Thursday, September 19, 2019
Unattainable Things in The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays
Unattainable Things in The Great Gatsby à à à à à à à à The roaring twenties. Cars were the things to have and a party was the place to be.à Everybody wanted something. F. Scott Fitzgerald's book, The Great Gatsby, describes the events that happen to eight people during the summer of 1922. In the book, people went from west to east because something they desired was in the east; unfortunatly in the end those 'somethings' were unattainable. à à à à à ...I decided to go east and learn the à à à bond business.à Everybody I knew was à à à in the bond business so I supposed it à à à could support one more single man. All à à à my aunts and uncles talked it over as à à à if they were choosing a prep school à à à for me... à à Nick went to the east to make money.à He was from the midwest, and even though his family was doing pretty well in the money department, Nick wanted to make his own money. By going from the midwest to the east, Fitzgerald shows Nick's desire to have more money.à After spending the summer in the east and seeing how money affects people, he decides to go back west. à à à à à à à à I see now that this has been a à à à story of the west,à after all-Tom à à à and Gatsby,à Daisy and Jordan and à à à I,à were all westerners and and à à à perhaps we possessed some deficiency à à à in common which made us subtly à à à unadaptable to eastern life. à à In other words, after finding out what the east was really like, Nick lost his interest in being in the east and returned to the west. à à à à à à à à à à Gatsby came east looking for another type of money - Daisy.à Gatsby and Daisy had last seen each other about five years before, when they were dating. Then Gatsby had to go to war.à While he was away in war, Daisy met Tom and then married Tom.à Daisy had always been rich and thought that in order to get Daisy back, he need to have money and be able to give Daisy anything she wanted.à He found out that Daisy was in the east and went to go try to get her back. à à à à à ...I thought of Gatsby's wonder when
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Terrorism - No Public Discourse on Terror :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics
No Public Discourse on Terror Rep. Barbara Lee (D-California) said the following in casting the lone vote against giving President Bush full congressional approval for carrying out his War on Terrorism as he sees fit: I am convinced that military action will not prevent further acts of international terrorism against the United States. This is a very complex and complicated matter. . . . However difficult this vote may be, some of us must urge the use of restraint. Our country is in a state of mourning. Some of us must say, let us step back for a moment. Let us just pause for a minute and think through the implications of our actions today so that this does not spiral out of control. . . . I have agonized over this vote, but I came to grips with it today and I came to grips with opposing this resolution during the very painful yet very beautiful memorial service. As a member of the clergy so eloquently said, "As we act, let us not become the evil that we deplore." I agree. But what is striking to me as a linguist is the use of negatives in the statement: "not prevent," "restraint" (inherently negative), "not spiral out of control," "not become the evil that we deplore.'' Friends are circulating a petition calling for "Justice without vengeance." "Without" has another implicit negative. It is not that these negative statements are wrong. But what is needed is a positive form of discourse. There is one. The central concept is that of "responsibility," which is at the heart of progressive/liberal morality (See Moral Politics). Progressive/liberal morality begins with empathy, the ability to understand others and feel what they feel. That is presupposed in responsibility-responsibility for oneself, for protection, for the care of those who need care, and for the community. Those were the values that we saw at work among the rescue workers in New York right after the attack. Responsibility requires competence and effectiveness. If you are to deal responsibly with terrorism, you must deal effectively with all its causes: religious, social, and enabling causes.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Macbeth. Progression of a Tragic Hero
Kevin Durran Ms. Bural ENG3U1-02 November 27, 2011 Macbeth, the Progression of a Tragic Hero ââ¬Å"In tragedy people are tested by great suffering and must face decisions of ultimate consequence. Some meet the challenge with deeds of despicable cruelty, while others demonstrate their ability to confront and surpass adversity, winning our admiration and proving the greatness of human potentialâ⬠(Aristotle). The character Macbeth is an archetypal paragon in Shakespearean literature; he truly embodies the title of the tragic hero.The aspects that lead to the Protagonistââ¬â¢s downfall are countless; three major factors contribute to his progression to the tragic hero. The first being the prophecies from the witches, Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s malicious influence that disoriented his counsel and lastly his ambition to achieve greatness by becoming King. Curiosity and tragedy have gone hand in hand throughout history; the aphorism ââ¬Å"Curiosity killed the catâ⬠can be personi fied through Macbethââ¬â¢s demise as his curiosity is remedied by the witchââ¬â¢s prophecies.The witchââ¬â¢s vague foretelling only lead Macbeth to curiosity, by stating the two titles he does not have ââ¬Å"All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter! â⬠(I, III, 49-50) inciting Macbethââ¬â¢s confusion to be solved from the counsel of his wife. While each prophecy is said his level of curiosity increases. Another example of Macbethââ¬â¢s curiosity is shown through his hallucinations as he goes forth with the murder of Duncan, ââ¬Å"Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?Come let me clutch theeâ⬠¦ a dagger of the mind, a false creationâ⬠¦ Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fearâ⬠(2, I, 41-42, 46, 65). The quote projects . Macbeth tends to format his ideal future by using false prophecies which in turn rid him of his worries and concerns for these prophecies p rophesised that he will stay king. To assuage Macbethââ¬â¢s curiosity he wanted the prophecies to make him what he wanted to hear. The definition of Emasculation is to make a man less of a man through verbal influence; such examples of this are shown from the character Lady Macbeth, who contributes to Macbethââ¬â¢s downfall.Lady Macbeth has shown countless times why she is such a large factor to Macbethââ¬â¢s demise; she is portrayed as a manipulative prick. By ultimately forcing Macbeth to go along and murder Duncan she introduces him to the beginning of his tragedy, because of her planning out the murder she ultimately distorts his judgement. After the shaky Macbeth assassinated his dear king, the audience will notice a change in character as regret as a noble Macbeth turns into a depressed and confused King.Duncanââ¬â¢s murder was just the beginning, to maintain his authority and reign over Scotland he continued to kill because murder at the time seemed to ensure his title. Lady Macbeth is considered a large factor in the progression of Macbeth an honourable nobleman to the tragic hero; she relayed the concept of murder to him initiating his fulfillment of his deep dark desires. Macbethââ¬â¢s ambition is minor factor in his progression towards him being the tragic hero. His ambition alone was never such a striving force, Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s emasculation magnified/provoked thoughts of Duncanââ¬â¢s murder.His ambition was never so great that he would actually assassinate his king but the medleys of the prophecies which added to his level of curiosity awakened his dormant aspirations. The emasculation he received from his wife added to his ambitions, as almost he was challenged to murder the king, this shows a great example of his fall from loyalty to the tragic hero. With these new factors adding to his ambition, greed, lust, violence combines to a malicious power hungry tyrant. ââ¬Å"Tragedy occurs when noble or great persons are led, th rough pride or a secret flaw in their personalities, to suffering that changes their fortune.The tragic hero must begin in a high position and end in death or some sort of degraded roleâ⬠. The whole play inevitably showed character change, of not only Macbeth but others around him influence by the acts he committed. His ambition, emasculation, the witchââ¬â¢s prophecies and excessive ambition lead to his demise. The character Macbeth is an archetypal paragon in Shakespearean literature; he truly embodies the title of the tragic hero. Quotes: EMASCULATION: Macbeth says of his wife: ââ¬Å"undaunted mettle should compose/ Nothing but males. â⬠(I, vii, 73-74).He notices his wife's unnatural, unwomanly strength and ambition, and he feels that only men should have such power. Lady Macbeth says: ââ¬Å"â⬠¦ unsex me here,/ And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full/ Of direst crueltyâ⬠(I, v, 41-44). She is calling for the strength to cast away the guilt of the crime, and she realizes she needs to suppress all femininity in order to pull through. She also says: ââ¬Å"make thick my blood,/ stop up the access and passage to remorse. ââ¬Å"(I, v, 43-44). and: ââ¬Å"Come to my woman's breasts,/ And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers. (I, vii, 47-48). She needs to suppress her femininity to chalk up the strength to conquer her conscience. Curiosity: act 1 scene 2 All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis! | à | à 50| Second Witchà | All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! | à | Third Witchà . ââ¬Å"Beware Macduff, Beware the Thane of Fife! â⬠and ââ¬Å"The power of man, for none of woman born/Shall harm Macbethâ⬠and then finally ââ¬Å"Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until/ Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinaine Hill/ Shall come against him. Read more:à http://wiki. answers. com/Q/What_was_the_three_witches_prophecy_to_Macbeth#ixzz1eg86iOxiAMIBTION| All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter! | | Quote #1BANQUO [â⬠¦] My noble partner You greet with present grace and great prediction Of noble having and of royal hope, That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not. If you can look into the seeds of time, And say which grain will grow and which will not, Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favors nor your hate. (1. 3. 2)|After hearing the witches predict that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, Banquo notes that his friend is ââ¬Å"rapt withal,â⬠suggesting that Macbeth is consumed or entranced by the prophecy. Banquo is eager to hear what the witches have in store for him and we can see that Banquo is ambitious ââ¬â he's pleased as punch when he learns his heirs will be kings (even though he will never wear the crown). Yet, Banquoà neverà takes drastic measures to gain power for himself or his heirs, which makes him a foil to Macbeth who, eventually, will stop at nothing to secure his power.Macbeth's tragic flaw is excessive ambition; ambition by itself is not a bad thing. But Macbeth's ambition gets the best of him, and he begins to feel ââ¬Å"bulletproofâ⬠ââ¬â no man born of woman can kill him and he will come to ruin when Birnam Wood doth come to high Dunsinane Hill. How can a man NOT be born of woman? And how can a wood move? But Macbeth's undoing comes when he allows Fleance to escape. He returns with the army disguised as trees that move toward Dunsinane and Macduff was ââ¬Å"untim'ly ripped from his mother's womb. â⬠Fleance's escape is the beginning of his undoing. Quote #2MACBETHMy thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is But what is not. (1. 3. 9)| After the weird sisters predict that Macbeth will be king, his thoughts turn to ââ¬Å"murder,â⬠which the sisters have saidà nothingabout. Could it be that the witches' prophesy awakens within Macbeth a murderous ambition that was there all along? Quote #3MACBETH [Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. (1. 4. 4)| By the time Malcolm is proclaimed Prince of Cumberland and heir to the throne of Scotland, Macbeth is willing to push all morality aside. He knows that killing Duncan in order to become king is wrong, which is why he says it's necessary to hide his ââ¬Å"black and deepâ⬠desires. Here, ambition is portrayed as something dark and ugly. 33à à à Is this a dagger which I see before me, 34à à à The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. 35à à à I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. 36à à à Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible 7à à à To feeling as to sight? or art thou but 38à à à A dagger of the mind, a false c reation, 39à à à Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? > ACT 2, SCENE 1, LINE 33-39 Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear 58à à à Thy very stones prate of my whereabout, 59à à à And take the present horror from the time, 60à à à Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives:à à 61à à à Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives. (Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come let me clutch theeâ⬠¦ a dagger of the mind, a false creationâ⬠¦ Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear) 33-34, 38, 57)
Monday, September 16, 2019
Appreciation of ââ¬ËThe Tygerââ¬â¢ Essay
Subject matter Blake is this poem gives a description of the tiger, describing vividly its appearance, its structure, its beauty and its terror. As well as describing the tiger, the poet also tries to explain how he pictures the creation of the tiger, as well as the terror of the creator (who created such a fearsome and awesome creature). Purpose The poetââ¬â¢s purpose in this poem is to describe something that fascinates him. The tiger in his view is a powerful, yet beautiful creature, a creature so powerful that it is terrifying. However, the poet also attempts to comprehend its creator, God. He shows that if the creation is powerful and terrifying, and asks the question how powerful must be the creator? The poet clearly expresses that he is very afraid of the power of God, and what God is able to do. Throughout the poem the poet expresses his admiration, his wonder and his fear, this poem is as much a study of the tiger as a study of God. Emotion Though the poem is mostly descriptive, the poet gives the reader some clues of the emotions that he feels. On the face of this poem, it seems to be a poem about a nature. However, looking further into the poem one can see that the poem is a very religious poem. One of the most dominant emotion that one can feel when reading the poem is the wonder and awe. Whether it is at the tiger or at God, Blake shows much wonder; as shown in the extract in verse 1: ââ¬ËAnd what shoulder & what art, Could twist thy heart?ââ¬â¢ Blake describes the colours of the tigerââ¬â¢s fur as ââ¬Ëburningââ¬â¢, as though the fur of the tiger was a fire itself. This fire is carried on into verse two where Blake describes that there is a fire burning in the eyes of the tiger.. In line 3 and 4 of verse 1 Blake turns his attention to the creator: ââ¬ËWhat immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry.ââ¬â¢ His wonders about what the hands and eyes of God are like. Blake sees the tiger as a creation of a great craftsman, a work of art. The most important parts of a craftsman are his eyes and his hands. They are a craftsmanââ¬â¢s most important tools, allowing him to craft the image he has in his imagination. This idea could have been influenced by Blakeââ¬â¢s work as a engraver. The other dominant emotion in the poem is the fear shown by Blake. His is very afraid of the tiger. Yet his is even more afraid of God the creator of such an awesome beast. This is a sometimes a feature of Christians to be ââ¬ËGod-fearingââ¬â¢ people. This fear can be seen in the following extracts: ââ¬ËWhat dread hand? & what dread feet?ââ¬â¢ ââ¬ËIn what furnace was thy brain?ââ¬â¢ ââ¬ËDare its deadly terrors claspââ¬â¢ The extracts above show how much Blake fears the tiger. He is afraid of the tigerââ¬â¢s claws, and the image in Blakeââ¬â¢s mind is a beast created from the furnace of heaven and hammered out by a master craftsman. This dreaded ferocious inspires much fear in Blake, even though he admires its beauty ââ¬ËWhat immortal hand or eye, Dare frame thy fearful symmetry.ââ¬â¢ Blake tries to imagine the power required to create the tiger. He tries to picture what being could create the tiger. The picture of this powerful and yet very skilful craftsman is very daunting to Blake. What person would dare take this fearsome beast out of the furnaces, hammer it into an elegant yet very potent shape. What person could twist the shape of the sinews of the tigerââ¬â¢s heart and create a burning fur coat and burning eyes? The image of this creation is very frightful to Blake, let alone the God, the person who hammered, twisted, and shaped this beast. It should also be noted the ââ¬Ëcouldââ¬â¢ was replaced with ââ¬Ëdareââ¬â¢. This shows that first Blake only thought about the ability, skill, power and strength needed to create the tiger. Later on at the end of the poem, Blake is thinking about the nerve and the daring required to create the tiger. Craftsmanship Structure The poem has a very regular structure, it is divided into six stanzas, each with four lines. The first stanza is repeated in the last stanza but ââ¬Ëcouldââ¬â¢ in line four is replaced with ââ¬Ëdareââ¬â¢. Each line is approximately the same length in words and syllables. Each stanza is used to address one point about God or the tiger. The poem seems also to be structured in the thought process of the poet. First he looks at the tiger itself, describing its prominent features. The poem then tries to picture the creation process of the tiger, and the workshop of this great craftsman. The poet then tries to move on to this creator or craftsman himself. He wonders whether God was content with this creation, and wonders about the more heavenly creature: the stars and the angels. Language The language used in the poem is very vocative. Throughout the poem the poet seems to be talking to the tiger. He seems to be enquiring about the origins of the tiger: ââ¬ËWhat the hammer? What the chain? In what furnace was thy brain?ââ¬â¢ He is asking the tiger as though the tiger is a friend of the poet (the use of thou and thee). The poet seems to the reader as a thinker trying to find out the answer to a very difficult question. The poet is asking questions that can not be answered for very little is known about God. The language is also very striking, very vivid and effective. The language catch the readerââ¬â¢s attention and is imaginative. It is very appropriate to the poem itself, the language increases the fear and adds effect to the wonder. The words does deliver the message that the poet intends. Much of the language helps to strike the fear into the minds of the readers. When reading this poem, one can not help but feel a sense of awe to the tiger and God. Imagery In the poem there are no striking examples of similes and metaphors, but the poet does use a large amount of personification. He personifies God as a craftsman or a blacksmith: ââ¬ËAnd what shoulder & what art, Could twist the sinews of thy heart? The poet seems to apply his own life experiences to his image of God. He sees God as this craftsman working by a furnace like himself. He sees the material the God uses to create as metallic. In the process of creation, God works like a blacksmith, heating the metal until the critical point is reached, the metal is then taken out and hammered into shape. This process repeats until the perfect shape is reached. Once the work is finished, God must be pleased and proud of his creations like other artists. The poet also personifies the tiger, addressing the tiger as if the tiger was able to understand him. He asks the tiger questions as though the tiger was able to answer him and explain to him what the poet does not understand. The poet also personifies the stars: ââ¬ËWhen the stars threw down their spears , And watered the heavens with their tears;ââ¬â¢ The poet sees the stars as the angels of heaven, throwing down their weapons and crying at such a wonderful creation. The poet makes the reader see God as a human with tow sides, power and the strength represented by the tiger, while the gentle caring side represented by the lamb. This in many ways is the symbolism used throughout the poem by the poet. Movement There is not real rhythm or movement to the poem itself. There are no real rhythmic qualities in the poem. However, when read out loud, the poem should be read out slowly, and loudly. This adds to the effect of the poem, it gives one more time to process the carefully chose words. It would make the poem more effective and allow the listener to truly appreciate the poem. Sounds The most significant sound feature of the poem is its rhyming scheme. Each stanza rhymes in the form of AABB, with the exception of the last line of the first and last stanza of the poem. The poet uses neither onomatopoeia nor alliteration nor assonance. In fact the poem uses very little sound features. I do however think that onomatopoeia could have been used to help the reader to imagine the sounds of this great workshop that Blake pictures in his mind. It would help the reader reach a better level of understanding. It would have also made the poem more affective. The poem is very strong with the visual part of the imagery, however, without the sounds, the perception of the poetââ¬â¢s idea is incomplete. For example, if the poet included the bangs, clangs of the workshop, or even included the growls and the roars of the tiger. This would have increased oneââ¬â¢s sense of wonder and awe. Other sound features such as alliteration and assonance, I feel, would not have been as effective and would not have helped the understanding of the poetââ¬â¢s imagination. Summary The poem has had a very strong impact on me. The poem has made me aware that the world is made up of fierceness and strength (shown in the tiger) as well as gentleness and peace (as shown in the lamb). Blakeââ¬â¢s tiger is a very terrifying and dynamic creation, which apart from being seen to represent the fiercer side of God, could also be seen to represent the forces of evil lurking in our world. This evil seems to be able to hide in the cover of the darkness of the night, and haunts our minds through our dreams and especially our nightmares. Blakeââ¬â¢s lamb (Did he who made the lamb also make thee?) apart from being a symbol of Gods gentle and loving side, can also be seen as a symbol of all the good in the world; the caring, the love and the kindness shown in Jesus Christ himself. The poem, as I have already noted, is a very visual poem. Though it is read, the poem inspires us to try and picture what he sees. The words of the poem create very vivid, clear and striking images in the reader or listenerââ¬â¢s minds. We see dynamic beast with awesome features, a skilful and great craftsman working laboriously in his great workshop. Inside the workshop burns a great furnace with huge and very hot fire. The craftsman hammers and twists the shape of the creation, and when finally he has completed this marvellous work, he is proud and smiles. The angels around this creator all weep and throw down their weapons at the sight of this marvel. The only flaw that I have noted is the lack of use of sound features. This poem, as I have already mentioned, would more complete if the reader can hear the sounds of the workshop and hear the weeps of the angels or even the deafening roars of the tiger as it first leaps out of the furnace as a complete creation. This does not flaw the poem in a significant way, but I feel that it would improve the poem and make the poem more effective Blake made use of sound features.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Philosophy Final Essay
Throughout the semester, our class has read a great variety of pieces of literature. With each reading, came a flurry of thoughts and discussions. These questions are what help us to become better philosophers. Someone who is on a quest to become a good philosopher must always think critically about all arguments and follow a logical conclusion to wherever it may lead. With Oedipus and ââ¬Å"Forgivenâ⬠, I was able to dig deep into the meanings of the readings and come up with philosophical ideas for both. Another quality a philosopher must possess is the ability to compare and contrast different works of art. Using more class readings such as Socratesââ¬â¢ Apology, I found similarities and differences that explained my thoughts. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother. He also must determine who the murderer of King Laius is. Ultimately, his decisions in the play cause him to find out that it was him who killed Laius. Oedipus clearly believed that was he was doing at the time, was good. Although in the end, he most likely regrets his decisions. From his point of view, Oedipus would most likely think that his move from Corinth to Thebes was a bad decision. When he heard the news that he was going to kill his father and marry his mother, Oedipus moved far away from his home, Corinth. This is something that he probably regrets because remaining in Corinth would have prevented him from meeting King Laius in the road and killing him. Another bad decision from Oedipusââ¬â¢ point of view would be that he didnââ¬â¢t listen to anyone close to him. Oedipus demonstrates three tragic flaws, intolerance, stubbornness, and a short temper, each of which lead into his downfall. For instance, Oedipusââ¬â¢ stubbornnessââ¬â¢ is unmistakably shown when he demands on finding the murderer of Laius and proving that the prophecy hasnââ¬â¢t come true. However, Jocasta, Oedipusââ¬â¢ queen and mother already is aware of the fact that all of this chaos is true and chooses to hide the truth. ââ¬Å"That man, why ask? Old shepherds, talk, empty nonsense, donââ¬â¢t give it another thought; donââ¬â¢t even thinkâ⬠Oedipus replies with, ââ¬Å"What- give up now, with a clue like this? Fail to solve the mystery of my birth? Not for all the world! â⬠(Oedipus). Oedipus made these decisions because he thought he was saving his parents by moving away. He obviously did not want to marry his mother and kill his father, so he figured by leaving Corinth he would avoid the prophecy becoming true. Oedipus is a very stubborn man and he wonââ¬â¢t stop until he gets the answers. In this case, he wants to figure out who murdered Laius. The reasoning behind Oedipusââ¬â¢ bad decision to not listen to anyone was mainly due to his stubbornness. I think that if he had not been so dead set on finding out who killed Laius; asking questions and trying to figure it all out, he would not have realized it was himself who was the murdered. Oedipus certainly was not the only character we read about that made some un-smart decisions. In the article ââ¬Å"Forgivenâ⬠, the Grosmairesââ¬â¢ daughter Ann is killed by her boyfriend Conor. They end up choosing to forgive Conor, even though he took their daughterââ¬â¢s life. From the Grosmairesââ¬â¢ point of view, a bad decision would have been to not forgive Conor because then, their daughter would have been just another victim in a murder case. Also, in their point of view, not considering what Ann would have wanted if she had still been alive wouldââ¬â¢ve been a bad decision. If they had not kept their daughter in mind while choosing to forgive Conor, the Grosmaires would definitely have been dissatisfied. Annââ¬â¢s mother, Kate announced, ââ¬Å"I knew that if I defined Conor by that one moment-as a murderer-I was defining my daughter as a murder victim and I couldnââ¬â¢t allow that to happenâ⬠(2 Tullis). The Grosmairesââ¬â¢ believed that if they did not forgive Conor, then all of the attention would have been on him rather than Ann. Another major factor that came in to play when they decided to forgive Conor was their religious background. They tried very hard to base their lives on the lives of Jesus and St. Augustine. In fact, the father said, ââ¬Å"I realized it was not just Ann asking me to forgive Conor, it was Jesus Christâ⬠(2 Tullis). To the Grosmaires, Conor was a part of the family because he had been dating their daughter for years. He even stayed in their home for a period of time. They knew that Ann would have wanted them to forgive Conor because she loved him. By respecting their daughter and what she would have wanted, the Grosmaires felt as if they were doing the right thing. There are a few other options that they could have chosen instead of forgiving Conor. For instance, they shouldnââ¬â¢t have changed their minds about Conorââ¬â¢s jail time. They did not stick to their word and it seemed as if they almost forgot about the whole concept of forgiveness. After hearing Conor describe how he killed their daughter, they let their emotions take a toll and they changed their minds. Not forgiving Conor at all could have been another alternative choice for the Grosmaires. If this were the case, Conor would have gotten the proper justice that all other criminals get. If they did not forgive Conor, there is the possibility he would have either gotten the death penalty or lifetime in prison. Either way, itââ¬â¢s a far more severe punishment than what he ends up getting. Conor would be forced to suffer in prison for the rest of his life, knowing how much pain he caused the Grosmaires family. Usually, this is the case for most murder trials in the United States. It is very out of the norm for a murderer to be forgiven in todayââ¬â¢s society. In the state of Florida where the death penalty is still used, it is especially strange for the act of killing to be forgiven. If you dig deep into Socratesââ¬â¢ The Apology and ââ¬Å"Forgivenâ⬠, the two can easily be seen as comparable. First, the Grosmairesââ¬â¢ made the decision to forgive Conor in order to satisfy them. Despite the slack they received for forgiving a clearly guilty man, they still chose to remain close with Conor and keep him in their lives. The family was extremely religious and they felt as if it was unjust to not forgive him. Like the Grosmaires, Socrates did not allow other people to affect his decision-making. He continually chose the path less taken as was seen in The Apology. While he is being tried by the city of Athens, Socrates confidently accepts the fact that most of the cityââ¬â¢s citizens are against him and continues teaching his ideas to others because it was simply the right thing to do. In an instance where Socrates stands up for himself, he says,ââ¬Å" I realized, to my sorrow and alarm that I was getting unpopular, but I thought that I must attach the greatest importance to godââ¬â¢s oracleâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (loc 616 Apology). He truly believes in doing what morally feels acceptable, not what is socially acceptable and that is a great characteristic about him. Socrates lived his life with the philosophy of ââ¬Å"How can you live a good life if you donââ¬â¢t truly understand what it is? â⬠The Grosmairesââ¬â¢ followed this philosophy also because they did not fully know what the outcome of their decision was going to be, but all they knew was that it made them feel at peace and that is what mattered. Likewise, in The Apology, Socrates says that ââ¬Å"he who is able to recognize his limitations is wisest. â⬠It is nearly impossible for one single person to contain all knowledge of the world. Socrates knew what he did not know which is called Socratic ignorance. He claimed to be the wisest person because he welcomed the fact that he did not know everything in the world. In connecting Socrates to the Grosmaires, they were able to recognize that things could not be simply handled by sending Conor to prison for life. Sure, it would get him out of their sight, but never out of their minds. They could admit to their weaknesses and power through them with Conor and his family. If the Grosmaires ended up not forgiving him, then they would have actually been ignorant about the entire situation because they knew Conor and they knew that he truly did not mean to hurt their family. He was a good kid who had a mental breakdown that resulted in a murder. It was impossible for the Grosmaires to stop thinking of Conor as a son and to stop loving him. In addition, Socrates makes it known in The Apology that he is not afraid of death. Death was talked about a lot in this reading because it was the punishment Socrates was to face if he was found guilty. He says, ââ¬Å" To fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know. No one knows whether death may be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew that it is the greatest of evilsâ⬠(loc 748 Apology). This was one of my favorite quotes from The Apology simply because it is so true. The Grosmaires clearly did not fear death either. For if they were afraid, they would not have accepted Annââ¬â¢s death the way they did. Instead, they tried to turn Annââ¬â¢s story into something heroic rather than tragic. Never once did they allow the death of their daughter to overcome them. Ann was a great person in their hearts and they believed that she was in a better place. There is no way the Grossmaires are ever going to achieve the life they had before their daughter passed away because itââ¬â¢s impossible to bring her back. But, by forgiving Conor they are trying to make peace with the idea of their Ann being gone. They are trying to make everything as normal as possible again, keeping Conor and his family in their lives. This is helping them to achieve the good life because they were happiest with their daughter and they donââ¬â¢t want to lose both their daughter and Conor at the same time. He was practically another son. Since the Grossmaires are also very religious people, I think they chose to forgive Conor so they could still consider themselves good Christians. To them, these aspects contribute to the ââ¬Å"good lifeâ⬠. These are similar qualities that I consider to be the good life. In the beginning of the semester, I said that the good life is as stress free as possible. I want to avoid conflict as much as I can because conflict with family members and friends would only bring stress into my life. I think the Grossmaires family wanted to bring peace into their hearts and their lives, and forgiving Conor was the first step in achieving that goal. If I am able to look back and be proud of my choices, that is the ââ¬Å"good lifeâ⬠. The Grossmaires probably had the same mentality when they were figuring out how to treat the Conor situation. They concluded that by forgiving him, they would be able to continue on with their lives and try to make the most of it. Reading ââ¬Å"Forgivenâ⬠did not seem to change my views on what the good life was. I think from now until forever, my views on that topic will remain the same. The three readings that were discussed, Oedipus, The Apology, and ââ¬Å"Forgivenâ⬠required much philosophical thinking on my part. With comparing and contrasting, I was able to dig deep into the meanings of each reading and come up with ideas for both.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Hotels and the Environment
HOTEL INDUSTRY AND THE ENVIRONMENT By VASUNDHARA TANWAR LITERATURE REVIEW When we talk of hotels we never think that something like that could have an impact on the environment and people would spend millions of rupees and infinite number of hours to deal with this so called impact. However this is absolutely the case. The seemingly small problem is literally taking the world by storm. So much so that national governments, hotels and even the UN are taking steps in order to find solutions to this problem.Extensive research has been done in the recent years by economists and scientists etc to come up with the most sustainable ways to run hotels since the degradation of the environment is a major concern worldwide. Papers like ââ¬Å"An analysis of environmental management, organizational context and performance of Spanish hotelsâ⬠by M. J. Alvarez which addresses the factors that determine the deployment of environmental management practices and its effects on firmsââ¬â¢ finan cial performance have been published.Results find support for the notion that age of facilities, size, chain affiliation, stakeholder environmental pressures, and their use of operations management techniques exert a lasting influence on the degree of implementation of environmental management practices by hotel firms. Moreover, findings show a positive relationship between environmental management practices and firmsââ¬â¢ financial performance. Various other economists in different countries have drawn similar conclusions. The United Nations environment programme also published a guide ââ¬Å"how the hotel and tourism industry can protect the ozone layerâ⬠.Environmental Good Practice in Hotels, published by UNEP IE and the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA), presents 15 case studies selected from the IH&RA annual Environmental Award. The case studies document environmental programmes initiated by independent hotels and international chains across the globe ââ¬â in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Action areas include environmental policy, design and construction, water, energy, waste, emissions, purchasing, staff training, and guest communication. The range of environmental initiatives featured is extensive, from simple recycling easures to water conservation using the latest technology, and from resorts built to strict environmental guidelines, to small hotels where the personal commitment of the general manager drives environmental activities. All case studies highlight the environmental and economic benefits gained by the actions taken. Also included are examples of environmental initiatives taken by national hotel associations, and a list of sources on environmental management publications and programmes in the hotel industry. These are just some examples of what is being said and done by organizations that observe what is going on.The actual participants, the hotels, are also not far behind. Many hotels hav e come up with various innovative ways to contribute to the betterment of the environment. Some of them have won various awards for this very purpose. Hotels now days strive to achieve the ECOTELà ® certification which is primarily the hallmark for environmentally sensitive hotels. One of the pioneers in such activities would be the orchid group of hotels. However, there are others that strive to achieve excellence in this cause and some have been quite successful too. INTRODUCTION Most countries rely heavily on the services sector for its growth.A major part of this sector is tourism. Tourism is one of the leading growth sectors of the economy and brings in billions of dollars for developing countries. When we talk about tourism we can hardly isolate it from talk of hotels. Hotels in a sense are synonymous with tourism and one cannot be talked about without reference to the other. The growth of the tourism industry has greatly increased the amount of stress on the environment. Now each individual has varying degrees of impact on the environment which largely depends on the personal choices made by individuals and is scattered world over. The same is true for hotels.They have an effect on the biodiversity right from its conception. This makes it imperative for us to study exactly how and where do hotels affect our environment, what can be done to reduce this impact and how aware is the current generation of hotels regarding this issue. Taking the example of India we see that as a result of increasing tourism in Goa, developers built several hotels. The hotels soon drew up to 66,000 gallons of water per day from wells and other local sources. Many of the wells and rivers the community had relied on went dry. This is a common problem in many areas where tourism runs into the limits of natural resources.With various such instances in several parts of the world today, ECOTOURISMââ¬âtourism that is nature-oriented and environmentally focusedââ¬âis growing rapidly. This represents a growing market for environmentally friendly options in the tourism industry. Ecotourism aside, many in the hotel industry have recognized the negative impact their business activities have on the environment and have taken action to alleviate those impacts. Environmentally responsible business practices dovetail well with the newfound popularity of ecotourism. They harmonize tourism and environmental sustainability.This awareness has given rise to what can be called the ââ¬Å"GREEN HOTELSâ⬠. The term ââ¬Å"green hotelsâ⬠describes hotels that strive to be more environment friendly through the efficient use of energy, water, and materials while providing quality services. Green hotels conserve and preserve by saving water, reducing energy use, and reducing solid waste. They have seen benefits such as reduced costs and liabilities, high return and low-risk investments, increased profits, and positive cash flows. Identifying these benefits and inc entives has allowed the popularity of green hotels to grow. Hotels are consistently becoming greener.The most costly and wasteful use of resources in hotels are usually in the consumption of nonrenewable energy, excessive water use, and the generation of waste. Through this paper we would try to point out the complex nature of the impact that hotels have on our environment and the steps that can be taken in order to minimize this impact as much as possible. We would also like to shed light on the work that has already been done in this field by various hotels and organizations. Many organizations have done commendable work in trying to reduce their ecological footprint and have, in some sense, become pioneers and inspiration for others.For instance, the orchid group of hotels is pretty known for the kind of work it does. IMPACTS Tourism has a fairly large environmental footprint. Hotels, being at the heart of it, shoulder the responsibility for this. The following table shows that h otels are responsible for 21% of total emissions generated by tourism industry. These just constitute one part of their impact which in reality has many layers and levels to it. The hotels have an impact on the biodiversity at each stage of its life cycle, right from planning to its closure.These impacts could be summarized as follows: At the planning stage, the most important issue in determining the level of impact that a hotel will have relates to choices about its location and design. Even the most sustainably operated hotel will have major impacts if it is built in a biodiversity-sensitive area. Choices about the materials that will be used to construct the hotel, where those materials will come from and the total physical footprint of the hotel will also influence how significant its impacts will be in the operational stage.At the construction stage, impact is determined by the size and location of the area cleared for development and where construction activities are taking p lace, the choice of construction methods, the sources and amount and type of materials, water and energy used to build the hotel, the location of temporary camps for construction workers, inadequate storage facilities for construction materials, the amount of construction waste that has to be disposed of, and other types of damage such as surface soil erosion or compaction caused by construction activities or disruption of natural water flows and drainage patterns.In the operational stage, a hotel's impact comes mainly from the energy, water, food and other resources that are consumed in running the hotel, by the solid and liquid wastes it produces, by the way its grounds are managed, and by the direct impacts of its guests. In addition, regular renovation and replacement of furniture, appliances and facilities can cause impacts through purchasing choices and increased waste generation.Using energy and water more efficiently, using organic and sustainably produced food, reducing, tr eating and disposing of waste appropriately, making sustainable purchasing decisions and managing gardens with natural-style plantings can all help a hotel to reduce its adverse impacts on biodiversity. Similarly, a hotel's relationship with host communities not only affects the sustainable operations of the hotel but also the use of environmental resources by communities themselves. At the closure stage, a hotel's impacts come from the disposal of materials removed from the hotel to refurbish it, convert it for other uses, or demolish it, nd from the work involved in these activities. It may be possible to reuse and recycle some materials, but there may also be some toxic materials, particularly from older buildings, which will require careful handling and management. A responsible hotel operator should also foresee supporting activities of ecological restoration as required. Responsible siting and design, the effective management of energy and water consumption, and the proper dis posal of wastewater and solid waste are important challenges for any hotel hoping to improve the sustainability of its operations.Now even though a hotel has environmental impact through different stages of its lifecycle the most easily cited and the longest running impact that they have is at their operational stage since once a hotel has been built, it stays in the business for very many years under normal circumstances. The day to day running has impacts which are a lot times ignored in the overall picture. This mostly becomes the case because individually, hotels do not have a significant impact on the environment. Collectively however, they can be very wasteful and use huge amount of resources.It has been estimated that seventy-five percent of hotelsââ¬â¢ environmental impacts can be directly related to excessive consumption. This is wasteful in terms of resources and creates unnecessary operational costs. The three key areas of environmental impact are energy, water, and wa ste. Energy ââ¬â Excessive energy use is extremely costly and with minor adjustments, it can lead to massive cost savings. According to Gossling et. al. (2005), ââ¬Å"the average energy consumption per bed per night in hotels might be in the order of 130 Mega joules.Hotels generally use more energy per visitor that local residents, as they have energy intense facilities, such as bars, restaurants, and pools, and have more spacious rooms. Studies have determined that a hotel emits an average 20. 6 kg of carbon dioxide per night. Waste ââ¬â A study conducted by Bohdanowicz(2005) also indentified that hotels are not only resource intensive and that waste generation is on e of the most visible effects on the environment. One estimate identified that ââ¬Å"an average hotel produces in excess of one kilogram of waste per guest per dayâ⬠.Approximately thirty percent of waste in hotels can be diverted through reuse and recycling. Waterà ââ¬â Tourists and residents alike require a clean and dependable supply of water for survival including drinking, cooking and cleansing. However, water is integral to the amenities usually expected by tourists, such as swimming pools, landscaped gardens, and golf courses. Water also supports industries such as agriculture that support the tourism industry (Pigram, 1995). Thus, tourists demand more water than local resident s on a per capita basis (Essex, Kent ; Newnham, 2004).It has been estimated by Salen (1995) that 15,000 cubic meters of water would typically supply 100 rural farmers for three years and 100 urban families for two years, yet only supply 100 luxury hotel guests for less than two months (Holden, 2000). In dryer regions, tourists' water consumption can amount to 440 liters a day per tourist, which is almost double the average amount of water used by residents in Spain (UNEP, 2008). In destinations that do not have the required infrastructure and systems to manage these impacts, severe degradation of the environment can occur.The following table summarizes the environmental impact of the day to day workings of any hotel Service/Activity| Description| Main Environmental Impacts| Administration| Hotel management Reception of clients| Energy, water and materials (mainly paper) Generation of waste and hazardous waste (toner cartridges)| Technical Services| Equipment for producing hot water and heating Air conditioning Lighting Swimming pools Green areas Mice and insect extermination Repairs and maintenance| Energy and water consumption Consumption and generation of a wide range of hazardous products Air and soil emissionsGeneration of waste water Pesticides use| Restaurant/bar| Breakfast, lunch, dinner Beverages and snacks| Energy, water and raw materials consumption Packaging waste Organic waste| Kitchen| Food conservation Food preparation Dish washing| Consumption of energy and water Packaging waste Oil waste Organic waste Generation of odours| Room Use| Use by guests Products fo r guests' use Housekeeping| Energy, water and raw materials consumption Use of hazardous products Generation of waste packaging Generation of waste water| Laundry| Washing and ironing of guest clothesWashing and ironing of hotel linens| Consumption of energy and water Use of hazardous cleaning products Generation of waste waterà | (Graci, 2009) This gives us a clear enough picture of the ecological impacts of hotels. Thus it becomes imperative that each hotel recognizes them and takes initiative to curb these impacts. With the growth of the tourism sector all over the world and with more and more hotels coming up each day these small things become issues of epic proportions when looked at collectively. In a time when our environment is in a very fragile condition one canââ¬â¢t ignore such a situation.The sooner hotels realize this the better it would be. However, these issues were not even brought to light till very recently. The annual hospitality consultantsââ¬â¢ conferenc e in 2007 did not even mention any of the environmental issues that plagued hotels in their top 10 problems of the industry. BEST PRACTICES There are many green practices that hotels can implement and they also help save unnecessary costs. There can be many ways in which a hotel can reduce its footprint. Some of them can be: * Not discharging waste in water bodies ââ¬â prevents pollution. * Recycling Use of compact fluorescent lights ââ¬â saves energy. * Reuse of linens ââ¬â saves water, detergent, energy and greenhouse gases. * Low-flow shower systems ââ¬â saves water and energy. * Local products ââ¬â save transportation costs. * Installation of green roofs ââ¬â saves energy. * Installation of solar heaters or other renewable energy source ââ¬â saves energy. These points are just a brief outline to what can really be done in order to go green. The possibilities as such are endless. There are some more sophisticated and cost heavy methods that can also be undertaken. BENEFITS OF GOING GREENCost benefits Financial savings are one of the most significant factors that influence the implementation of environmental initiatives in a hotel. This is especially evident for hotel businesses that operate in a highly competitive market and where the cost of energy, water and waste disposal are high. Hotel operators that can maximize their efficiency and reduce waste will be more cost-effective than their competitors. Hotels also use large amounts of energy to keep guests cool in hot temperatures, and equally large amounts of energy to keep them warm during the winter.In some destinations, hotels place an additional, sometimes unsustainable demand on local water resources and generate large quantities of food and packaging waste. Despite the setup costs and the possible lengthy return on investment associated with environmental initiatives, the economic benefits usually outweigh the cost of implementation. Starting with projects that are less ca pital intensive ââ¬â such as retrofitting light bulbs, energy metering, and training staff to be conscious of energy use ââ¬â can lead to substantial cost savings. Competitive advantageGreen programs can provide a competitive advantage to leaders as long as green activities continue to be voluntary. Over time, however, green practices in the hospitality industry will become a baseline requirement, particularly as the cost of non-renewable energy continues to rise, regulatory pressure increases, and consumers become more demanding. Therefore, hotels with business models that revolve around green practices will have the strongest opportunity to achieve a competitive advantage by being ahead of the emerging sustainability curve. Employee retentionEmployees are identified as one of the greatest benefits of going green. Employees, like hotel guests, are increasingly sophisticated and ââ¬Å"tunedâ⬠into current thinking in society and are far more likely to identify with an employer whose principles and practices are aligned with their values. Environmental programs have proved to be an effective means of generating enthusiasm and motivating staff to work as a team to achieve a common purpose. Many hotel companies use environmental programs as a staff incentive ââ¬â the financial savings earned are translated into cash or other rewards such as in-house events or trips.Employee turnover rate in the hotel sector is relatively high therefore increasing the retention rate will also save the business money in training of new staff. Customer loyalty There has been a shift in the expectations and demands of consumers. The typical hotel guest of today is more sophisticated and to varying degrees is likely to be concerned about environmental issues such as recycling bottles, cans and paper at home as well as making greener lifestyle choices, such as organic food or fuel-efficient vehicles.Many guests however, make their decision to stay at a hotel facility based on location, amenities, and service. The implementation of environmental initiatives may play a smaller role in a guest's choice of a property. The influence from customers however occurs when their level of awareness increases and they come to expect environmental practices such as recycling. Despite first-time guests basing their decisions on location, amenities and service, customer loyalty may increase once they have experienced a hotel which has demonstrated a level of environmental commitment.Regulatory compliance Hotels must anticipate future regulatory changes and implement initiatives to mitigate the possible costly effects of emerging regulation. Savvy businesses are aware that regulations do not have to be a negative restraint on their daily operations ââ¬â in fact, they can offer opportunities to gain an advantage over competitors. Some environmental regulations are good for economic competition as they stimulate innovation that can offset the cost of complianc e. By implementing measures in the face of societal and egulatory pressures, unexpected, but substantial cost savings as well as potential new areas of profit may be found. The hotel industry worldwide is increasingly being regulated for waste, water, energy use and greenhouse gas emission. Being aware of pending rule changes will allow you to adopt measures in advance, and avoid potentially higher future costs which may be associated with compliance. Risk management Risk minimization is now viewed as increasingly intertwined with good corporate social responsibility and governance.Managing risk is as much about minimizing the potential damage from decisions and actions taken from within a company as it is about managing external exposure. Traditionally, a hotel's risk management strategy has been focused on health and safety concerns around food and water, pest infestation, fire or water damage, outbreaks of disease, and guest security and safety. In recent years however, environme ntal and social issues are emerging as a key risk issue for the lodging sector. Environmental risks include: * Water and land contamination. * Air and noise pollution. Supply chain environmental practices. * Waste management. Environmental risks also have an impact on the cost of capital for businesses of various types and sizes, and may affect the value of a company over the long term. In addition, the investment community is increasingly regarding excellence in environmental management and performance as an indication of the quality and aptitude of management in general. Some insurance companies and lenders are beginning to selectively adjust their rates based on environmental criteria stipulated by ethical funds.Companies that integrate the environment into their business decisions and reduce their environmental risk and potential liabilities are in a better position to secure investment and reduce their financial and reputational market exposure (Graci and Dodds, 2009). Cause it 's the right thing to do! Beyond regulation and compliance, many environmental and social initiatives are voluntary. Whether driven by cost savings or a principled strategy, the hotel industry is recognizing the environment, the community and their human capital as a valuable resource to be protected.Long-term business sustainability will depend on this. Many hotels have implemented social initiatives and corporate social responsibility (CSR) into their regular day-to-day practices. Corporate social responsibility in the hotel industry ideally exists in human resources management, the local community, and through promoting and practicing environmental initiatives and is heavily influenced by internal and external forces. CSR has been widely expanding throughout the hotel industry, mainly to prove that corporate unethical behavior is no longer a problem.Thus, hotels are embarking on being ethical through social initiatives by protecting and supporting communities, their human resourc es, and by implementing environmental initiatives. Many international and local hotels are becoming involved in corporate social responsibility in order to extend their brand knowledge to different types of audiences, to gain employee retention and improved competitive advantage, and lastly because it is ââ¬Å"the right thing to doâ⬠. Sixty-five percent of the top 100 companies in the world employ some sort of corporate social responsibility statement featured on their websites.Several multinational companies have gained a very negative brand reputation based on their past unethical practices. Larger companies have been criticized as being the main culprit in releasing excess greenhouse emissions, climate change, environmental devastation, and unfair treatment of employees. Due to such criticisms and negative publicity, many businesses have increased the focus on corporate social responsibility. HIGH ACHIEVERS When it comes to hotels that are environmentally sustainable the fi rst name that comes to mind is the Orchid group of hotels.The Orchidà became Asia's first Five Star hotel to win the ECOTELà ® certification shortly after opening in May of 1997 and today (January 2011) is the only Hotel in the World to win overà 80à international / national awards in 13 years from inception. Under the management ofà The Orchidà Owner Vithal Kamat, the hotel has earned more environmental accolades than any other hotel in the world. With this latest achievement,à The Orchidà becomes one of only six hotels in the world to maintain top-level, ââ¬Å"five-globe,â⬠ECOTELà ®-Certification. Though orchid group is a pioneer in environmentally friendly hotels, others ave also done substantial work. The fern group of hotels in India being one of them. The Uppal in New Delhi, Seasons in Pune etc are other ecotel hotels. Various international hotels are also actively involved in such projects that put environmental sustainability at its fore. In conclusion it can be said that though environmental sustainability is big problem that is plaguing the hospitality industry, itââ¬â¢s still not too late to correct the situation. References * www. uneptie. org * http://www. concepthospitality. com * Accor 2010, ââ¬ËChild Protection'.Retrieved February 04, 2010 fromà http://www. accor. com/en/sustainable-development/ego-priorities/child-protection. html * Alexander, S 2002, Green Hotels: Opportunities and Resources for Success. Portland: Zero Waste Alliance. * Bohdanowicz, P 2005, ââ¬ËEuropean Hoteliers' Environmental Attitudes: Greening the Business, Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 188-204. * Bohdanowicz, P 2006, ââ¬ËEnvironmental Awareness and Initiatives in the Swedish and Polish Hotel Industries ââ¬â Survey Results' International Journal of Hospitality Management, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 662-668. * Bohdanowicz, P. and Zientara, P. 2008, ââ¬ËCorporate Social Responsibility in Hospit ality: Issues and Implications. A Case Study of Scandic' Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 271-293. * Brebbia, C. A. and Pineda, F. D. 2004, Sustainable Tourism. WIT Press, Boston. * Claver- Cortes, E. , Molina-Azorin, J. F. Pereira-Moliner, J. , Lopez-Gamero, M. D. 2007, ââ¬ËEnvironmental Strategies and Their Impact on Hotel Performance' Journal of Sustainable Tourism. , vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 663-679. * Dodds, R. 005, Barriers to the Implementation of Sustainable Tourism Policy in Destinations. University of Surrey School of Management, Surrey. * Essex, S. , Kent, M. , ; Newnham, R. 2004, ââ¬ËTourism development in Mallorca: Is water supply a constraint? ââ¬Ë Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol 12, no. 1, pp. 4-28. * Fairmont Hotel and Resorts 2001, The Green Partnership Guide. A Practical Guide to Greening your Hotel, 2nd edition, Toronto * Fairmont Hotels and Resorts 2008, Corporate Responsibility. Retrieved February 04, 2010, fromhttp://w ww. fairmont. com/EN_FA/AboutFairmont/enviroment/Awards/CorporateEn
Friday, September 13, 2019
Should Stonecipher have been forced to resign Essay
Should Stonecipher have been forced to resign - Essay Example Stonecipher himself told employees that any senior executive found violating the rules would be punished. Seemingly, the system works. Only his removal from the post would satisfy the principles he himself had created, as Stonecipher admitted in an interview, 'We set - hell, I set - a higher standard here. I violated my own standards. I used poor judgment.' (---------, 2005) It's a bizarre story under the circumstances. Was Boeing's CEO really ready to live up to the standards he was setting for his organization According to reports, the exact details of where his behavior violated the code of conduct are not publicly known. But as the architect of the initiative, he was as susceptible as anyone to its repercussions. Meanwhile, the PR industry has been under attack for allegedly unethical or ambiguous practices, particularly relating to a significant client base of its own - the US government, as well as local governments. If Boeing was trying to send a clear signal about ethics when it ousted CEO Harry Stonecipher, it failed. Though Boeing insists he wasn't axed for adultery, a lot of think the company was out to pin the scarlet letter on Harry before shipping him off to face his wife of 50 years. "It is all very clear and very simple," wrote Tom Simmerman, a Boeing worker in Fullerton, Calif. "How can a CEO ask his employees to show loyalty to the cause when he is unable to demonstrate loyalty to his own wife and family" (Litterick, 2005) Dozens of readers agreed -- with some detouring to question about his marriage and accuse him of "moral relativism." But is it so outrageous to suggest that the rules of Harry Stonecipher's marriage are between Mr. and Mrs. Stonecipher, and no concern of The Boeing Co Stonecipher had come out of retirement at the end of 2003 to replace Phil Condit when he resigned as chairman and chief executive. That was the first time Boeing's leader had not come from within the Boeing heritage part of the company. (Wallace, Pd. 1) On top of all this, the investigation determined the relationship was consensual and had no effect on the company's business. The investigation also determined that neither the career nor the compensation of the female executive was influenced by the relationship. I don't believe Stonecipher should have been forced to resign. A voluntarily handed over resignation is still understandable, but the breach of policy applies to all and applies equally. If lower staff can be given a second chance then the CEO can certainly be given another chance as well. Works Cited Wallace, James. BOEING: LOOKING FOR A REAL OUTSIDER (Business).Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA)(May 25, 2005):pD1. Litterick, David. Watch for the puff of white smoke from the Boeing boardroom.(City).Daily Telegraph (London, England)(April 16, 2005):pNA.FromCustom Newspapers ----------------. Boeing's big year.The Seattle Times (Seattle, Washington) (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News)(Dec 30,
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