Norse Mythology in Modern Culture Essay

Amon Amarth is one of the most blatantly Norse Mythological metal bands in existence. In fact, they are probably the only band in the world that is this closely tied to Norse Mythology. Everything from their album names, to their song titles, to the lyrics embedded in the gut wrenching brutality of their fast-paced melodic guitar riffs, screams Odin, Thor, Loki and all the other gods and characters spoken of in the sagas and stories passed from generation to generation through both written and vocal methods. In true saga style, with the oral tradition of the most ancient establishments and peoples in the Nordic region, they sing the stories of the Eddas and send praise to the gods long after the time of their magnificence. The introductory album from Amon Amarth, entitled Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds, has many different references to the gods Odin, Loki and Baldr throughout the album. One of the more obvious references is from the song â€Å"Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds†, which refers to the universal weeping from the story Baldr’s Dreams in the Poetic Edda by Snorri Sturluson. In Baldr’s Dreams, Baldr, the second of Odin’s sons, dreams of dying and the Aesir are so disturbed by this that they send Odin down to Hel to figure out the meaning of the dreams. Subsequently, he is in fact murdered by the hand of his blind brother Hod, facilitated by Loki and the spear he fashioned out of mistletoe. Following the death, Hermod goes on a quest to return Baldr to the realm of the living. He meets with Hel, daughter of Loki and ruler of Niflheim, and, after much pleading, she makes a deal with him stating that only if â€Å"all things, living and dead, will weep for himâ₠¬ (Lindow), shall he be able to return to the land of the Aesir. The first song on the album shares the album title and lays out Baldr’s Dreams in a modern poetic way that is also exceedingly heavy metal. The lyrics play out the dream and then the revealing of the culprit, Loki, as follows: â€Å"Nightmares, demons haunt my taunted mind, I’m scared, my death’s foreseen ungloryful. Please Father make my demons disappear, please Mother, death is everywhere.† †¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The evil force around us still wants to destroy me. Who is the evil slayer, I cannot see? Loki, the deceitful God, discover the arrow of death. Pointed for the Hod the blind by the jealous Loki the arrow cut through the skin and into the heart of the bright one. Silence spread throughout the hall Aesir as the God of Light fell to his knees dying! Sorrow throughout the nine worlds the bright God is gone, sent to Niflheim by the deceitful†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dark Lyrics) When looking at the orig inal story and the lyrics, the connection is painfully obvious. The subsequent albums are entitled, Once Sent from the Golden Hall, The Avenger, The Crusher, Versus the World, Fate of Norns, With Odin On Our Side, Twilight of the Thunder God and Surtur Rising. Once Sent from the Golden Hall is a hint to Valhall and the great halls of the many Aesir. The Avenger, The Crusher and Twilight of the Thunder God are referring to Thor who is commonly known throughout Norse Mythology and Nordic histories as the god of thunder. Versus the World is about Ragnarok, the epic impending battle between the world of the Aesir and the world of giants colliding to determine the future of the universe. Fate of the Norns is self-explanatory. The Norns in Norse Mythology are the determiners of the fate of everything in existence. With Odin on Our Side is another Ragnarok reference of sorts in that a couple songs on the album speak of fighting on Odin’s side during the great battle to end all time. Lastly, Surtur Rising is about the rise of the giants right befo re the start of Ragnarok. Surtur, or Sutr as it is spelled in the Eddas, is the final opponent of Freyr during the battle of Ragnarok. He weilds his giant sword that has a glow so bright that none can look upon it without a squint as described in both the Poetic Edda (Voluspa) and the Prose Edda (Gylfaginning). Not only does Amon Amarth do a great job of relaying the stories from the Eddas and the Sagas as the pertain to the gods, but they also describe all of the characters that act as help to, and also those made to antagonize, the gods. Odin’s Ravens, Hugin and Munin, are mentioned in the song called â€Å"As Long As The Raven Flies† which says that the â€Å"sky belongs to Asagods as long as the raven flies†. (Dark Lyrics) â€Å"Risen From the Sea 2000† is about the Midgard Serpent stating that when â€Å"He’s risen from the sea. The beasts of hell are here. Come to rule the world. And you will be in fire.† (Dark Lyrics) Skoll, the wolf eternally chasing after the sun until Ragnarok, when he is finally able to catch and devour it, is mentioned in the song, â€Å"†¦And Soon the World Will Cease to Be†, when it is said, â€Å"Across the western sky he runs, a wolf so grim and mean, devours the eternal sun, and soon the world will ceas e to be.†(Dark Lyrics) One last example of the inclusion of all the elements of the mythology is the power of Thor’s hammer, Mjollnir, which is hinted at and blatantly mentioned various times throughout all of the albums they have put out up to this day. Coincidentally, the number of albums they have out so far happens to be nine. The number nine is a sacred number in Norse Mythology and other mythologies around the world. In Norse Mythology there are nine worlds; Asgard, Alfheim, Vanaheim, Midgard, Jotenheim, Svartalfheim , Nidavellir, Muspelheim and Niflheim. Skadi, the â€Å"snow-shoe-god† and her husband Njord, ruler of â€Å"the motion of the wind†(Lindow), would spend nine days in the mountains at her home and then spend nine days at his home by the sea, continuing with the nine trend. In Ragnarok, Thor is fighting the Midgard Serpent and as he is engaged in battle with the serpent, he is struck by it. While he is dying, he takes nine final steps bef ore falling to his demise. A final example of this fixation with nine, and perhaps the most important example, is the nine days that Odin spent hanging from Yggdrasil to gain knowledge and power. Amon Amarth’s lyrical rampage in â€Å"Thousand Years of Oppression† tells the story of Odin’s sacrifice to himself as follows: â€Å"He hung on the windswept world tree whose roots no one knows, for nine whole days he hung there pierced, by Gugnir, his spear. Swimming in pain, he peered into the depths and cried out in agony. Reaching out he grasped the runes before falling back from the abyss. He gave himself unto himself in a world of shearing pain. Go that we all may live our lives by the wisdom that he gained.† â€Å"The Fate of Norns† is a shining example of how the band also integrates their personal lives into the myths that they constantly, and consistently, reference in all of their music. This song portrays a mourning of the loss of a son of only six years old that was the only chance of continuing the legacy of the father’s name. In the middle of the song the lyrics state that â€Å"the fate of Norns await us all there is no way to escape the day to answer Odin’s call or walk through Hel’s gate.† The Norns â€Å"established laws, they chose lives for the children of the people, fates of men†, meaning they were involved in the fortune of every man’s life, or death as it may be. (Lindow) Ragnarok, the final hoorah for the world of the Aesir and the gods themselves, is a huge influence on the musical flavorings of one of the most amazingly brutal, and yet melodically pleasing, metal bands in existence. Would you expect anything less? Hailing from Sweden, one of the metal capitals of the world, Amon Amarth is one of the most Norse mythologically inclined bands in the world. They use Norse mythology in every aspect of their music and truly epitomize the image of a modern day Viking. They pillage every stage that they bless with their presence and ravage the eardrums that their melodies touch. A live show from these guys brings you back to a more primal time of humanity where the gods were made from and of nature and there was still a mysticism in the hearts and souls of the people. To conclude, Amon Amarth is blatantly Norse and they deserve to be recognized as one of the major contributors to the continuing interest in Norse mythology and love of the past heritage of a great region of the world. â€Å"The wait is soon at end, always charge, never bend. Morning is here, make your stand. Live for honor, glory, death in fire!† Works Cited Dark Lyrics.â€Å"Amon Amarth Lyrics†. Metal Lyrics. http://www.darklyrics.com/a/amonamarth.html Larrington, Carolyne. The Poetic Edda. New York, New York: Oxford University Press 2008. Lindow, John. Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. New York, New York: Oxford University Press 2001. Sturluson, Snorri. Edda. North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing 1995.

Importance Of Historical Knowledge Essay

Learning about our past is vitally important to the present and future of our civilization. We must learn to grow from our past successes and mistakes. It is human nature to make mistakes, but the less we make, the stronger and smarter we become. The drawback is to go through the process of learning. It is impossible to grow and learn from if we don’t know or analyze our failures and mistakes. I feel the most important thing we can do with our history, is to take advice from it. When terrible things occur in history, it is recorded in textbook and encyclopedias as a bad thing. As intelligent being, it’s our job to read this, comprehend what is being said, and try to prevent future occurrences. History advises us that certain events are failures because millions were killed, or property was severely damaged, and our fragile eco-system was damaged. If we can’t learn from these past mistakes, we won’t have to worry making future one because we won’t have a future to screw up. The human race would probably not survive another world war, so we must prevent one from ever occurring again. Another great advantage of knowing our history is being able to improve our quality of life, as well as helping wild life prevail. By learning about old technology we can improve upon inventions making them faster, stronger, smaller, bigger, lighter, more accurate, and/or more reliable. If Henry Ford had not learned from his first attempts on the internal combustion engine, we may have a very different lifestyle today. If nobody came along after Henry Ford to improve upon his engine, we wouldn’t have nearly as powerful, reliable, and luxurious cars as we have now. We could still be driving model A’s. There is also the ability to take past inventer’s failures and turning them into a success. Inventers can apply new ideas of their own that have never been tried before to past failed inventions to get them to fulfill its purpose. Religion is important in most people’s daily life. By studding world history we can dig deeper into the origins of our religions, as well as learn to understand and tolerate other religions. As America is becoming more and more divers, we are commonly coming in contact with new, and sometimes odd  customs. I feel that it is important to understand others differences so not to become prejudice against others. If you can understand others difference, they don’t seem so odd and it is easier to relate and communicate with others. If people understood each other better and wouldn’t judge others just on their beliefs or race, we would have much less world conflict, since most wars are started over religion and differences in beliefs. History plays a huge roll in the existence or our race and the world we live in. With out the historians who archeologists that research and record it, we would be lost. Besides, history is cool anyway.

Analysis of Microfinance Lending and Credit Assessment Methodology

Analysis of Microfinance Lending and Credit Assessment Methodology Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) core activities are driven by a social mission through provision of full range of banking needs to poor people for productive purposes, thereby contributing to the developmentl objective of poverty reduction. MFIs products and services includes micro-credit, micro-savings, micro-insurance and also remittances. Microcredit program is providing financial capital to the poor household in order to engage them in income generating activities for alleviating poverty mostly to finance small businesses agricultural loans. Typically this type of lending is not secured by any collateral but granted based on the client’s ability to generate the necessary financial means for repayment based on his or her business activities. Most of the terms and conditions for microcredit loans are flexible and easy to understand. However, there is no standard lending and credit assessment methodology employed by MFIs. We are motivated to explore and document this resear ch gap. 1.2 The Innovation and Development of Microfinance Industry in Malaysia The provision of microcredit is nothing new in Malaysia. Poverty eradication programs involve provision of credit at subsidised rate to the poor has been around since 1970s after formation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) that was instituted in 1970. The earlier micro credit program was mainly carried out by credit unions, co-operatives, specialised credit institutions and NGOs. The provision of small financing designated mostly to finance micro enterprises, agriculture sector for poverty reduction and to improve income of the Bumiputera. The legislation for microfinance regulation in Malaysia includes, Moneylender Act 2002, Banking and Financial Institution Act 1989, Development Financial Institution Act 2002, and Cooperatives Societies Act 1993, (Zakiah, 2004). The Microfinance business models are based on mass market, cooperatives, monoline and distributor network (BNM, 2010). Majlis Amamah Rakyat (MA RA), a council of trust to the Bumiputera and Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC) are some of the pioneers to introduce micro credit to micro enterprises. The rural credit institutions comprising of Agriculture Bank of Malaysia (Agrobank), Farmers Organization Authority (LLP), Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA), Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) and other agro-based Co-operative Societies provide micro credit for the agriculture sectors. There are also a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that engage in micro credit provision (Kasim and Jayasooria, 1993). These include Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), Yayasan Usaha Maju (YUM) and Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) in Sabah, Koperasi Kredit Rakyat (KKR) in Selangor. Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (TEKUN) is a government agency micro credit provider. While, Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM), a cooperatives institution providing Islamic microcredit program based on al -rahnu concept in Malaysia. Prior to 2003, Commercial banks involvement in microfinance program are just limited to extending lines of credit to AIM, and as a mediator for schemes such as the loan fund for hawkers and petty traders operated by the Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC). In May 2003, the government launched a Micro Credit Scheme, particularly stimulating agricultural production activities as well as expanding small and medium enterprise activities. Two banking institutions namely Agrobank and Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), and AIM have been given the responsibility to carry out the scheme. The scheme is collateral free, and borrowers are eligible for a maximum loan of up to RM20,000 with interest rates charged at 4% per annum on reducing balance.

Export marketing (US market) opportunity for UK based energy drink Assignment

Export marketing (US market) opportunity for UK based energy drink - Assignment Example This has resulted in the evolution of a new pattern of consumer behaviour from consumers of various new and emerging economies. It needs to be mentioned that in order to meet the growing amount of diverse needs of the customers, the setting up of global trade processes is very essential. It is of utmost importance that global trade is highly necessary as it helps in satisfying the needs of the customer while generating strategic benefits for the firms (Seyoum, 2000, p. 7) Discussing in details about the requirements of this project, it has to be brought into notice that the current focus is to develop an intensive evaluation for the opportunity related to exporting for a particular product. For this assignment, the product that is being selected is the UK based product Lucozade. While introducing the product Lucozade, it has to be mentioned that it is an energy drink, which promises to meet the varying calorie requirements of athletes, sports professional as well as fitness conscious individuals. The project focuses on identifying the opportunity related to attaining business growth by entering a new overseas market like the United States. So, the main motive of the project is to identify the export opportunity of Lucozade from the UK to the US. Justifying the choice of country It is important to mention that while selecting a market for exporting of products, the focus is on identifying the various prospects associated with it (Zou & et.al, 2009, p. 32). In the times of increased economic uncertainty as well as various other macroeconomic challenges in various corners of the world, it is highly interesting to mention that the market demand for energy drink products is growing various developed as well as developing markets. As of the recent times, the energy drinks is considered as a growing sub category of soft drinks in various global markets because of the increased focus of masses around the world to lead a healthy and fit life. It has been estimated that the global health drinks market is estimated to attain a growth rate of around 35% by the year 2016 (Russell, 2012). As per market based region specific forecasts, it has also been found that the markets of Asia, North America and West Europe are expected to grow the most (Business Wire, 2013). As per an OECD sponsored report dated in the year 2012, it has been found that the United States leads the world in regards to mass obesity (Obesity Update 2012, 2012, p. 2). Source: Obesity Update 2012, 2012, p. 2 It also has to be said that in the United States, the obesity has grown in the range of 4 to 5% on an annual basis (Huffington Post, 2012). Source: Chou & Kane, 2012 Data backed statistics also indicate that around 68% of the US population are possibly overweight or obese (Chou & Kane, 2012). However, it is of increased importance to highlight the fact that due to an increase in obesity numbers, there has been a growing consciousness amongst the masses around the world to stay fit and in shape (Johnson, 2012). Talking on this note, the fact of increased consciousness in regards to obesity in the US market also has to be taken into consideration. Records of previous sales reveal that the sales of the energy drinks are

Locally Produced Goods Versus Imported Goods Essay

Locally Produced Goods Versus Imported Goods - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that modern days have seen the transportation and use of goods irrespective of their geographical locations. This trend is most of the time attributed to the freedom of mobility as a result of globalization and technological advancements. Thus, sometimes, goods which are imported become cheaper and of better quality than the locally produced ones. Along with this trend, there arises the controversy whether it is right to give priority to imported goods over the locally produced ones on the basis of price and quality. Though the trend seems harmless at the first sight, history proves that this practice will have a number of negative effects. Studies show that locally produced goods are better than imported goods due to many reasons. Firstly, the imported goods do not offer cheap rates over long time. So, if there is more reliance on imported products, the local production will disappear. This will allow foreign companies and nations to have to tal monopoly over the product. They may utilize this situation to exploit the consumers through increased price or reduced quality. This will have a serious impact on the security of any nation. Secondly, when there is higher reliance on imported goods, the local producers will have to stop production. This will affect the local economy at both macro and micro level. Thus, profit on one side is loss on the other. Also, it becomes evident that the plants and animals of a particular place are best suited to the local environment. So, for the inhabitants of that place, consuming the locally available things is the best way for survival in that area. Moreover, it becomes evident that this practice has a devastating effect on culture. A culture is called a culture for various reasons ranging from food habits, specific rites and ritual, a specific dress code, art, and language. So, deviating from any of these for financial gains will lead to a dilution in the culture as has seen around th e world. In addition, there are humanitarian issues too. As noticed, most of the mass produced cheap products are the result of considerable levels of exploitation. In nations like China, which are known for cheap production, workers are deprived of even basic salaries and proper sleep. Furthermore, there are both health issues and environmental issues to be explored. Mass production like industrial farming requires heavy use of pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers. In addition, the mass-produced products require preservation and transportation. The workers who work in such farms will have to face serious health problems. Also, preservation and transportation involve use of preservatives, and waste of energy. Also, when there is mass production, there is large-scale pollution, exploitation of natural resources, and contaminate of natural resources. When this happens, many locally available varieties are ignored. Thus, over time, there will be the loss of many important varietie s due to this craze for profit. This will, in turn affect the ecology as a whole. Modern days have seen an increasing exchange of goods irrespective of geographic proximity as a result of improvements in communication and transportation. Thus, people use local and import products in their everyday lives even without being aware about the same. This change came along with a controversy regarding the effects of this change. As multinational retailer giants launched their units in countries like China, people witnessed a rising conflict between regional sentiments and globalization. Thus, presently, there is the question whether one should go for locally produced goods or imported goods.

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 12

Case Study Example In addition, the company has taken an initiative that basically involves construction of schools and hospitals in the areas where victims of the fire inhabit. This approach can be regarded as corporate social responsibility; it is an imperative approach that has been employed by many major companies overtime and has been associated with various benefits i.e. improving company-clientele relationship et cetera. Taking an analysis of the actions that were taken by the government, it is apparent that they were basically geared towards promoting healthy and safe modes of production in the garment industry. The approach taken by the government that basically involved gradual implementation of safety rules is appropriate. This is due to the fact that the process of implementing rules is usually performed on a gradual basis, as institutions require substantial amount of time to adapt to new rules. However, the major mistake that was made by the government arises from the fact that, the rules should have been formulated and implemented before beginning production processes in the garment

Compare two german films. Metropolis by Fritz Lang and Nowhere in Essay

Compare two german films. Metropolis by Fritz Lang and Nowhere in Africa by Caroline Link - Essay Example It shows the effects of denial or acceptance of ones position in the society. Metropolis has a very strong relation with the music an sounds of the industrial age. The fascination with the Russian â€Å"machine sounds† of the time, the locomotive engines , large factory machines and the amazing wonders of the industrial age were the heart of the film to express the future that was yet to be. It is no wonder the movie tends to be associated with this effects. Nowhere in Africa, contrasts this with the music of the contemporary 21st century society. One significant difference that is observable in these two films is the fact that Metropolis is a silent film. Nowhere in Africa presents its gist to the audience through dialogue and music, Metropolis on the other hand it is only the music and the emotions that can express to the audience the characters feelings. Each and every person who views it interprets it in the best way he or she understands it. In addition to this fact, the two movies present a paradox of each other. For instance, Metro is a film that was made in 1927. It is however a flash forward science fiction depicting a future date in which it is set. It tries to reveal the fears that were in the hearts of the society at the time it was being made and what they harbored. The dystopia in which it is set develops from a capitalist society that is scary to them and portends unimaginable hardships. Nowhere in Africa on the other hand is set in retrospect. It is based on an autobiographical novel is a society that knows what has already happened, and can appreciate the gist of the movie. It was made in the twenty first century and reveals the horrors of years past, of a regime that is infamous and the effect that it had on one particular family. Uprooted from their homeland, the community that they were used to and the status that they really enjoyed, they find themselves in a distant place in Africa, running a farm in Kenya, a colony which does not g ive them the same status, facilities, utilities and amenities that their high class lifestyle was accustomed to. Metropolis and Nowhere in Africa present several similarities too. For instance, the former is considered the last among several great adventures of the silent screen during the time. It had a series or serious and ambitiously absurd plotting that attacked the society’s view of the future. The movie was created in a Germany that was changing, and changing rapidly. The imperialist administration had died and several people were afraid, almost paranoid, about what the future held for them. This is why the director of the film presented similar sentiments and prophetic looks as to a future that lay before them, the fear of capitalism. Nowhere in Africa has also won several accolades in its time. It also draws comparisons from the Metropolis. Set retrospectively, the movie shows the fears that the contemporary have come to understand. While in a way it also presents it s fears for a communist society it also show how a large

Energy Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Energy Security - Research Paper Example However, there should be development of alternative ‘clean’ energy sources, which do not rely on fossil fuels and which have a tolerable environmental effect in order to meet the raising global demands for energy and to allow for the depletion of fossil fuel supplies in the future (332). For effectively use of renewable sources, there is a need of consistent ways of storing energy for example, rechargeable batteries and high-temperature superconductivity as well as developments in hydrogen storage (Dresselhaus and Thomas, 333). Due to high demands, the strained global energy systems has caused high prices hence increasing global anxiety over the world’s ability to meet energy needs. It is evident that there is a challenge trying to administer the growing complexity of an energy-interdependent world while on the other hand trying to meet environmental, security, and economic goals. This necessitates a more advanced energy policymaking approach one that fully values the complex nature of energy security, the need to manage the trade-offs inherent in energy policy decision-making, and the interdependencies of global markets (Verrastro and Ladislaw, 95). On the other hand, each energy source has some adverse effects. Fossil fuels processes emit carbon dioxide, and perhaps other contaminants, such as nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and ash. There is production of radioactive fission products in the nuclear plants. While dams and large lakes are needed for hydroelectric plants, large areas are necessary f or solar and wind energy although they are limited geographically. Then again, geothermal sources are restricted to very few locations and those methods using small temperature gradients need very large heat-exchanger areas because of the low thermal efficiencies in the earth or oceans (Dresselhaus and Thomas, 332). One of the alternative energy supplies that the globe can rely on is solar

Child Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Child Development - Essay Example The book covers the general theories that explain include development process outlined in relation to the age of a child, the aspects that one has to look closely in child’s development process, the main problems that may be hinder a child’s development, and the required environment to ensure healthy child development process. The booklet will be a worthy companion for all beginners in childcare or child development studies. 2.0 Major Child Development Theories 2.1 Piaget Cognitive Development Theory Jean Piaget was a Swiss theorist who died in 1984. Piaget believed that children’s thinking pass through four systematic separate stages with qualitative changes in each stage (Shaffer & Kipp 2010, 294). According to Piaget a stimulating environment and maturation are the most important aspect in this stage. As the child begins to explore and make connections with the physical world many changes occur in the baby and start to acquire skills and knowledge about their environment. Below are the various stages of a child’s development according to Piaget theory as explained by Shaffer & Kipp (2010, 294). Sensory period (0- 2 years). The child attains significant gains in its thinking as they progress. Children at this stage mostly use motor and physical skills and senses in exploring their worlds, to enhance cognitive development. Pre operation stage 2 to 7 years. Children become less reliant on senses and physical exploration. They become illogical thinkers and have inability to conserve their memory. Concrete Operations 7 to 12 years. Children in this stage develop more elaborate logical thinking, but still need concrete materials to reach a logical conclusion. This explains that children will require blocks while solving math problems. Formal operation (12 years... This report stresses that child development theories explain that a child’s development has to be holistic, which calls for attention in all aspects of a child’s growth and development. A child has to develop mentally, intellectually, emotionally, cognitively, spiritually, physically, and any other attributes that make them whole and healthy. The family setting and the society are the single most important schools for children. The author of the paper declares that the child struggles to put in place their thoughts, they achieve better learning and development and develop increased confidence levels compared to those supported by their instructors. Piaget in his child development theory illustrates factors that have to be observed in ensuring a holistic child development. This paper makes a conclusion that Children learn first from their parents and the pope around them before interacting with the outer worlds, implying their future life depends on their immediate family and the concepts learned. To ensure an effective learning process, there is need to put in place effective measurement approaches that would portray the progress of a child in their holistic development at home and at school. This would indicate the learning progress of each child and help in identifying children requiring special attention. Therefore, a child’s learning process is essential in impacting the required skills, morals, values and qualities that guarantee a better life in future.

Contamination and Risk Assessment in Environmental Law Essay

Contamination and Risk Assessment in Environmental Law - Essay Example In a nutshell, substance, range and quantity are key in this third level. The last stage involved risk characterization that looks at the data collected and its relevance to the environmental stressor. Transparency, clarity, consistency and reason are the principles that guide this stage. Ecological risk assessment is concerned with the potential risk f substances on a whole range of organisms including birds, mammals, and reptiles in the rivers. Human health risk assessment, on the other hand, is more interested with the lives of individual beings. Both of these concepts employ the same models, however, ecological risk assessment involved foraging range omitted in human health risk assessment. Ecological risk assessment heavily relies on physical impacts of the substance. For example, it considers the physical abnormalities on the animals, changes in color of the plants among others. The national resource damage assessment and restoration (NRDAR) projects aim to rehabilitate the environment mainly land and water sources from large oil spills and effects of mining activities. The program carries assessment on the damages to the environment and push for legal action from the relevant authority. The NRDA has continued to carry out many activities for the deepwater horizon spill. Some of its activities include assessing the damage the level of impacts from the spill. The project is also interested in implementing rehabilitation for the natural resources damaged during the spill. The final plan is restoration program, which will include compensation of individuals involved.

Theoretical Approaches Essay Example for Free

Theoretical Approaches Essay It is of necessity that the female gender creates fundamental aspects in the interaction with the others and the general social structures of the society. Feminism is perhaps a contagious portfolio which recoups an attractive association with the other members of the society. Been a female is viewed a critical endeavor in the strength and formation of the family which therefore creates the basic environment for the contemporary strength of the society. Females are viewed as important in the procreation process and are theoretically deemed as performing a more persuasive role in the formation of the family than the men. Feminism is associated with vibrant models of specialty that are based on concerns of virtues and good morals. At one level, females are viewed as sources of unity, love, lovers of harmony, weak in sexual motivations and generally compounded by the articulating variables that cushion them towards been dependable persons within the society. As of importance, females are also viewed as risk in terms of emergencies, critical incidences, disadvantaged and therefore relating to various weak aspects than the males. Therefore, the feminism aspects create modalities of association between the woman and the others within the society by the decree of their characteristic variables (Mark, 2005, 33.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conceptually, the gender variable is not the only factor that creates the basics of understanding ones position. Various standpoints have stood as important components which shape the position and interaction of women within our cultural dispensations. Education, professionalism, social-cultural foundations, political provisions and legal pronouncements are important concerns in shaping the modalities of the female functionality as dictated by the societal structures. The codes, ethics and regulations of the society are perhaps important components that have also helped to shape this position. Women are therefore influenced by the scopes of these aspects in the manner they interact with the other people and the contemporary social structures of the society. (Mark, 2005, 57) Work Cited Mark Jackson. Women and the Society: Theories and Models of their Functions and Roles. London, Routledge, 2005, pp.33, 57

Sustainable agriculture Essay Example for Free

Sustainable agriculture Essay Organic foods are defined as foods without pesticides, antibiotics,or gefetically altered organisms. Organic farming began in the late 1940’s in the united states, and in recents years it has grown into a multi-billion dollaer industry. Sales for organis foods in the past decade have increased annually by 20%. Its 20% growth is ten times as much as non-organic food’s growth. Organic food makes up only a fraction of the food market even though there are over ten million consumers. The sales of organic foods are expected to climb to over 6 billion dollars within the upcoming years. Soil is also a crucial component of the organic process. Soil is said to be organic when it has been deemed ‘clean’ for three years. Making a commitment to healthy eating is a great start towards a healthier life. Beyond eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and good fats, however, there is the question of food safety, nutrition, and sustainability. How foods are grown or raised can impact both your health and the environment. This brings up the questions: What is the difference between organic foods and conventionally grown foods? Is â€Å"organic† always best? What about locally grown foods? Organic food, natural cleaners, green businesses, even organic clothing; natural and organic products continue to be the centre of attention for those seeking a healthier lifestyle, but just what is organic food, is this organic trend long-lasting, and what organic food facts provide compelling reasons to grow, shop, cook and eat organic food. Today, organic food accounts for 2% of global food sales and is growing at an average rate of 20% each year. Today, you can have your organic food delivered, buy it online, at your local grocery store, grow it yourself and order organic food at many restaurants. This continuing rise in demand creates a need for regulations to protect both consumers and farmers. Organic food is not the same thing as natural food. Natural refers to the way a food is processed rather than the ingredients. A food that is free of additives and preservatives, but contains commercially-produced ingredients, is considered natural. Organic food contains primarily organic ingredients, while natural foods may be made with items grown with the aid of chemicals as well as genetically modified ingredient and it is not just apples and bananas. Nearly every food available also has an organic version in today’s market. Organic milk, chicken, and even pasta can be found right on the shelves of your neighbourhood supermarket. Many leading food manufacturers are creating organic food in convenience packaging to fit into modern lifestyles. Canned organic tomatoes and frozen organic peas are among many options. Organic food is not bland and tasteless. In fact, most people claim organic ingredients are fresher and more flavourful than conventionally grown foods. Chemical residues, added ingredients, and hurried, mass production detract from the natural juices within fruits and vegetables. Organic food is free of chemicals, leaving nothing but pure, fresh flavour. Regulations and procedures for organic certification are still relatively new but organic farming and cultivation are not. Farmers were using natural, chemical-free methods of growing long before pesticides and fertilizers were available. As more research continues to reveal the dangers of these chemicals to both humans and the planet, consumers continue to explore the benefits of organic food. The advantages of arganic food are that you can choose to grow and/or buy food that is healthier for you, and the environment; cooking and eating organically also often offers more flavor and better tasting foods. Use organic farming methods and organic gardening tactics such as organic garden fertilizer and compost to grow your food; the organic food advantages and organic food benefits are significant for you, your family and the planet. Organic food benefits have been a hot topic for more than a decade now but it wasnt until relatively recently that these advantages were supported by more than just hearsay. Extensive research conducted over a number of years has proven that organic food not only tastes better than commercial foods, but it is also better for us and our children, as well as our animals, wildlife, and the environment as a whole. Care and maintenance of soil, and preventive farming methods like crop rotation create fruits and vegetables that contain up to 50% more vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients than intensively farmed foods. Encouraging natural and organic farming methods and gardening practices, will allow organic soil to rebuild and contribute healthy vitamins and minerals to feed the crops, and you. Organic foods have higher levels of many disease-fighting antioxidants and essential vitamins, including Vitamin C. Industrial pesticides and fertilizers used in intensive farming contain synthetic, toxic chemicals, residues of which remain in the food they are involved in producing. Organic farming uses natural, synthetic-chemical-free methods that produce foods much safer for the humans, as well as the animals, that consume them. And if you grow your own fruits and vegetables, using organic garden fertilizer, natural pesticide methods, and organic soil Such chemicals are responsible for a number of common allergies and have also been linked to serious diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. An organic diet significantly lowers these risks.

Motivation Of Volunteer Tourists And Leisure Traveling Decisions Tourism Essay

Motivation Of Volunteer Tourists And Leisure Traveling Decisions Tourism Essay Travel experience is, restrictedly, perceived as seeking relaxation including sun, beaches, shopping and freedom. However, volunteering could actually be happened during a vacation or become the main reason of the trip which highly involved in the local culture (Maureen, 2006). According to the Tourism 2020 Vision report made by the United Nation World Tourism Organization, which normally abbreviated as UNWTO, international tourism will possibly encounter a 4.1% increment of annual growth rate on average from 1995 to 2020 meaning to around 1.56 billion visitors. However, travel promotes not only world peace and friendship, but economic inequalities, cultural and environmental deteriorations (Poelzl, 2002). Figure 1: Conceptual map of alternative tourism (Mieczkowski, 1995, p459) Mass tourism mainly consists of purchasing standardized products and visiting those prevailed and well-developed tourism destinations (Robinson Novelli, 2005). Having more leisure time and higher purchasing power triggered the desire to have different experiences (Hall Weiler, 1992). Nowadays people are looking for unique, novel and meaningful travel experience to satisfy themselves (Robinson Novelli, 2005). Due to globalization, nations become closer neighbours, and unveiling each others problems. Closeness helps the less fortunate and raises the environmental awareness (Uriely, Reichel Ron, 2003). It gives raise of alternative tourism, which including a diversity of tourism forms into niche markets such as nature and special interest tourism which is abbreviated as SIT. SIT offers customized leisure and travel experience according to increasing needs from the individuals (Derrett, 2001). For instance, several projects related to volunteer tourism and ecotourism have been actively promoted mainly in developing countries while conservation projects have been executed in developed countries (Britton, 1977; Saglio, 1979; Wearing, 2001). SIT travellers involve in cultural and leisure activities developing their special interests, gained insights and satisfied themselves by fulfilling the higher level of needs namely self-esteem, belonging and self-actualization (Neulinger, 1982; Henderson, 1984; Hall Weiler, 1992; Wearing, 2001, 2004). Volunteer tourism is a potential profitable market as the majority of this segment are higher educated and more sensitive to the environmental and social costs they brought (Hall Weiler, 1992; Lynne, 1993). Volunteer tourism and ecotourism both offer an alternative tourism experience and their underlying focus is sustainability in order to ensure the impacts on destination are minimized (Sofield, 1991, Wearing, 2001). Both forms are aiming to balance development to meet present needs without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generation (Mieczkowski, 1995; Wearing, 2001). This can be found by the fact that volunteer tourism pays special attention to the environmental and social carrying capacity, coinciding with the aims of sustainability (Colton, 1987; Wearing, 2001). 1.2 The Global Development of Volunteer Tourism Since 1915, the phenomenon of overseas travelling of international volunteers, existed and is supported by a range of organizations and groups around the globe (Gillette, 1968; Clark, 1978; Beigbeder, 1991; Wearing, 2004). However, it was not being regarded as a tourism form. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, which is abbreviated as OECD, estimated over 33,000 overseas volunteers engaged during 1990 (Beigbeder, 1991; Wearing, 2001, 2004). Furthermore, the renowned guidebook, Mcmlillon, noted there were 75 organizations in 1987 (Campbell, 1999), with contrast to 275 in 2003. In addition, there are other sources also suggesting the significant growth in volunteer-based organizations (Holder, 2002; Brown Morrison, 2003; Brown, 2005). Based on a survey of over 300 volunteer tourism organizations worldwide, it is estimated overall market has grown to 1.6 million volunteer tourists a year, with a total market value of between GBP 832 million and GBP 1.3 billion (Association for Tourism Leisure Education, 2008). The most substantial growth in the sector has taken place since 1990 (Association for Tourism Leisure Education, 2008). These figures show a rapid growth in volunteer tourism. The popularity of alternative tourism has increased significantly such as volunteer tourism and ecotourism (Wearing, 2001, 2002; Mustonen, 2005). This is further witnessed by leisure travellers desiring to connect with locals and their culture in order to stimulate and fulfil their need of cultural immersion by combining travel, adventure and service (Brown Morrison, 2003; Hall Raymond, 2008). Several reports indicated 77% of organizations are non-government such as Youth Challenge International and Earth-watch, while 13% are commercial such as i-to-i, 5% are government ran such as Volunteer Service Aboard New Zealand, and 3% are operated by universities like University of Californias University Research Expeditions Programme (Ellis, 2003; Board, 2003; Coghlam, 2008). 1.3 The development of SIT and volunteer tourism in Hong Kong SIT is still developing in its infancy stage in Hong Kong. Despite the fact that little Hong Kong residents thoroughly know about SIT, a number of volunteer travel service suppliers do exist in Hong Kong. For-profit tour operators such as Hong Kong Study Tours Centre (Hong Kong Study Tours Centre, 2007) organize conservation volunteer tours to Australis and New Zealand for students. Other volunteer travel opportunities are usually provided by non-profit organizations. For instance, International Youth Culture Exchange Association (H.K.) Ltd. occasionally provides volunteer tours for secondary students and undergraduates. These volunteers will usually be involved in teaching English and simple hygiene knowledge in China (International Youth Cultural Exchange Association (H.K.) Ltd., 2007). Global Neighbor Network is dedicated to promoting volunteer tourism in Hong Kong by organizing volunteer tours regularly to different needy communities such as Sri Lanka, Kenya and Jordan (Global Ne ighbour Network, 2006). It has also worked with local universities such as medical students from The University of Hong Kong to provide basic medical care and treatment for patients in Indonesia. Besides, volunteers in Global Neighbour Network will partner with international volunteers in Global Hope Network to participate in different volunteer tours. Other non-profit organizations involved in volunteer tourism include Yellow House, Volunteer Space and LoveFaithHope Charitable Foundation. Due to insufficient awareness of the general public, volunteer tourism is still not very well-known in Hong Kong and the number of participants is limited, yet it has been gaining popularity in these few years. Both secondary school and undergraduate students are given more opportunities to give back to the needy community in China, although they may only do voluntary work for one or two days of the entire tour and engage in cultural exchange activities for the rest of the tour. In addition to students, religious groups make up most of the volunteer travellers in Hong Kong. They will visit various impoverished places on mission travel, with some of the time spent on volunteering. In general, they will provide education and development aid in the needy communities. 1.4 Problem Statement Volunteer tourism is a relatively recent phenomenon around the world. Though there has been increasing research on the motivational factors of volunteer tourists, little of such research has been done in the Asia-Pacific context, let alone within the Hong Kong context. It is of paramount importance to understand the travel motivation of volunteer tourists because it is the driving force behind their behaviors (Schiffan, Bednall, OCass, Paladino Kanuk, 2005). In addition, studying their perceived value of the volunteer trips will help to determine their intentions to recommend and repurchase the volunteer travel opportunities (Petrick, 2004a; 2004b). This research is designed to explore why Hong Kong residents participate in volunteer tours, what motivates them and what their perceived values towards their volunteer trips are. With a better understanding of the aforementioned issues, tourism marketers and professionals and potential service providers such as travel agencies will be a ble to identify if there is any market potential to organize more volunteer tours and diversify the tourism products in Hong Kong. The results of this study will help non-profit organizations to better understand why people choose to volunteer overseas, then they will be able to segment and target the markets, create tailor-made volunteer tours to recruit more warm-hearted people to become volunteers, as well as develop appropriate marketing strategies to promote volunteer tourism in Hong Kong. 1.5 Objectives To examine the motivational factors behind Hong Kong residents towards volunteer travel. To examine the perceived constraints of repeat participation among volunteer tourism among participants. To examine the influence of a volunteer tourism experience on future leisure travel decisions. Chapter 2 Literature Review This chapter offers a review of the literature with reference to the theme and research purposes of this study. There are four sections in this chapter. The first section will define volunteering and volunteer tourism. Second, tourism motivation, development of motivational theories and volunteer motivation is reviewed, followed by a summary of previous related research on volunteer tourism. The concept of perceived value an individual holds when evaluating travel experience is then discussed. The summary section will provide a conclusion of this chapter. 2.1 Volunteering vs. Volunteer Tourism Volunteer tourism, or also known as Voluntourism or volunteer vacation, actually combined two major elements which obviously are volunteering and travelling. More accurately, it contains the motivations of both volunteering and travelling sides and shows how they pertain to and interplay with each other. 2.1.1 Volunteering Volunteering is widely perceived and defined as freely chosen and generally providing aids and services for the host community simultaneously without any incentive to gain any financial rewards from them (Beighbeder, 1991; Van Til, 1979 cited in Stebbins, 1982). Supposedly volunteering or voluntary service is both beneficial to the community and the well-being of the volunteers (Cnaan et al., 1996; Stebbins, 1982) since it could build up a social network and develop a mutual understanding, friendship and adventurousness between each other (Gillette, 1968; Wearing, 2001, 2004). Volunteering may benefit volunteers in acquiring skills such as communication skills, teamwork and interpersonal skills which would absolutely be useful for their career (Broad, 2003; Brown Lehto, 2005). It provokes participants contemplation, encourages their concerns for others, offers them with an opportunity to develop an interest and creates a sense of deep personal fulfillment (Stebbins Graham, 2004). S tebbins (1992) also suggests that volunteering may achieve volunteers self-actualization, recreation or renewal of self and feelings of accomplishment. The volunteer is the one who gains mutual learning, friendship and adventure (Gillette, 1968). Volunteers from all age groups will most likely feel happier and less depressed. Neulinger (1982) and Henderson (1984) both noted that volunteerism and leisure fulfil higher level needs such as self-esteem, belonging and self-actualization. 2.1.2 Volunteer Tourism Volunteer tourism is slightly like an expansion of volunteering. Undoubtedly it includes the motivation of volunteering and, meanwhile, involves desires or incentives of travel. The term volunteer tourism intends to the tourists who organize to provide voluntary service during their vacations which is described by Wearing (2001): aiding or alleviating the material poverty of some groups in society, the restoration of certain environments, or research into aspects of society or environment In fact, the definition of volunteer tourism has become gradually ambiguous since a large number of individuals, who are willing to spend most of the time during vacation on volunteering, may not perceive themselves as volunteer tourists. However, there is a conceptual framework of volunteer tourism developed to classify volunteer tourists into different classes (Callanan Thomas, 2005). The framework was drawn on another framework related to ecology (Sylvan, 1985 cited in Callanan Thomas, 2005, pp. 196-197). It mainly divided volunteer tourists into shallow, intermediate and deep class based on the duration of their trips, their required skills or qualifications, degree of both passive and active involvement, level of contribution to the host communities and focus of the experience. Another way to classify the volunteer tourists basically depends on their mindsets. Volunteer tourists should be further divided into two types. Some of them may be willing to spend most of or even all of their holidays on volunteering, they, therefore, are identified as volunteer-minded tourists. The other type of volunteer tourists are identified as vacation-minded tourists who will possibly just treat volunteering as a short-term, may be only a half-day or up to three days out of a trip, activity during their vacation. (Brown Morrison, 2003; Brown Lehto, 2005, p. 480). 2.2 Motivation As motivation is a very significant variable in the contribution of explaining peoples travel behavior, this section aims at providing a comprehensive literature review on tourism motivation and volunteer motivation. The definitions of motivation and tourism motivation will first be given, followed by a description of the development of motivational theories. 2.2.1 Travel Motivation To understand travel motivation, a variety of scales and theories have been proposed and empirically tested in the tourism literature. Many researchers have used motivational theory to try to interpret the motivations of tourists. Wahab (1975) argued that travel motivation is so basic, essential and fundamental while doing tourism studies or tourism development. Generally, motivation is usually defined as the driving force behind all actions (Crompton, 1979; Fodness, 1994). At the meantime, motivation would be a key factor influencing ones travel decisions and be closely related to their psychological needs to explore something they have never met in their home countries. Travel motivations will probably be affected by any changes occurred in ones life stages. However, travellers may commonly be influenced by a certain number of motivators other than just one. (Swarbrooke and Horner, 2003). 2.2.2 Tourism Motivation Theories A few definitions have been developed for tourism motivation. Dann (1981 cited in Snepenger et al., 2006, p.140) stated that tourism motivation is: a meaningful state of mind which adequately disposes an actor or a group of actors to travel, and which is subsequently interpretable by others as a valid explanation for such a decision Crompton and McKay (1997) built their definition of tourism motivation on those suggested by Crompton (1979) and Iso-Ahola (1989 cited in Crompton McKay, 1997). Crompton and McKay (1997, p.427) which included the concept of optimal arousal level. For example, homeostasis (Snepenger et al., 2006) helped describe tourism motivation as: a dynamic process of internal psychological factors that generate a state of tension or disequilibrium within individuals. Moreover, Fodness (1994) and Crompton (1979) agreed and suggested that more knowledge of tourism motivation were necessary to assist tourism marketers in understanding individuals travel patterns so that they could develop and promote tourism products according to customers needs and wants. Over the years, a myriad of tourism motivational theories have been developed. There are some prominent theories which contribute to a better understanding of why individuals choose to travel. 2.2.3 Motivation Theory Maslows Hierarchy of Needs When discussing motivation theory, Maslows five-stage hierarchy of needs ought to be of the utmost importance. It emphazizes human needs could be differentiated into five different levels from extrinsic to intrinsic needs. These five levels are also in hierarchical order of increasing motivational importance. From the least to the most importance, they are physiological, safety, social, self-esteem and self-actualization need (Maslow, 1970). This hierarchy could be highly related to the travel industry since it mentioned individuals will less likely be interested in high-level needs if they cannot meet their physiological and safety needs. It implies the individuals will less likely be interested in travel. Additionally, Self-actualization could be considered the end or goal of leisure (Mill Morrison, 2002). Analyzing all five stages can derive some potential hints and clues to help understand the motivation of volunteer tourism. 2.2.4 Motivation Theory Travel Career Ladder (TCL) TCL is actually partly based on the Maslows Hierarchy of needs. According to TCL, tourists who own more experience would more probably seek satisfaction of higher needs (Pearce, 1991; Ryan, 1998). It reflects travel motives are changing according to life span and accumulated travel experience (Ryan, 1998; Schewe, 1988) and describes travellers motivation as consisting of five different levels, respectively they are relaxation, safety or security, relationship, self-esteem and development and self-actualization or fulfillment need. Normally travelers are not dominated by only a level of need but a set of needs. They will not always remain in the same stage and will probably descend as well as ascend on the ladder. 2.2.5 Push and Pull Factors Except the two hierarchical needs of human mentioned above, there is a two-tiered scheme of motivational factors, push and pull factors. Several theories also refer to these two factors to carry out, for example, Iso-Ahola personal interpersonal motives. Push factors mean all social-psychological motives which push individuals to go travelling. They are intangible and more like intrinsic desires of individuals, for instance, relaxation and exploration. On the other hand, pull factors mean those external forces which affect or attract individuals to travel to fulfill their identified wants. Any tangible things including the architectures, historical resources and the intangible elements including local culture, the attractiveness of the destination itself can also arouse travellers interest (Andreu, Bigne Copper, 2000). However, a travel is normally occurred based on the reason why individuals would like to leave their home country rather than the appeal of the destination which lure the travellers to visit. Travellers motives and behavior are markedly self-oriented (Witt Wright, 1992). Obviously, the push and pull factors may not be perceived appropriate to understand the motivation of volunteer tourism because 2.2.6 Motivation of volunteers being engaged in voluntary services Altruism (Bussell Forbes, 2002; Callanan Thomas, 2005) and doing something meaningful (Cnaan Goldberg-Glen, 1991 cited in Ryan, Kaplan Grese, 2001) are believed to be the central motives for individuals to participate in volunteer work. Individuals who desire to assist others are more likely to become volunteers. However, egoism may probably be included in the motivation of volunteers as well (Bussell Forbes, 2002; Ryan, Kaplan Grese, 2001). Participating in voluntary work can actually provide individuals with change to satisfy their social and psychological needs (Cnaan Goldberg-Glen, 1991 cited in Bussell Forbes, 2002). The first self-interested motivation is social which involves volunteering together with ones family members and old friends to strengthen kinship and friendship (Bruyere Rappe, 2007; Ryan, Kaplan Grese, 2001) as well as meeting new people with similar interests. The next motivation is learning and career. Volunteers may learn deeper about the natural environment (Bruyere Rappe, 2007); develop new skills and abilities which may be useful with ones career (Broad, 2003); obtain job-related experience and explore career opportunities which may aid future employment or career advancement (Bruyere Rappe, 2007; Riecken, Babakus Yavas, 1994 cited in Bussell Forbes, 2002) Another prominent motivation of volunteer is values and esteem. Volunteers can share their core values and thoughts with other people (Bruyere Rappe, 2007; Clary Snyder, 1999); gain a sense of self-worth as well as boosting self-esteem (Bruyere Rappe, 2007; Bussell Forbes, 2002). Some of the less obvious reasons for people to volunteer may include a desire to wear uniforms which symbolize authority, mixing with celebrities, travel opportunities (Wilson Pimm, 1996) and religious involvement (Mattis et al., 2000). 2.3 Previous Related Research on Volunteer Tourism Having looked at travel motivation and volunteer motivation individually, it is necessary to review the previous studies on volunteer tourism. A very similar research on the motives and benefits of volunteer vacationers in the United States was done by Brown and Lehto (2005). They employed focus group and in-depth personal interviews as their data collection methods to gain a deeper understanding of this rarely researched phenomenon. The results showed that there were four main motives of why people volunteer while taking a leisure trip. First, travellers were motivated to volunteer because they would have precious opportunities to interact with local people and immerse oneself in the local culture and community (Brown Lehto, 2005, p.487) Second, volunteer tourism was seen as a way to give back and make a difference in others lives, especially the less unfortunate. Third, travellers sought camaraderie on volunteer vacation trips. They were motivated by the fact that they would be ab le to make friends with people with common interests, values and minds. Fourth, volunteer tourism was perceived as an educational opportunity for children. It was believed that the volunteer experience would instil the value of giving to the younger generation in their lives. Another related motive was the opportunity to build a better bonding between parents and children. The major benefits of participating in volunteer tourism found in this research were greater satisfaction with the overall travel experience, self-fulfilment, opportunities to directly interact with the local community, the meaningful experience and wonderful memories, personal growth and enhancement of family relationships, Among the aforementioned benefits, self-fulfilment and personal growth were believed to have an enduring effect on individuals after the volunteer vacation trips. A case study conducted by Broad (2003) investigated the relationship between volunteers, their volunteering and the outcomes and impacts at the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GRP) in Phuket. Four categories of motivation were identified in this study using qualitative method. Volunteers participated in the GRP because they wanted to travel to a different country and learn something about the country. They would like to obtain experience with reference to their studies and future career plans and they support conservation based on altruism. (Broad, 2003, pp.66-67). Their self-interested motivation was related to meeting like-minded people or developing their personalities. Her findings supported Gazleys (2001, cited in Broad, 2003) claim that both volunteer motivation and tourism motivation may apply to volunteer tourism. Similarly, it was found in Broads (2003) study that the volunteer travel experience had inspired some changes in the participants and their life. The experience was a life turning point for some of the volunteers, for instance, finding a career direction or entering into relationships with the locals. Other volunteers indicated that they had gained more confidence, knowledge and skills, and learned more about themselves. They had also developed a different view of life and the world. 2.4 Chapter Summary Chapter 3 Methodology The purpose of this research is to explore the motivations, constraints and how volunteer travel experiences influence travel decision among volunteer travellers. Since little academic research had been conducted in this area, especially in the Asia-Pacific context, no confirmed theories or methods were available to be adopted for this study (Brown Lehto, 2005). An exploratory study thereby seems appropriate to offer a better understanding of this research topic. The methodological issues were discussed in four sections: (1) research design, (2) data collection, (3) data analysis and, (4) limitations. 3.1 Research Design This is an exploratory research which is inductive in nature. The study used a qualitative approach with in-depth interviews (Brown Lehto, 2005). Qualitative research approach helped to gain more knowledge as to how individuals gave meaning to their volunteer vacation experiences (Halpenny Caisse, 2003). Simultaneously in-depth interviews provoked interviewees to express their thoughts which were neglected by marketers before so they can actually cater to the potential needs. (Patton, 1990; Jenning, 2001). The data gathered were helpful to reveal the what. how and, more importantly, explore the why for individuals to participate in volunteer travel (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill, 2007). The value of the knowledge is largely based on the context and the use of the knowledge. (Steinar, 1996) It can, for example, be used to examine travellers attitude towards volunteer travel, and the knowledge gained used to motivate leisure travellers to join volunteer travel. In addition, the interviews embraced different kinds of interview questions so as to deeply examine why potential travellers in Hong Kong are motivated to join the volunteer travel. Introducing questions were used since such open-ended questions may 3.2 Data collection Since it was improbable to identify and interview all volunteer travellers in Hong Kong, the interviewees were chosen from a population of Hong Kong residents who had participated in any volunteer travel before. Snowball sampling technique was used to collect the data until the required sample size was reached (Jenning, 2001). There were 8 desirable interviewees invited to participate in the individual interview which fitted the required sample size determined by theoretical sampling principle (Glaser, 1992). Furthermore, the interview process lasted till the theoretical saturation, where no new ideas or themes could be developed. 3.3 Data Analysis The personal interviews were transcribed word for word immediately. Owing to the time limit, the researcher translated the Cantonese discussions directly into written English. The transcripts 3.4 Limitations Fundamentally people, time and place would be the major limitation of the research. Finding appropriate interviewees was the first to be concerned so the researcher kept asking referrals from friends. After finding the right people, the researcher needed to make respective appointments with all interviewees in terms of Secondary data were so limited that could not sufficiently cater to the needs of this research, detailed and in-depth data and descriptions were therefore required (Geertz, 1973; Jenning, 2001). However, secondary data sourced from newspapers, academic journals, websites and books were so useful to provide understandings of initial concepts. Chapter 4 Research Findings Development of volunteer tourism in Hong Kong is still in its infancy at this stage. Hence, the aims of this chapter are to look into and have a better understanding of the motivation and constraints of repeat volunteer travellers. In addition to exploring how the experience influence their leisure travel decisions. Findings of aforementioned eight in-depth interviews were concluded in terms of three research objectives. Original statements of the interviewees were used as evidence to support each concept. 4.1 Motivations of repeated participation in volunteer travel All of the interviewees showed that they are very likely to attend volunteer travel again. There were six major motivational factors found which can be dissected by and highly related to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1970). Altruism and broadening personal horizons can be defined as self-actualization, which is of the highest level of the hierarchy. Furthermore, changes of self-image can be defined as self-esteem, which is positioned in the second highest level whilst desire for escaping from daily bustling life and enhancement of social life belong to belongingness and love, which is of the middle level of the hierarchy. Apart from those could be analysed by the Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, previous experience can either be one of the motives for taking volunteer travel again. 4.1.1 Altruism Personal altruistic desire for providing others with assistance and sympathy was stated by the interviewees as an important factor motivating them to partake in volunteer travel. Five interviewees considered it their first priority whilst other three interviewees considered it the second motivation. They volunteered, for example, to teach the local students, to provide necessities, to take care of the elderly and children, to bring happiness, to show love, and to encourage people to live under a stern environment. Three interviewees shared that it helped the organization to further understand the genuine needs amongst the locals, so more effective assistance could be provided in the future. I can help others or bring them (the local) caring and happiness to them. (Interviewee F) Most of their parents left them (local children) and work in other provinces, come back only one or two a year only. Theyre lack of parental love. (Interviewee A) One of the interviewee was eager to raise public awareness of the poverty gap between Mainland China communities and Hong Kong people. the number of participant is just 30, but if I spread the idea and my experience it would be many times than the number of participants. Perhaps, they know more after hearing from me, they are more interested in, and know the suffering of others in the world. Because I have my personal experience, it is more persuasive than the related TV episodes. (Interviewee E) So i think the children living in Hong Kong are having luxury lives. (Interviewee D) Similar concepts shared by all interviewees were meaningful because they felt happy with contributing to help and thus enhanced their sense of self-satisfaction and accomplishment. The word meaningful was mentioned at least once by each interviewee and three of them even emphasized this word for up to five times. It showed that participants looked for a meaningful experience in volunteer travel. I feel I gradually become kinder after volunteering every time as I am willing to help others even though I may not have contributed to the society a lot. Anyway, I learnt how to return the society rather than taking advantages from it. (Interviewee A) You can feel more satisfied with partaking in a volunteer trip and benefit much more from it than from ordinary travel., I

The Power of Angels in America Essay -- Kushner Angels in America Essa

The Power of Angels in America         Ã‚  "Such ethical possibility is, however, founded on and coextensive with the subject's movement toward what Foucault calls 'care of the self,' the often very fragile concern to provide the self with pleasure and nourishment in an environment that is perceived not particularly to offer them." -Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick    "Demanding that life near AIDS is an inextricably other reality denies our ability to recreate a sustaining culture and social structures, even as we are daily required to devote such time to the details of the AIDS crisis." -Cindy Patton    Tony Kushner's two-part play (or, if you will, two plays) Angels In America is one of most famous and most powerful plays about AIDS and gay life to come out of the early 1990s. It not only engages with the political issues surrounding AIDS and homosexuality in Reaganite America, but also deals with deeply philosophical questions of identity and the nature of God. It's no surprise that this play has sparked comment, including the criticism of the conservative right. In this paper, I intend to examine two of the articles written on the play. The first, Gordon Rogoff's "Angels in America, Devils in the Wings," is quite problematic, and errors of fact that the author makes about the play lead me to wonder at its value for analysis. The second article, Charles McNulty's "Angels in America: Tony Kushner's Theses on the Philosophy of History" pose some difficult questions regarding the plays' relationship to the concept of history, arguing that Millennium Approaches1 deconstruc ts history while Perestroika moves away from this deconstruction. According to McNulty, this is a problem in the second part of the pla... ... One of Angels in America. Perestroika is Part Two of the play. Works Cited Kushner, Tony. Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches. New York: Theatre Communications Group, Inc., 1992. ---. Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika. New York: Theatre Communications Group, Inc., 1992. McNulty, Charles. "Angels in America: Tony Kushner's Theses on the Philosophy of History." Modern Drama 39.1 (1996): 84-96. Patton, Cindy. "Teaching About AIDS." Inventing AIDS. New York: Routledge, 1990. 99-120. Rogoff, Gordon. "Angels in America, Devils in the Wings." Theater 24.2 (1993), 21-29. Sedgwick, Eve Kosofsky. "Paranoid Reading and Reparative Reading; Or, You're So Paranoid, You Probably Think This Introduction is About You." Novel Gazing: Queer Readings in Fiction. Ed. Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick. Durham: Duke UP, 1997. 1-37. The Power of Angels in America Essay -- Kushner Angels in America Essa The Power of Angels in America         Ã‚  "Such ethical possibility is, however, founded on and coextensive with the subject's movement toward what Foucault calls 'care of the self,' the often very fragile concern to provide the self with pleasure and nourishment in an environment that is perceived not particularly to offer them." -Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick    "Demanding that life near AIDS is an inextricably other reality denies our ability to recreate a sustaining culture and social structures, even as we are daily required to devote such time to the details of the AIDS crisis." -Cindy Patton    Tony Kushner's two-part play (or, if you will, two plays) Angels In America is one of most famous and most powerful plays about AIDS and gay life to come out of the early 1990s. It not only engages with the political issues surrounding AIDS and homosexuality in Reaganite America, but also deals with deeply philosophical questions of identity and the nature of God. It's no surprise that this play has sparked comment, including the criticism of the conservative right. In this paper, I intend to examine two of the articles written on the play. The first, Gordon Rogoff's "Angels in America, Devils in the Wings," is quite problematic, and errors of fact that the author makes about the play lead me to wonder at its value for analysis. The second article, Charles McNulty's "Angels in America: Tony Kushner's Theses on the Philosophy of History" pose some difficult questions regarding the plays' relationship to the concept of history, arguing that Millennium Approaches1 deconstruc ts history while Perestroika moves away from this deconstruction. According to McNulty, this is a problem in the second part of the pla... ... One of Angels in America. Perestroika is Part Two of the play. Works Cited Kushner, Tony. Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches. New York: Theatre Communications Group, Inc., 1992. ---. Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika. New York: Theatre Communications Group, Inc., 1992. McNulty, Charles. "Angels in America: Tony Kushner's Theses on the Philosophy of History." Modern Drama 39.1 (1996): 84-96. Patton, Cindy. "Teaching About AIDS." Inventing AIDS. New York: Routledge, 1990. 99-120. Rogoff, Gordon. "Angels in America, Devils in the Wings." Theater 24.2 (1993), 21-29. Sedgwick, Eve Kosofsky. "Paranoid Reading and Reparative Reading; Or, You're So Paranoid, You Probably Think This Introduction is About You." Novel Gazing: Queer Readings in Fiction. Ed. Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick. Durham: Duke UP, 1997. 1-37.

Ken Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Essay -- One Flew Over the

Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Ken Kesey's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is a multidimensional novel with many important messages in which Kesey strives to relay to the readers. Kesey did not write this novel for the sole purpose of entertainment, even though it was very entertaining, but did write it with the intent to show the readers many realities of life. First of all Kesey shows in this book that how people are perceived in society may not really be how that person is and that things are sometimes different than what they seem. Secondly Kesey sends the message that a single person can be significant and make a difference in other peoples lives, and finally Kesey shows readers that the spirit a person has can live on and make a difference even when that person is gone. One message relayed by Kesey is the fact that in society people who may be thought of as "good people" who are trying to help (nurse Ratched), and people who are considered "bad people" by society (McMurphy, Acutes), may in reality be the opposite of what they seem. Just because society puts a label on people doesn't necessarily mean it's true. In this novel Kesey shows the true evil of nurse Ratched. He shows in detail the way she mechanically tares the men's courage, pride and eventually all of their manhood down to nothing. She even goes so far as to driving two men to suicide. Outside of the ward the Big Nurse is perceived as a "good person" and as someone who has dedicated her life to helping others. This view of nurse Ratched is reflected in the awards won by the ward that she has total control over and also by the Public relations man who guides a group of people through the ward telling ... ...otomy and by taking away a man who was like a god to the Acutes she would regain all of her control and put fear back into the men. What she did not realize was all of McMurphy's strength, courage and spirit would stay with the men. McMurphy, even after he was gone, still gave the men the strength to stand up for themselves and not let the Big Nurse regain her control of the ward. Although Ken Kesey's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest was very entertaining he also had many point to get across to the reader. Ken Kesey drove home many truths of life, such as, a single person can make a difference in other peoples lives, things aren't always what they seem, and finally that a person's spirit can live on and stay with people causing them to change in seemingly impossible situations. This book was written to be very insightful and also extremely entertaining.

Albert Einstein :: essays research papers

What I find most admirable about Albert Einstein is the way he thought up his theories and had the ability to conduct experiments on them. By doing this, he answered many questions of the scientific realm of the world. Some of the traits I admire are: 1. A trait I admire is his curiosity because he always wanted to find out how things worked. When he was five years old his father gave him a compass. It was a mystery to him. He wanted to know why the arrow always pointed north. His father explained magnetism to him, but that explanation didn't make the invisible power less mysterious. When he was older, he learned more about magnets. He knew that the earth's magnetic field made the needle point north. Since I am also very curious about how things work, this trait is one that I definitely share with him. Another trait that I admire is that he was a friendly teacher with a sense of humor, and that is what his students liked about him. In 1909 Albert was offered a position as an associate professor at the University of Zurich. His friendliness and sense of humor made him popular with his students even though they thought he was a little strange. How did they think he was strange? Well, on his first day of class he came dressed in pants that were too short and he had his notes on a single scrap of paper. But after talking for a few minutes, his students knew that they had a very special teacher. He cared about physics and about his students. He enjoyed talking to his students and would interrupt his own work just to help them. He was always welcoming questions and often invited his students to a local cafe or his home to continue classroom discussions I found that teachers I had in the past who were friendly made learning more interesting. Another trait was that he was good at math. Albert didn't care for school. The only subject he did like was math because figuring out problems was easy and fun for him. His uncle introduced him to algebra when he was eleven years old because he knew Albert enjoyed working with numbers. Albert was so good at algebra that he was soon ready for an advanced type of math. At twelve years old, Alberts friend, Max Talmud gave him a book on geometry. The book captured his imagination and opened up a whole new world of logic. He considered geometry as a kind of miracle, like the compass. He had no trouble going through the book and solving all the problems. He soon taught himself the more advanced form of math called calculus.

General Environment of Hsbc China Essay

Demographic Segment: Mainland China is step into an aging population society because of one-child policy. Aged people think that state-owned banks are more trustable such as China Bank and ICBC. HKBC should have some strategies towards these senior citizens to compete with the other big state-owned bank. Raising affluence and level of education is another demographic trend in China. People are more like to manage their income in portfolio rather than just saving and withdrawing. A larger population and almost all the affluent people distribute in east coast of China. So it is a chance to develop multi-financial service in these areas. However, China also has great disparities in income level and living standard. So to develop premium products or basic products is another strategy to think about. Sociocultural Segment: Women have relatively high status in China than other countries. More women work in different field, especially at some high-salary positions. Dual-income families have financial ability to improve living standard. And it is a great chance to attract more potential female customers who are loyal consumers of brands. Increasing temporary workers is another trend in China today. They work in cities from rural areas where might not have commercial banks. So complicated financial services are not work well for these people. Political/legal Segment: In 2003, China amended Law of the People’s Republic of China on Commercial Banks. And the rules towards banks are completing. Technological Segment: Technology in China today had created an open door opportunity with it high speed online connectivity and capability, automation and its rapid change of technology. HSBC have the change to use these advantages to improve their capability in business. Moreover, the advances in IT to generate process efficiencies also served as impetus for the growth of bank industry (Strategy, 2010). These allow departments share information and data, reduce cost and improve customer service as a major breakthrough for the express banking industry. Online bank and phone bank become a trend in the advent of high-tech. Economic Segment: Highly increasing GDP and CPI in China reveal the resurgent economy after 2008 economic crisis. It is also a resurgent of banks and financial institutions. Global Segment: Chinese economy has been in an emergence stage after getting into WTO in 2001. And the exchange rate of RMB is increasing. Rising inflation and global competition gave rise to greater pressures on businesses to minimize the costs of operation and also created demands for speed and accuracy in all aspects of business. HSBC was rolling in a scandal of laundering money for terrorist. This heavily effects the brand reputation of HSBC.

The requirement for employers to allow maternity leave under United Kingdom law is a disadvantage to women in the workplace.

IntroductionWo break away force in the workplace have historically struggled to be on an tolerable footing with men some(prenominal) in terms of pay and positions that they could achieve. In the U.K, where women be the majority population (51%) (ONS 2011), efforts to residuum workplace disagreement and to provide equal opportunities have become central issues for political policy debates. gestation laws exist to mitigate the wellness of newborn-madeborn babies and the mother and at the kindred clock time minimize the anaesthetise of working mothers while they be at such an cardinal stage of their lives. The 2010 equating act has provided the legal framework to rest workplace distinction and specifically accostes maternalism secretion. The Marmot re plenty in 2010 that assessed the social determinants of health in the U.K has underscored well paid gestation consequence and paternity submit as important for tike and maternal(p) health (Ward 2011). term establishment policy provides for gestation period bring verboten and bene fl atomic number 18-ups, availing these benefits have often disadvantaged women at the workplace. This paper will address issues adjoin motherliness desert and its implications for women in the workplace.Maternity BenefitsLate stages of pregnancy and postnatal business organisation ar important periods in the invigoration of a woman and maintaining a rock-loving mind and body during these stages is critical for the frustrates health. Maternity kick the bucket and the motherliness benefits are clearly social policies that process working women strike a relaxation amid work and their enatic role. watercourse policy allow fors women to spud up to a year off from work to presume precaution of their newly born. The regulations besides permit women to come back to their same hypothesises if they chose to within 26 weeks (The Telegraph 2014). The policy in like manner permits women to pa ss a commodious their employees for flexible working hours once they recall to work. However, champion of the stipulations is that women should convey maternal leave in integrity block and are not allowed to break and manage their leave. These commissariat are certainly infixed from a social policy point of view as the Marmot review points to strong imperative association between paid maternal leave and improved child health out(a)come (Ward 2001). The benefits of such policies lies in the health improvement and the potential savings on the NHS child health reverence be (Ward 2011). period the benefits of maternal leave cannot be disputed, the menstruation debate surrounds the continuing variation of women at the workplace and how maternal leave and benefits could in reality contribute to preferential treatment of men over women in the persistence market. stinting recession has also contributed to the increased discrimination against fraught(p) women. As a new repor t from the U.K charity workings Families has pointed out, thither are growing number of complaints from women closely pregnancy discrimination across the UK labor market ( on the job(p) Families 2009). Evidence from recent surveys in the U.K of women who availed gestation period leave has only if affirm the alleged discrimination against pregnant women. unmatchable survey commissioned by slater & Gordon, one of the leading law firms in the U.K, for instance, reveals that women are suffering in repose. This survey pointed out that women are do otiose while on maternal quality leave and that one in septenary women lost their jobs after availing of the leave. Among the survey participants, 40% indicated that their jobs were changed and almost half of them revealed that they were either demoted or that their working hours were cut (McVeigh 2013). As Samantha mangwana, an engagement lawyer says many an(prenominal) big organizations are part of this prevailing discrimination a gainst pregnant women and frequently engage in out of court settlements. I see the same major companies again and again and again, composition out these cheques accompanied, of course, with a confidentiality clause(McVeigh 2013).A more than recent survey conducted by OnePoll on 1000 women who availed of maternity leave revealed that 30% of the women who rejoined felt that they did not fit in with their work environment anymore and that more than 40% felt that they had lack of foul and only 3% of them take legal assistance over maternity discrimination (McVeigh 2013). These surveys clearly point to the living trend of maternity discrimination in the workplace. An early qualitative study by the Equal Opportunities Commission report that women on maternity leave were subjected to discrimination in various ways. Some women involved in this study reported that their employees withheld salary increases and bonuses precisely because they were on maternity leave. Similarly, severa l women reported that their employers used the maternity leave period to create changes to their job including demoting them upon return. For instance one of the women in the study said, I went from existence a regional manager to a store manager and had to take a ?5,000 pay cut. While I was on maternity leave they advertised my job and gave it to a man just as they had joked they would (Davis et.al 2005). Evidence from these reports and surveys clearly project a worrisome picture of maternity discrimination and how availing authorized maternity leave could very be a stumbling block for women in terms of their armorial bearinger prospects, promotions, pay increases and more seriously, how it could actually en sex the risk of losing ones job. A more comminuted picture of the prevailing scenario is the fact that since 2007 at that place have been more than 9000 pregnancy discrimination cases against employees across the UK. Speaking of the trend, Maria Miller, the subgenus Pastor for Women and Equalities, said, Its unacceptable that women suffer from discrimination when they become pregnant and yet many are saying that they are handle unfairly at work because of it (DCMS, 2013). A new national research at the cost of ?1m has been commissioned to assess and to address the systemic troubles that have resulted in the engross for women. It is expected that the findings from this research and further policy reforms would contribute to improving the situation for pregnant working women (DCMS 2013). However, already there is some good development from the legal policy perspective that would ease the situation for women. naked as a jaybird enatic Leave (More Choice)Given the breathing problems and the resultant gender bias in the labor market it is clear that providing maternity leave and benefits as social wellbeing scheme , though absolutely essential from the health perspective of the newborn and the mother, has only added to the woes of women in the job m arket. A new and potentially improved social care policy is the proposed shared parental leave policy which is slated to come into effect from April 2015. downstairs this scheme newborn nestling care could be easily shared between the father and the mother. This new policy permits fathers to take paternal leave just as mothers could up to 50 weeks and also permits them to take the leave in a discontinue pattern so that mothers and fathers can surrogate in caring for the newborn baby while at the same time balance their work and family. This provides an opportunity for women who want to return to work a minuscular early not to be likewise concerned or stressed out about the baby care as the father could equally share the care of the newborn.ConclusionMaternity leave and maternity benefits are indispensable provisions from a pure social care perspective. These policies are in place to provide support to working women and to improve the health standards of the child and the mother . However, employers who are under pressures of poor rescue are often discriminatory against pregnant women as the cost of maternity payments and the long leave of absence from work are considered to be unnecessary and avoidable costs to the company. This has resulted in women availing maternal leave to be left redundant and replaced by others. Those who return back to work are also forced to compromise their work stipulation and compensation resulting in poor move prospects for the woman. Though maternity benefits are organisation policies and legal recourse is an option against maternity discrimination, barely a small destiny of affected women take that route to justice. The government has however instigated more research and has also come up with a novel and well balanced solution to the problem with the introduction of the draft for the shared parental leave. This new provision is certainly a positive step in not only balancing the gender divide but also in avoiding discri mination against women at the workplace as it provides more options for the parents to balance their time between work and baby care.ReferencesDavis S, Neathey F, Regan J & Willison R 2005. Pregnancy discrimination at work A qualitative study, Pregnant & Productive. Working Paper Series no 23. gin mill by The Institute for Employment Studies. Online getable at Accessed bump into twenty-fifth 2014 DCMS 2013. ?1 million to help tackle pregnancy discrimination at the workplace, online getable Accessed present 25th 2014McVeigh T 2013. One in seven women are made redundant after maternity leave, online Available at Accessed March 25th 2014 ONS 2011. 2011 Census cosmos Estimates for the United Kingdom, Online Available at Accessed March 25th 2014The Telegraph 2014. New Parental leave Whats on asseverate for mums and dadsOnline Available at Accessed March 25th 2014Ward R 2011. Health and comparison impacts of well-paid parental leave, Pub by WHEC and MA. Online Available at A ccessed March 25th 2014Working Families 2009. Report of Working families helpline and Alliance against pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. Pregnant women and new mums at risk of redundancy. Online Available at http//www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/PRENANCY-DISCRIMINATION-2.pdf Accessed March 25th 2014