Chicago Lifestyle and Sustainability Essay Example

Chicago Lifestyle and Sustainability Essay As the worlds population has grown it has become increasingly concentrated in large urban areas. The extent to which urbanization impacts the ecosystems of these cities is an important emerging area of study. Access to nature is vital to the physical, mental, emotional and social health of humans and their communities.Our increasing urbanization is depriving current and future generations of exposure to functional, productive green space, contributing to rising crime, violence, social alienation, poverty, hunger, and other individual and community-level dysfunctions (Kuo, 2001). This session will examine the effects of urbanization on Chicago, an older While it may seem strange to use the term ecosystem when discussing a major city,but urban ecosystems exist around the country (PBS, 2003). An urban ecosystem is the community of plants, animals, and humans that inhabit the urban environment. It is an area physically dominated by man- made structures, such as buildings, roads, sewers, and power lines. However, it also contains a rich patchwork of green spaces ;;; parks, yards, street plantings, greenways, urban streams, commercial landscaping, and undeveloped lots ;;; that make up the urban ecosystem. As separate and fragmented as these elements may appear, they collectively make up a single organism (PBS, 2003). The urban forest is one example. It is easy to imagine all of a citys trees whether in a park, on a street, in an undeveloped parcel, or in a backyard joined together in a citywide system, just as they appear to be when viewed from an airplane. This urban forest may be different than an undisturbed rural forest, but many of its There are major differences between urban ecosystems and other ecosystems that have been less dominated by humans (PBS, 2003). Urban ecosystems are typically highly disturbed sy

PSAT Practice Tests Free Questions and Full-Length Tests

PSAT Practice Tests Free Questions and Full-Length Tests SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Why buy a bunch of PSAT practice tests when you can find them online for free? To make your search as easy as possible, I've compiled all the best PSAT practice tests and sample questions available online. Read on for 10 downloadable official PSAT practice test PDFs,along with 10 bonus SAT practice tests. Since the College Board has only released two official practice tests for the current version of the PSAT, I'll also explain how you can modify older practice tests to effectively prepare for the test. Let's get right to it with the first official PSAT practice test PDF for you to download. Practice Tests for the PSAT Thoughthe PSAT changed in the fall of 2015, there still aren't a whole lot of updated PSAT practice materials available. The College Board currently offers two sample PSAT practice testswith answer keys. These arethe best resources out there so far for practice questions for the PSAT: Official PSAT Practice Test 1 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations Official PSAT Practice Test 2 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations Test-prep company Ivy Global has also made their version of a PSAT practice test PDFavailable on their website. Keep in mind that these are not official College Board questions.Although they resemblePSAT questions and are useful practice, they're not an exact representation of what you'll encounter on test day. As time goes on, more and more practice materials specific to the current version of thePSATwill be released. For now, you can use a combination of the above resources, older PSAT practice tests, and official SAT practice questions to prep effectively. Before we delve into these other test-prep materials, though, how can you use these two newer PSAT practice tests to study for the exam? How to Use Updated PSAT Practice Tests for PSAT Prep As I mentioned, the College Board's official practice tests are the best representation of what you'll see when you take the PSAT. Before taking them, you should review the content and format of the PSATso you have a sense of what skills to focus on and develop. When you actually take the practice tests, be sure to simulate testing conditions by timing yourself and making sure you're familiar with the test format and instructions. Like with the SAT, there's no score penalty for wrong answers,so make your best guess on every question. Since there are only two official PSAT practice tests currently available, I would recommend saving them until you have done some initial studying. Then you can see how effective your studying has been, analyze your results to get a clear sense of your strengths and weaknesses, and readjust your focus as needed. Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Practice Tests for the Old (Pre-2015) PSAT Below, we've compiled eight PSAT practice test PDFs with answer keys that you can download and print out. These consist offour official College Board tests and four unofficial ones. They are scored out of 240 (with the Critical Reading, Math, and Writing sections each worth 80 points) and deducta 1/4 point for each wrong answer. Keep this different system in mind while scoring these old practice tests. Official PSAT Practice Test 1 Official PSAT Practice Test 2 Official PSAT Practice Test 3 Official PSAT Practice Test 4 Unofficial PSAT Practice Test 1 Unofficial PSAT Practice Test 2 Unofficial PSAT Practice Test 3 Unofficial PSAT Practice Test 4 As mentioned above, the PSAT no longer takes a1/4 point deduction for wrong answers; now, it uses rights-only scoring,meaning you get one point for each correct answer and no points for wrong or skipped answers. The current PSAT scores Math on a scale from 160 to 760, and Reading and Writing together on the same scale (160 to 760). Your composite PSAT score, therefore, will be between 320 and 1520. You'll also get individual test scores for Math, Reading, and Writing and Language between 8 and 38 (these are then converted into the scaled scores above from 160 to 760). Besides using adifferent scoring system on the old PSAT practice tests, what else can you do to make your practice testing relevant for the current PSAT? How to Use Old PSAT Practice Tests for PSAT Prep To adapt your studying, you mustfamiliarize yourself with the changes in question types and skills on the current PSAT. For instance,changes to the PSAT in 2015eliminated sentence completion questions in favor of passage-based vocabulary questions, whichask you to define more common words that have multiple meanings. The PSAT also wants you to be able to find evidence for your answers in a passage, graph, or chart. These questions will ask you to interpret details, main points, or data in the context of a passage or other information provided.As a result, you'll need to concentrate on passage-based Reading questions and Math questions that require you tointerpret data from charts and graphs. Generally speaking, the Reading and Math questions on old PSAT practice tests are still very useful for prepping for the current PSAT. That being said, note that the old PSAT was two hours and 10 minutes long, whereasthe current PSAT is a little longer at two hours and 45 minutes.To practice pacing yourself over this longer amount of time, you might add an extra section or two to your practice test. All these changes in content, skills, and scoring match the ones made to the SAT in 2016.Below, we've compiled 10 practice tests for the SATyou can use to prep! Plus, you'll find free SAT practice questions online. But wait, there's more! Practice Tests and Sample Questions for the SAT Like the PSAT, there still aren't a ton of practice materials out for the current version of the SAT, which was firstadministered in the spring of 2016. However, we've gathered 10 official SAT practice tests (with answer keys) that you can download and take: SAT Practice Test 1:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 2:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 3:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 4:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 5:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay SAT Practice Test 6:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay SAT Practice Test 7:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay SAT Practice Test 8:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 9: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations SAT Practice Test 10: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations In addition to these practice tests, you can find some free sample questions on the College Board website. Thesesample questions are for both the PSAT and SAT. This speaks to how similar the two tests have become. Whatever studying you do for the PSAT will help you a great deal once you take the SAT. Finally, you can create an account with Khan Academy and find high-quality practice questions for the SAT. This website works in conjunction with the College Board to produce official SAT practice questions. Given that the PSAT and SAT are so similar, are there any modifications you need to make when using SAT practice questions to prep for the PSAT? How to Use SAT Practice Tests and Questions for PSAT Prep The questions on the SAT and PSAT are almost identical. SAT Math may get a bit more advanced into algebra and functions, but otherwise the questions are very similar. The one exception is that the PSAT does NOT have an optional Essay section. TheSAT is somewhat longer at three hours (plus the additional 50-minute optional essay). Also, although the two tests resemble each otherin both content and scoring, the SAT is slightly more difficult than the PSAT is. As I discussed above, the PSAT isscored on a scale of 320-1520, with a range of 160-760 for Math and 160-760 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, or EBRW. The SAT, on the other hand, isscored on a scale of 400-1600. The score range for Math is 200-800 and the score range for EBRW is also200-800. Your PSAT scores are meant to predict your SAT scores; however, the scoring scaledoesn't go up as high to account for the fact that the PSAT is a slightly easier test. While a high score on the PSAT predicts a high SAT score, it doesn't necessarily coincide with a perfect 1600. As with the PSAT practice tests, I recommend timing yourself and simulating real test conditions. After, take some time to understand any mistakes you made and determine your strengths and weaknesses. Since the PSAT and SAT are so similar, you may use one test as a diagnostic pre-test and one as a post-test tofigure out where you're starting out and to gauge your progress after significant studying. Given all these practice materials, new and old, you should have plenty of resources to help you achieve a strong score on the PSAT. Let's quickly review the steps you should take to prep for the PSAT. Down to the last piece of the puzzle ... Best Ways to Prep for the PSAT The best resource for PSAT practice questions are the two official PSAT practice tests released by the College Board and listed at the beginning of this guide. Official test questions are the gold standard when it comes to sample questions, as they are the best representation of what will be on the actual exam. Since the PSAT is so similar to the SAT, the practice tests and free online questions for the SAT can be very useful prep tools. These questions will help you get ready for both the PSAT and SAT. Finally, you can still use older PSAT practice tests effectively, as long as you familiarize yourself with the changes to the exam and focus your energies on the relevant content and skills. This understanding will also help you avoid wasting time on material and information that's no longer relevant, such as Sentence Completion questions. As long as you take the time to understand the exam and adapt your test prep accordingly, you can still use the abundance of practice material out there to prep for the PSAT. And as an added bonus, all this prep will help you out a great deal in the future when you take the SAT! What's Next? Are you aiming for top scores on the PSAT? Learn what it takes to become a National Merit Semifinalist and a National Merit Finalist. If your scores qualify you for National Merit distinction, you might be eligible for National Merit scholarships. Read more about how you can earn a National Merit scholarship. Planning to take the SAT, too?Check out this full guide to learn all about the test.

2012 Election Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

2012 Election - Essay Example Based on all of the aforementioned issues and after balancing pros and potential cons related to both candidates, it has been determined that Mitt Romney would be the best leader for the United States. First, in relation to the economy, Barack Obama has a proven track record of failures associated with economic policy and stimulus package development to prevent the company from experiencing a recession. This current president maintains a very large group of economic advisors to provide him information and strategies that will help the macro- and micro-economic environment. It does not appear that this president maintains the academic or experience-based credentials to understand the complex dynamics of economic theory and inter-dependent financial institutions that drive growth and sustainability in the economy. It becomes a cause for concern when an individual who is responsible for dictating economic policy must rely on a basket of knowledge sources to make decisions. Mitt Romney maintains much experience-based knowledge of business and financial investment institutions and therefore can rely on their own tangible knowledge to make effective economic decisions. It is difficult t o trust the economic policy of an individual with no formalized training in advanced economic development or experience working within the investment and financial communities. Barack Obama also does not seem to understand the importance of a crumbling and inefficient infrastructure that supports retail, physical urban sustainability, and how physical infrastructure failures have long-term safety consequences for citizens. Many of the bridges and highways in America, as two examples, have been deemed unsafe by experts in safety management nationwide. In certain urban areas, they are literally falling onto vehicles as they pass underneath overpasses with the rebar exposed and potholes

The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets Essay

The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets - Essay Example Taking into consideration the impact of political, social and economic factors on the establishment and growth of foreign ventures, it is paramount for company directors to ensure coverage of wide areas during the risk analysis process. One of the benefits of risk analysis is that it provides directors with adequate knowhow on goods and services to offer as well as choices of location. In addition, it helps company owners with policies that are vital for operations of a company. Similarly, risk analysis helps companies to be compliant with laws in foreign countries. This report analyzes economic risks, political risks, business environment risks and currency risks that we need to consider before our company embarks on establishing a joint venture in Nigeria. Economic risks One of the major factors that affect the growth of Nigeria economy is poor planning by the government. This has not only resulted to high level of unemployment but also a reduction of household’s income thus lowering the consumer’s purchasing power. For example, the revenue generated by the country’s extensive oil industry is not effectively managed thus increasing the poverty level in the country. In addition, the country has small arable land thus lowering the total food production. As a result, the country has reduced exports thus lowering the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Another area that is negatively affected by poor government planning in Nigeria is infrastructure system. For instance, the country has poor road system making it difficult to assess rural areas as well as expanding business activities. It is worth to note that for any country to develop, competition is vital since it allows innovation and production of wide range of products in the market. However, a major obstacle affecting Nigeria economic prosperity is lack of genuine competition. As a result, market forces do not play a vital role to regulate the economy. In the same way, the country leaders are significantly engaged in controlling the economy an aspect that is contrary to the Adam Smith ideology of not allowing governments to interfere with economy (Dwivedi, 2001). Macroeconomic imbalances are another challenges facing Nigeria. For example, new ventures have the risk of facing unstable inflation and excessive borrowing by the government. Additionally, the government has failed to commit itself to address the macroeconomic challenges thus leading to larger deficit in the government budget. Political risks In order to establish a profitable business venture, it is imperative for investors to consider the political situation of the country they wish to invest. It is vital to note that even though a firm can have adequate finances to cater for its own internal security, political instability in a country can negatively affect the operations of a company resulting to its closure. This implies that as we focus on entering the Nigeria market, it is fundamental to analyze the pol itical factors of the country thus identifying the obstacles or the benefits that our firm is likely to face. One of the major political aspects that are notable in Nigeria is the rivalry that exists between the North and Southern residents. This was catapulted by the policy that was applied by British government that included use of direct rule on the southern region and indirect rule in the Northern area. Not only has the rivalry between the

Is strong character enough to guarantee ethical practice in a Essay

Is strong character enough to guarantee ethical practice in a profession - Essay Example Aristotle argues that character ought to be consistent over time, as well as coherent at all times. A person of good character enforces virtues and values through appropriate dispositions and emotions. Aristotle asserts that character is a matter of what one likes doing, therefore, good character is manifest in doing the right thing while having the right desires and emotions. He asserts that strong character involves values, the readiness to act on them, and ability to take the appropriate action in a particular situation (Hartman 78). Bayles proposes three central features and three secondary features that define a profession. The central features are extensive training; the training involves a significant intellectual component, and that the trained professional upon qualification has the ability to provide an important service to the community. The secondary features are credentialing where members are certified or licensed as a qualification for practice (Bivins 76). The other feature is the existence of a professional organisation that strives to advance the goals of the organisation as well as improving the economic status of members. Lastly, most professions stress autonomy among their members as a precursor for a successful professional career. Consequently, professionals must act professionally by observing the dictates of professional behavior including ethical imperatives. When professionals act this way they gain respect from society and peers. Building on the works of Aristotle and Bayles, this paper explores the importance of a strong character in ensuring ethical practice among professionals (Bivins 76). Ethical codes are systematic guidelines meant to shape the behavior of professionals regarding the morally accepted values and beliefs. However, codes do not provide absolute or complete rules that are free from conflict and ambiguity. Since codes do not provide

The Development Of Tourism In Kerala

The Development Of Tourism In Kerala In the book KERALAS Economic Development Performance and Problems in the Post-Liberalization Period by B. A. Prakash, there is an article on Tourism Development in Kerala by Nalini Netto which says that Kerala has emerged as an undisputed tourism hotspot of India with its catchy promotional logo Gods Own Country. National Geographic Traveler, in a landmark issue in 2000, rated Kerala in Paradise Found category. Ever since the govt. of India declared tourism as an industry in 1986 and Kerala was the first state to declare so, Kerala is doing aggressive marketing of tourism product by establishing Tourism Mart in Kochi which has its links with national and global tourism bodies like South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange, Travel Agent Association of India (TAAI), Pacific Asia Tourism Association (PATA) etc. Government of Kerala is also playing role of facilitator and regulator for the prosperity and growth of the tourism sector by encouraging private participations in the sector. Government is providing subsidy of 10 percent on capital investment in the sector subject to maximum 10 Lakh with additional subsidy of 15 percent on the investment in pollution control facilities and equipment. Kerala with 600 Km coast line offers one of the best beaches in India. Western Ghats provide few finest hill stations for summer resort. Rich ecological forest, wild life reserves and backwaters provide a full eye soothing natural beauty to the state. Ayurveda, the health tourism product is another USP of Kerala Tourism due to abundance of herbs and medicinal plants. The earnings from tourism in the state in 2001 were estimated to be Rs. 535 crore. This book also emphasizes that this sector still has unused potential which if utilized in an environmentally conscious way can generate more revenue for the state and the country. [2] In the book on Tourism Marketing by Devahish Dasgupta in the chapter of Destination Branding: Building Brand Equity a case study is presented on Measuring Brand Performance -A Kerala Survey in which analysis of the survey on the brand performance of Kerala is given which was conducted in India and abroad, featuring countries such as Spain, France, Denmark, Italy, Belgium and other countries. People, who have not visited Kerala before, responded that they came to know about the state by word of mouth and wanted to visit. People, who had already visited Kerala expressed that they had a memorable experience in Kerala. This case study talked about effective marketing strategies to undertake market research to indentify and assemble a highly attractive product should be developed to differentiate from competing tourist destinations. More emphasis is given to Tourist-centric products and issues relating to price, security, health, safety and quality should be studied. It says that failure to build and sustain destination brand equity or the value of brand in the minds of potential visitors and investor, can lead to economic decline. [3] Article by E T N, Global Travel Industry News Tourism is contributor to The Growth of The Economy The Tourism Minister Kumari Selja has said that development of infrastructure holds the key to the growth of tourism and that is why the Government is investing heavily for integrated development of the Infrastructure Sector. She said that Tourism Sector, with 9.24% share of employment, accords a perfect opportunity to translate our vision of inclusive growth to reality. [4] In an essay written on Medical Tourism in India: Progress or Predicament? by Sunita Reddy and Imrana Qadeer, it is estimated that the size of the medical tourism market in the country will be Rs 1, 95,000 crore in 2012. The essay also examines the implications of medical tourism for general medical care and how such policy shifts distort health systems. This analysis raises questions of accessibility, affordability, and ethics in medical care, and asks if it is sensible to promote medical tourism in a democratic welfare state, with poor public healthcare facilities for the masses. [5] Contentious and contradictions of tourism as development option : a case of Kerala, India by T T Sreekumar, Govindan Parayil The projected picture of an emerging vitality in the tourism sector in Kerala stands in stark contrast to the general scenario of the poor performance of the tourism industry in India, as well as in South Asia in general. This paper takes a closer look at this scenario by placing Keralas performance against the larger backdrop of tourism dynamics as experienced in Third World countries in general and South Asia in particular. It shows that no effort has been made so far to assess the environmental sustain-ability of keeping tourism as a high-growth option, given the fragile nature of Keralas environment and the carrying capacity of the major tourist destinations. It further reveals that the increasing comparative advantage of developing countries has not yet resulted in any significant rise in their share in global tourism arrivals and receipts and the regions which are able to grab the lions share of tourism arrivals and receipts are the economically advanced ones. In Indias case, the fact that tourism contributes to 6.9% of its total export earnings is not an insignificant point and Kerala tourism sectors share in the State Domestic Product (SDP) remains at less than 1 % even after a decade of concerted efforts to boost the tourism industry. The belief that tourism has become an engine of growth in Kerala is hence unfounded. Tourism is making only a marginal contribution to the local economy, its harmful impacts on the ecology of the region are becoming increas-ingly visible [6] Kerala: Exploring Future Frontiers in Tourism Development by Dept. of tourism, Kerala This book talks about the possibilities and problems for tourism in Kerala. A fully literate population and astonishing geographical diversity full of beaches, backwaters, wildlife sanctuaries and evergreen forests in the smallest area possible, are factors that helps Kerala transform into an Important tourist state in India. On the other hand, high density of population, consequent non availability of land, lack of professional training and distance from the important cities of India are all negative factors which constraint its overall growth as a tourism destination. [7] Reinventing Kerala : A success story by R. Krishnakumar This article discusses about a series of innovative concepts and projects developed by the state to reinvigorate the States tourism sector without diluting its commitment to conserve nature. It is multi-destination tourism at its best, offering a multitude of variegated experiences and attractions within a relatively small area, luring tourists into staying longer and spending more. In order to attract foreign tourists new tourism concepts such as monsoon tourism, medical tourism, adventure tourism, heritage tourism, pilgrimage tourism, eco tourism, and farm tourism are being developed and popularized. In order to encourage more private sector investment and to conserve nature, a number of Special Tourism Zones are to be identified and developed under the purview of the Kerala Tourism (Conservation and Preservation of Areas) Act, 2005, which envisages the conservation, preservation and integrated development of such areas. Unexplored or lesser-known areas, especially in the Malabar r egion, traditional skills, handicrafts, art forms, and new tourism products are to be developed and marketed to sustain tourist interest. With new initiatives in providing better infrastructure and trained human resource, Kerala tourism is putting all its efforts with the slogan of vision 2025: Conserve Nature and Culture and Promote Tourism in order to achieve sustainable growth. [8] Tourist arrivals in India: how important are domestic disorders? by Dhariwal, Richa India, with its rich natural beauty, is unquestionably a destination that should promote tourism and it has taken various measures to do this, but the tourism potential of the country has still not been maximized. In the past few years, Indian tourism industry is significantly contributing to the nations gross domestic product, foreign exchange earnings and employment. This paper analyses the determinants of international tourist arrivals in India using annual data from 1966 to 2000 and the results show that sociopolitical factors communalism, terrorism and tensions with Pakistan constitute serious threats to the tourism industry, limiting the gains that could otherwise have been realized. Methodology Quantitative Methods To address the research question we will try to answer some related issues and objectives using quantitative methods as illustrated below: Objective 1: To determine whether there is any change in the volume of inbound tourists over the years and what can be the expected projections in the arrival and the growth rate. We will collect data from Kerala Tourism department and will conduct a regression analysis in order to estimate the volume of tourism in the future. This would let us know the importance of the need to boost tourism both domestic and international through promotions. Objective 2: Is there any trend of decline in no. of International tourists arriving to the state. Our hypothesis would be as follows: Null Hypothesis: Number of tourists to Kerala does not decrease Alternate Hypothesis: Number of tourists to Kerala decreases From the simple linear regression we will find out if the prediction for tourists for the forthcoming years or increases with a certain percentage (95%) of confidence level. Objective 3: What is currently the volume of domestic tourists to the state, and what are the projections one can expect without any additional focused marketing efforts. (maintaining the current level of activity) We will obtain the information about the month wise domestic tourists arrival from the Kerala state department personals and website. We will plot the seasonal pattern seen in the inflow of tourists for any two years. After doing a regression on the obtained statistics, we can get the results for domestic tourists inflow annually Data Collection Questionnaires: A questionnaire was designed to target tourists in and around major tourist spots in Kozhikode like Kappad Beach. Specific questions were asked in order to get the true picture of the situation and help to segment the data. For segmentation, we will use Cluster analysis on the set of data collected by the questionnaire. The questionnaire will try to focus on the interest of the tourists regarding the purpose of their visits, transportation mode convenient to them and their future plans to revisit the tourist destinations. Questionnaire we will be using is attached in the Appendix A. Focus Group Discussion: We will conduct a focus group discussion of about 10 people. These are students of IIM Kozhikode with keen interest in touring. These people want their vacations to be fun-filled, relaxing and rejuvenating, especially an escape from the hectic schedules and work stress. Demographically also they are similar with almost same age group and similar incomes. Moderator will ask them the questions about on what parameters they judge a tourist spot and regarding their opinions about the service and infrastructure facilities in the tourist spots they visited. Focus Group Discussion details are included in the Appendix B Qualitative Methods Since it is difficult to go far off places in kerala, we will be using the observation method in the qualitative method to be congruent with the research question. Data will be collected from the major tourist agencies, national tourism sites and state tourism centre which would help us analyse qualitatively the number of tourist that are visiting Kerala year after year. In case of survey regarding the tourist, the type of measurement scale used will depend on individual questions in the questionnaire. For example, to determine the major tourism places in kerala. Scaling is a method of changing attributes (a series of qualitative facts) into variables (a quantitative series). Ordinal scale will fit better for the purpose. For collecting data on the tourist preference, we will be using Likert scale to measure the responses. It will be used to determine the attitude of the tourist coming to India. Analysis Objective 1: To determine whether there is any change in the volume of inbound international tourists and what can be the expected projections in arrivals and growth rate Using the foreign tourist inflow data from Kerala Tourism department, we carried out a regression analysis in order to estimate the volume of international tourism in the near future. This would let us know the importance of the need to supplement domestic tourists with international tourists. The figures of the number of foreign tourists and the variance as compared to the previous year are shown in the table below:- YEAR Foreign Tourists Growth 2000 209933 3.8 2001 208830 -0.5 2002 232564 11.3 2003 294621 26.7 2004 345546 17.3 2005 346499 0.27 2006 428534 23.7 2007 515808 20.37 2008 598929 16.11 2009 549756 -8.2 From SPSS analysis for the above collected data. From Above SPSS Model, Eqn. will be Y= 46110*X + 119502 Here Y= No of Foreign Tourists in a particular year X=Year (we have taken value of x for year 2000 as 1 and subsequently for next year.) Using the above regression model we can predict the international tourists for the next five years as shown in following table. YEAR EXPECTED FOREIGN TOURISTS EXPECTED GROWTH (%) 2010 626712 13.99821 2011 672822 7.3574465 2012 718932 6.8532242 2013 765042 6.4136803 2014 811152 6.0271201 Objective 2: Is there any trend of decline in no. of International tourists arriving to the state. In order to find out the above objective we use hypothesis testing Null Hypothesis: Number of international tourists to Kerala is not decreasing. Alternate Hypothesis: Number of international tourists to Kerala is decreasing. From the simple linear regression we can see that the prediction for international tourists for the forthcoming years seem to decrease with 95% confidence and hence we accept the null hypothesis i.e. No. of international tourists to Kerala is not decreasing. Objective 3: What is currently the volume of domestic tourists to the state, and what are the projections one can expect without any additional focused marketing efforts. (maintaining the current level of activity) We obtained the information about the domestic tourists from the Kerala state department. The figures are as follows: Year Domestic Tourists Growth 2000 5013221 2.6 2001 5329692 4.5 2002 5568256 6.3 2003 5871228 5.4 2004 5972182 1.7 2005 5946423 -0.43 2006 6271724 5.47 2007 6642941 5.91 2008 7591250 14.27 2009 7789056 2.6 From Above SPSS Model, Eqn. will be Y= 287046*X + 4621000 Here Y= No of Domestic Tourists in a particular year X=Year (we have taken value of x for year 2000 as 1 and subsequently for next year.) Using the above regression model we can predict the international tourists for the next five years as shown in following table. YEAR EXPECTED DOMESTIC TOURISTS EXPECTED GROWTH(%) 2010 7778506 -0.1 2011 8065552 3.7 2012 8352598 3.6 2013 8639644 3.4 2014 8926690 3.3 Secondary data Collection: In order to obtain data, we took the help of online search for tourism data. We found that the number of tourists has been increasing. But the growth rate could have been more. The characteristics of the tourists have been seen to be urban based. They are young and employed. Primary Data collection: A questionnaire was designed to target specific groups of people in 4 Metros (Bangalore, Bombay, Delhi and Chennai) who are in job and also students of IIM Kozhikode. Specific questions were asked in order to get the true picture of the situation and help us to segment the data. Around 36 responses were obtained without missing values. The rest were separated out. Initially, we looked at 10 different attributes i.e. Shopping, Historical Importance, Weather, Hospitality, Relaxation, Connectivity, Events, Adventure, Proximity and Value for money. Respondents to the questionnaire were asked about their opinion regarding the attribute importance for any destination. Then we went on to do a Factor analysis to identify the most significant factors and their correlations. Using principle component analysis, we came down to following four significant factors. Factor 1-Characteristic culture: Hospitality, connectivity and adventure Factor 2-Costliness: Value for money (positive correlation), Events, proximity Factor 3-Climatic conditions: Weather, relaxation Factor 4-Historical significance: Historical Importance, Negatively related with Value for money Component Score Coefficient Matrx Compoent 1 2 3 4 Shopping 0.212 0.246 -0.039 0.241 Historical_Importance 0.015 -0.002 -0.033 0.656 Weather -0.208 -0.024 0.578 0.267 Hospitality 0.343 0.033 0.145 -0.022 Relaxation 0.079 -0.128 0.582 -0.18 Connectivity 0.335 0.053 -0.081 -0.086 Events 0.098 0.406 -0.166 0.021 Adventure -0.389 0.231 0.184 -0.187 Proximity -0.174 0.354 -0.108 0.143 Value_for_money 0.011 0.323 0.163 -0.351 For further segmentation, we used Cluster analysis on the set of data collected by the online questionnaire. The cluster variables were based on the demographics like income, age, employment status. Using Hierarchical clustering and between group linkage procedure, we looked at the coefficients in the agglomeration schedule and the dendogram to reach a cluster of size 2 and 3. Next we also looked at the frequency distributions in order to decide if the clusters are large enough. Finally, we arrived at 2 clusters. Cluster 1 Values Implication Mean employment 2.583 Post graduate and employee people Mean geographical location 1.655 North and South Indians Mean Marital status 1 single Age group 1.172 18-25 years Income 2.414 between 5-10 lacs Cluster 2 Values Implication Mean employment 2.571 No differentiation Mean geographical location 3.428 West and East Indians Mean Marital status 1.428 married and single Age group 1.571 18-25 years Income 2.143 between 5-10 lacs Analysis of the competition with other states: We considered the major tourist hotspots in India like Goa, Andaman Nicobar, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and the North-East to form an idea about the attributes that differentiate them. Using Multidimensional scaling we obtained the perceptual mapping of the states in terms of 4 different dimensions in two plots. As we can see from the above plot, Kerala has a distinct image If we look at crowd, Kerala and Goa are pretty similar. They pull decent number of similar kind of crowds to their destinations. Other attributes: Cost and connectivity, Andaman Nicobar and Lakhswadeep are different from Kerala in these two aspects. The plot below shows the Euclidean distance as observed from the dissimilarity matrix. The second MDS process was run to compare on other attributes like beaches, hillstations, and other location characteristics. The chart is shown in the following plot. Results- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It was found that Kerala differs in historical significance from Rajasthan à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In terms of scenic beauty Kerala is high up against Goa and the North-East Conclusion- Most people view Kerala to be a place of scenic beauty constituted by the Backwaters, beaches and Hills. From the above analysis, we can say that Kerala has a distinct competitive edge over other states and should capitalize on it by promoting its strengths. Kerala should look into the specific segments and target the young and fresh in jobs people. Media for Kerala: The awareness about Kerala was high and Internet and friends were the highest contributors. The plot below shows the results of the research (questionnaire). Internet and word-of-mouth spread of news constitute over half of the publicity Kerala receives. Recommendations Based on the findings we suggest the following communication strategy: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ More Media campaign should be there to highlight Keralas distinct image. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Internet should be used a powerful Communication channels à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ More focus should be on the North and South urban centers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leverage on existing customers to get new ones

Digital Film Technology Revolutionizes the Film Industry Essay

Digital Film Technology Revolutionizes the Film Industry       With the release of Star Wars: Episode I the Phantom Menace, in March of 1999, digital film technology officially filtered itself in to main-stream Hollywood. Digital film technology is the latest and probably most revolutionizing new technology to hit Hollywood.  Ã‚  The use of digital film allows for infinite editing capabilities and endless benefits to distribution and special effects.  Ã‚  The use of digital film allows for producers to add in extras, produce stunts, and even create false people with the click of a mouse.  Ã‚  Time and cost consuming stunts, stunt doubles, and actors may no longer be a worthy concern to producers and their budgets.  Ã‚  Though the growing popularity of digital film technology gradually replaces these actors and on-screen jobs, this new technology is actually creating more jobs than it destroys.  Ã‚   The use of digital film first began to make it’s way into Hollywood in special effects scenes.  Ã‚  For example, in Forest Gump, released in 1994 by Paramount Pictures, a few scenes are enhanced with this technology. In a scene which actor Gary Senise loses his legs, producer Robert Zemeckis did his best to manipulate the film to show the actor with no legs. Using digital film technology, visual effects supervisor, Ken Ralston explains how they mastered this technique. Ralston explains, ‘Gary looked like he had no legs because we eliminated them. We had Gary wear blue screen stockings over his feet and lower legs that tucked into the ends of his pants. We did blank plate passes of each location to add a back to the information Fary’s lower legs clocked. After we removed his lower legs, we did some 3-D work and added shadows to m... ...nd film. While digital technology revolutionizes the film industry, the film industry’s job market is also revolutionizing.  Ã‚  The few jobs lost from taking a fall out a window, or walking down a street will be replaced by business and technology jobs related to digital film. New jobs will arise from switching to a digital format. The changes spurred by digital film technology and digital projection are mostly positive. This transition will be a benefit to Hollywood, and the mainstream business world.    Works Cited Chinnock, Chris. â€Å"Lights! Camera! Action! It’s the Dawn of the Digital Cinema†. Electronic Design.. Aug 9, 1999    Cringley, Robert. â€Å"Hollywood Goes Digital†. Forbes. 12/7/92. McQuire, Scott. â€Å"Digital Dialects: The Paradox of Cinema in a Studio without Walls†. . Historical Journal of Film. Aug 99