelvemonth 2003 for EU in-order to control C emanation. In 2008 amendments were made to this strategy, including the air power activities as good. It means the aircraft operators will be capable to a cap and will hold to pay allowance to cover their emanations. This could hold an upward impact on the monetary values of vacation bundles ( Euro Monitor ) . Open Skies Agreement: Signed between EU and US in the mid 2008 leting and air hose from the EU or the US to any topographic point between EU and US. ( Euro Monitor ) This allows the clients to wing with their pick of air hose and therefore can assist cut down costs because of competition amongst the operators. Environmental Factors Ethical Consumerism The Ethical Purchasing Index states that the ethical buying has grown phenomenally with entire market valued at ?30million. Eco Holidays, Fair trade vacations have experienced exceeding growing due to the rasing concern sing the environment amongst the people ( Mintel Report 2005 ) . Green Enterprises: In today s universe it is impossible for the travel and touristry industry to disregard the turning concerns over environment. In a study in twelvemonth 2002, 85 % of the people said it is of import their holiday does non halter the environment. Due to this fact the bundle operators are alining themselves to go environment friendly ( Euro Monitor ) . Such as Thomas cook has now started to foreground about their services meeting responsible touristry standards ( Mintel Report 2005 ) Porters Five forces: Competitive Competition The four major participants in the market ( Thomson, MyTravel, First-Choice and Thomas Cook ) have, for figure of old ages, jostled each other for bigger market portion and net incomes have proved to be volatile ( Evans et al, 2003 ) . The major bundle vacation participants target different sections in the market such as, offering luxury holidaies, escapade holidaies etc. with some singularity every bit good. Package operators such as Thomson introduced their ain low cost airline- Thomson fly and dynamic packaging where clients can book their adjustment and flights individually ( Lueck 2005 ) The degree of client services affect when taking a company, if one offers better client service than others it helps in retaining clients. Therefore there is intense competition in the industry Menace of New Entrants: The entire outgo on vacations is expected to lift by about 22 % in 2014 from 2004 ( Mintel study, 2010 ) doing the touristry industry attractive one because of the market size. Yet, high degree of capital investing required aiming larger audience and the demand to distinguish Acts of the Apostless as a barrier to entry. And to add, exceed 10 companies control 70 % of the market. This reduces the monetary value revenge and keeps the economic systems of scale high. Findingss from Mintel study ( 2010 ) provinces Brand consciousness plays an of import function in bundle vacation industry and therefore can move as a barrier. Therefore menace of new entrant is low. Menace from Substitutes: Vacations can hold direct as good indirect replacements, such as alternatively of passing twosome of lbs on a hebdomad s holiday people might pass same sum of money on purchasing a auto or towards house extension. Therefore menace from replacements if moderate. Dickering Power of Suppliers: Supplier can hold high dialogue power over the companies holding little market portion, but in a market where 4 major participants control over 50 % of the market there is menace of backward integrating. Therefore the bargaining power of the providers is low Dickering Power of purchasers: Customers today have the option to book their vacations over the Internet they oculus to bring inexpensive trades. Respects to this the clients have more picks. But, due to low degree of distinction and lesser replacements make the bargaining power centrist. Critical Success Factor New Finishs: As per the Mintel study ( 2010 ) sing a new finish has seen highest growing in footings of per centum, 12 % . Topographic points that have hot conditions, beaches, landscapes, cultural heritage are a major hit amongst assorted demographics. Therefore in order to hold larger market portion it is of import for the bundle operators to continuously look to update their offering of finishs. It is of import for the circuit operators to offer short and medium draw vacation s finishs and domestic topographic points for holidaies, as it is the turning market as per the current statistics. ( Mintel Report 2010 ) Convenience: In today s technologically advanced universe where most of the population is the endorser to Internet, it is of import for travel agents to offer the clients with on-line booking installation. In UK itself out of 27 million families 20 1000000s are the Internet endorsers ( Euro Monitor ) . Mintel study ( 2010 ) provinces there was about 20 % growing in online engagement, manner more than any other method of booking vacations. Besides, a company should be easy searched over the Internet. Therefore the companies should optimise their web sites to make larger audience. Brand Value: It is of import to carry client to purchase bundle vacations. Here, trade name comes into the image. The recent volcanic eruption helped the bundle operators build on their trade name image and capitalising on what could go on if independent vacations are booked. Green enterprises: The turning concerns for the environment amongst the clients ( see Environmental factors in PEST ) have made travel operators take stock of the turning concern. Thomas cook has now started to foreground in their booklet that their services run into the responsible touristry standards. ( Euro Monitor )

Lagging Behind

Lagging Behind Lagging Behind Lagging Behind By Maeve Maddox A reader writes: I keep seeing this: â€Å"lacked considerably behind when what is meant is lagged considerably behind. When I went looking, I also found many examples of lacking where the context calls for lagging. Here are a few: Incorrect: Bad WPO ranking on most pages [are] lacking behind the top US healthcare sites Correct: Bad WPO ranking on most pages [are] lagging behind the top US healthcare sites Incorrect: Africa is clearly lacking behind [in foreign investment]. Correct: Africa is clearly lagging behind [in foreign investment]. Incorrect: Good research lacking behind fitness promises Correct: Good research lagging behind fitness promises The meaning of the verb lag in the idiom â€Å"to lag behind† is â€Å"to fail to keep pace with others.† Usually, the behind that follows lagging is a preposition that takes an object: One very controversial topic recently is how America is lagging far behind other nations in terms of quality of education.- Business Today. Sometimes â€Å"lagging behind† is used as a phrasal verb: U.S. lagging behind on gender equality.- CNN. The verb to lack means â€Å"to be deficient in quantity or degree.† For example: Customers with mental illness are lacking services due to decreased funding available to the local CMH. When your intended meaning is â€Å"to fail to maintain the desired speed of progress,† â€Å"to slacken the desired pace from weakness or sloth,† â€Å"to hang back,† â€Å"to fall behind,† or â€Å"to remain in the rear,† the idiom you want is â€Å"to lag behind.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.Best Websites to Learn EnglishRite, Write, Right, Wright

Bus law case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bus law case - Essay Example Boston Scientific Corp., 433 F.3d 1, US Court of Appeals, First Circuit, (2006). Ruben Carnero was an Argentine, and an employee of Boston Scientific Argentina as well as Boston Scientific Brazil prior to his termination in August 2002.the termination prompted him to seek statutory severance under Argentine and Brazilian law. Also, he brought a whistleblowing claim involving the value of stock option as stipulated under SOXA. Carnero asserted that SOXA was aimed at safeguarding domestic securities against improper accounting practices. Thus, the whistleblower protection was to extend outside the U.S to enhance effectiveness. To counter this, BSC quoted the legislative history of the Sarbanes-Oxley act which was inclined to domestic issues relating to the Enron scandal. On this grounds, BSC held that there lacked sufficient basis to overcome the presumption against application of the Sarbanes-Oxley statute outside the U.S. territories (Hartman and Cheeseman 287-291). The court therefore dismissed the whistleblowing claim which Carnero brought against the Boston Scientific Corporation. From this decision, it is discernible that foreign workers cannot sue under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act whistleblower provisions. Apparently, the decision implies that the whistleblowing protections are not applicable to foreign citizens who are working beyond the U.S territories for foreign subsidiary companies covered by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This ruling does not seem to frustrate the SOXA as it does not apply extraterritorially. In Collins v. Beazer Homes USA Inc., 334 F. Supp. 2d 1365, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18374 (ND Ga. 2004) the plaintiff, Collins was relieved of her duties as a director of marketing after she complained about specific marketing and various other decisions. In this case, the court held that Beazer lacked clear evidence that would have Collins fired (Hartman and Cheeseman 281-287). This decision too, does not seem to thwart the SOXA act. With regards to

Parody of Personal Profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parody of Personal Profile - Essay Example life-changing experience of witnessing a suicide by a lady from homo sapiens – deep reflections on the concept of the life of a moth – decision to dedicate the remaining life to disprove conventional beliefs – personal epiphany – the nature of career always to the altruistic side – the mission to make the lives of others beautiful – successful at making the dreams of lovers come true – a complex and clearer understanding of life materialized through the substantial amount of work done so far. I am a strong willed female moth blessed with impeccable physical attributes and the right amount of knowledge and experience to use it discreetly. Apart from my innumerable past experiences of unquestionable success in the courtship contests exclusively for the flying creatures, I had also been considered the best bet in espionage related works for public and private missions. I have the gift to camouflage myself among draperies and wallpapers. I had been employed by many agencies to peep into many a lady’s sweet secrets since I hide best in their floral gowns. My life had been deeply influenced by intense childhood experiences of grief and remorse after losing both my parents to fire. Though I am aware that my genes make it inevitable that I am also to be attracted to the flames of death utlimately, I am intent on using my attractive and brief life for the benefit of others. The most significant aspect of my individuality is my ability to remain silent and invisible in the background. This allows me the space and freedom to see life at close quarters, even as I remain an unobtrusive entity. My beauty can be perceived only by those who have a keen eye for minute details. The spots and designs of my personality can appeal to all those who are observant, be it someone from my own species (preferably from the opposite sex) or anyone else who cares for small things. simple and ephemeral life has some meaning. I realized it when I observed a lady from the