Current Events in Business Research Essay Example for Free

Current Events in Business Research Essay INTRODUCTION There are six basic stages to the research process. Stage 1 is clarifying the research question. This would be the process in identifying the problem that is prompting the research. Stage 2 is proposing research, which would be the act of identifying the resources necessary to do the research. The third stage is designing the research project, or deciding which method to use to gather the information. Stage 4 involves data collection and preparation, which is gathering the data and making it ready to be evaluated. Stage 5 would be the data analysis and interpretation stage. Stage 5 is defining what the data is saying about the problem. The final stage, stage 6 is reporting the results. This is breaking down the interpretation into a presentation that shows the meaning of the data collected. (Cooper Schindler, 2014) This is the process used by Paramount Pictures recently when it was in contract negotiations with the DVD rental company, Redbox. THE DILEMMA As the major Hollywood studios took sides for and against Redbox, Paramount Pictures was staying neutral. The studio had signed a first-of-its-kind trial deal guaranteeing that its titles will be available from the fast-growing $1-a-night DVD rental company through the end of the year. During that time, Paramount would study the effect of Redbox rentals on its total home-entertainment revenue, examining whether there is any decrease in the sales of its DVDs at stores that house Redbox kiosks. Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount would have the option at the end of the year to trigger a five-year deal with Redbox similar to ones recently struck with  competitors Sony Pictures and Lionsgate. The estimated value of the agreement was $575 million. Redbox President Mitch Lowe agreed because Paramount movies performed better at the box office that year. A Paramount agreement would give the studio a share of rental revenue, meaning it could earn more than $575 million if its movies prove popular. Sony and Lionsgate are selling their discs wholesale to Redbox. Though it doesnt have a formal deal with the company, Walt Disney Studios allows its wholesalers to sell discs to Redbox as well. (Fritz, 2009) There has been a lot of debate in the industry about the impact Redbox is having and will have, and we felt the best way to make a decision is by getting the information, said Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore. Then we can make an informed decision based on what we will have learned over the next four months. Guaranteed access to Paramount’s movies was important for Redbox. The studio released two of that summers biggest movies, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Star Trek.(Fritz, 2009) A movie that plays well in the theaters tends to do well when it is available to rent. Rental revenue could also provide a much-needed boost to the bottom line of Paramount. Lowe said he was confident that providing detailed data to Paramount would help resolve the heated disputes in Hollywood about his companys effect on the entertainment business. Lowe has previously said his companys research found that DVD sales dropped less than 1% in stores that installed a Redbox kiosk. Many studios do their own analysis that we know is not as reliable and is aimed at coming to the answer they want to hear, he said. We find that when we can form a relationship with a studio and share real data, it results in a positive step forward. Moore said he hadnt reached any definitive conclusions as to what steps he would take if the data showed that Redbox rentals do in fact reduce overall revenue. So, the dilemma that Paramount has is whether or not partnering with Redbox will reduce its sales income more than it will increase its rental revenue. THE PROCESS Paramount and Redbox did the research to determine whether or not rentals available the same day to buy decreased the sales revenue any more or less than those studios who decided to wait 28 days to make them available. Despite some content executives recently having touted the benefits of a  28-day window for DVD titles, Coinstar Inc.’s CEO Paul Davis said the companys own research showed Redbox Automated Retail LLC kiosks have a minimal impact on DVD sales. We did a major study, a little over a year ago, with a major studio and a major retailer and we found that the impact on new product sales as a result of our $1-a-night being out there, day and date, was less than 1%, Redbox worked closely with Paramount, and they did a lot of testing as well, and the fact that they decided to go with day and date (of release) I think speaks volumes.(James, 2010) CONCLUSION After reviewing the data collected by themselves and Redbox in 2009, Paramount Pictures made their decision. In June, 2010, Paramount exercised its option to extend its revenue-sharing license agreement with Redbox, which gives Redbox access to Paramount’s newly released DVDs and Blu-ray titles on the same day they are released in the sell-through market. Paramount’s extended agreement with Redbox runs until the end of 2014, though the studio will had the option to terminate the agreement early at the end of 2011. (James, 2010) As a result of the research, Davis thought that studios that have the 28-day window might opt to tweak their Redbox agreements to get certain DVD titles out for rental sooner. Especially as more and more data gets out there and as the studios that have opted for the 28-day window, as they have a year or so to look at the data, see how its impacted their new product sales it could move that we get some titles earlier, he said.(James, 2010) The process that Paramount and Redbox used, and the data they collected, could prove to be useful data to the other studios as to whether or not they should wait the 28 days. Reference Cooper, D. R., Schindler, P. S. (2014). Business Research Methods (12th ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. Fritz, B. (2009, Aug 26). COMPANY TOWN; paramount to give redbox a spin. Los Angeles Times Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/422289074?accountid=458 James, S. B. (2010). Impact of day-and-date redbox rentals on DVD sales less than 1%. SNL Kagan Media Communications Report, Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/869743836?accountid=458

How the Relation of the Camera to the Real is Problematized in The Thin

How the Relation of the Camera to the Real is Problematized in â€Å"The Thin Blue Line† and â€Å"Yuki Yukite Shingun† Documentary films can include every type of discourse about the real world. The accomplishments of nonfiction film are derived from more than the stereotypical edited interview segment, and recently have been a totality that is useful as much for showing reality as it is for expressing the creative visions of its director. It is possible for the most extrinsic implications to be presented in a way that reflects individual systemics and personal expression. The innovation of a nonfiction work can legitimize many techniques that were previously unused and will ultimately provide countless new ways of exploring social and historical issues. The examination of these issues using different visual styles leads to the methodical questioning of the degree of truth that surrounds each individual style. For nonfiction cinema, the epistemological virtue exists within the relation of what is filmed and what truly is real. In an inspection of The Thin Blue Line and Yuki Yukite Shingun, the relation between the camera and the real is problematized by both films’ intentional reversal of presentational truths, the awareness of the camera, the staging or reenacting of real events with actors, and the addition of graphical or aural stylistic elements. The Thin Blue Line was directed by Errol Morris in 1988. It is the retelling of a story of two men that meet by chance in Dallas, one of whom later kills a police officer. The facts are chronicled through a series of interview segments and supplemented by various reenactments, striking visual images, and a repetitive, captivating musical accompaniment. The images presen... ...ing of real events with actors, and the addition of graphical or aural stylistic elements. As presented in The Thin Blue Line and Yuki Yukite Shingun, these elements are important to the originality of their overall films and have the effect of problematizing the relation between the camera and what is real. Sources Cited Bruzzi, Stella. New Documentary: A Critical Introduction. New York, NY: Routledge Publishing, 2000. MacDonald, Scott. A Critical Cinema 3: Interviews with Independent Filmmakers. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1998. Plantinga, Carl R. Rhetoric and Representation in Nonfiction Film. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Renov, Michael. Theorizing Documentary. New York, NY: Routledge Publishing, 1993. Ruoff, Kenneth. Filming at the Margins: The Documentaries of Hara Kazuo. Iconics 16 (Spring 1993): 115-126.

Est1 Task 2

Welcome to Shine Sun Tan! We are so excited that you have made the decision to join our team! We have the brightest stars in the business and are so happy you have chosen to shine with us! Here at Shine Sun Tan we are not only dedicated to our clients but also our employees. We strive to provide our employees with a positive, pleasant, and fun work atmosphere. We believe if our employees are happy and taken care of, then they will do the same for our clients. In order for us to remain the best in the business we must follow a few guidelines and procedures set by Shine Sun Tan.Please take a moment to read over our Ethics Program as this will be knowledge you will use on a daily basis here at Shine! A. Standards and Procedures Code of Ethics: The principles of the Shine Sun Tan Code of Ethics are expressed in a broad manner as a guide to ethical decision making. 1. Appearance: We will always arrive at work in our proper uniform (Shine Sun Tan t-shirt and jeans or shorts) and be ready t o work. Your jeans or shorts should not have holes, and shorts should come to the tip of your fingers in length. We will arrive to work put together and clean. 2.Respect: We will always provide the highest level of respect to clients and co-workers. 3. Trustworthy: We will always be dependable, honest, and have always a â€Å"due the right thing† mind set. 4. Responsible: We will always keep in mind that this is a business and we must do what is right for the business and its clients. This includes but is not limited to attending all scheduled shifts, being on time for shifts, and working while on the clock. 5. Fairness: We will always treat all co-workers and clients equally without regards to age, sex, race, religion, nation origin, and sexual preference. 6.Citizenship: We will always show good character as well as a positive attitude. 7. Caring: We will always show a caring nature when it comes to co-workers and clients. All employees must follow these principles at all ti mes. If the need arises to report a violation of Shine Sun Tan’s principles please let your store manager, district manager, or Alisha Johnson, our ethics officer know immediately. Your store manager and district manager’s contact information will be always be available in your manager office and in your store break room. Our ethics officer may be reached at [email  protected] om or 789-456-0123. You may also call our Ethics Hotline anonymously which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 888-123-4567. If any employee is found to be violating our principles, after a full investigation (when necessary) the consequences will result in a verbal warning, a written warning, a counseling, or possible termination. B. Training Shine Sun Tan will hold quarterly training sessions. The training sessions will be held the last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of the month for the months of March, June, September, and December.Everyone who is currently employed with Shine Su n Tan at the time of each training session will be required to attend one session. Each employee will be assigned to either the Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday training session. Shine Sun Tan’s training sessions are conducted by Alisha Johnson whom is our ethics officer. Each training session will be a full 8 hour work day and will include a catered lunch. The training material will be delivered by PowerPoint slide shows narrated by Alisha Johnson as well as guest speakers.Each training will cover various different topics, however we will always go over our 3 most important topics relevant to our business. 1. New and changing tanning laws and regulations 2. Workplace Safety 3. Tips on the newest ways to enroll new members and sell products In addition to these 3 most important topics, we will generally also cover new products, recommendations for tanning safety, tanning bed news, and a variety of other topics. However, we will also always be open for discussion so please alway s bring your questions for our Q&A for the last hour of each training session.We look forward to seeing you! C. Employee Misconduct 1. Employees will be expected to act in a professional manner at all times. Although, here at Shine Sun Tan we promote a fun work atmosphere, we must always remember that our clients and work duties must always be taken care of first and in a professional manner. You are the first line of defense in measuring your own conduct and preventing any misconduct from taking place. If the defense towards misconduct starts within you, and you are doing the right thing and acting professionally then we as a whole should be able to avoid wrong doings or misconduct.Your store manager, assistant manager, and even fellow co-workers will also be monitoring your conduct, so make sure you are always doing the right thing. Doing the right thing consist of but is not limited to working when on the clock, giving clients truthful information about packages and products, sel ling clients packages and products that are best for them (not what is best for your commission), following tanning laws and regulations, and always following Shine Sun Tan’s Ethics Code. Not following these rules set forth by Shine Sun Tan will be considered employee misconduct and could result in serious consequences. . To ensure that all employees are always doing the right thing and have good conduct Shine Sun Tan will participate in a Secret Shopper Program. This program has been set up to audit and monitor our stores and employees on a regular basis. Corporate employees from our Secret Shopper Team will regularly visit our salons. These secret shoppers will come in a minimum of twice a week on a weekly basis to sign up for new tanning packages, tan, buy products, ask questions, and sometimes act as upset, unruly clients.You will never know who our secret shoppers are, as we will have multiple different ones and they will always act as a normal customer. This Secret Shop per Program has been put in place so that not only can managers, assistant managers, and fellow employee monitor employee conduct but so can corporate employees. By having this Secret Shopper Program in place we feel that it will encourage our employees to always be on their best behavior and always do the right thing in every situation. 3. In the event that employee misconduct is found to be taking place you must report it to a manager immediately.The manager will then have you fill out a report about what you witnessed. This report will be kept anonymous and will be turned in to the corporate office for further investigation. If you do not feel comfortable going to a manager or a manager is not available, you may report misconduct to your district manager or our Ethics officer. If you wish to remain completely anonymous or feel more comfortable reporting by telephone you may do this as well. You can call our Ethics Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 888-123-4567. D. Evaluate and ImproveShine Sun Tan is always looking for ways to evaluate and improve our business practices and procedures. This even includes evaluating the effectiveness of our Ethics Program. We will have four procedures put in place to help us evaluate our program. 1. We will provide clients with survey cards for each visit which they have the option to fill out. These cards will ask our clients to rate our salon staff on a scale of 1-10 on their appearance (are the in uniform and presentable), level of respect, trustworthiness, responsibility, fairness, citizenship, and caring nature. 2.Our Secret Shopper Team will also complete survey cards for each of their visits. These surveys will not only include the same as the customer surveys but they will also include a more detailed experience about their time spent at the salon and about the person or persons they dealt directly with each time. 3. Your manager or direct supervisor will complete monthly reviews on your performance. These per formance reviews will largely include your ethical understanding of Shine Sun Tan ethics program and how you display your knowledge and understanding of it in your daily work. . Employee question and suggestion box. Suggestions and questions will be taken into consideration and will be addressed at our monthly Ethics meeting. On the last day of each month after these evaluations are completed for that month we will collect the surveys, questions, and suggestions. Management will then compile a list of what we are doing well, what improvements are needed, and what suggestions and questions need to be addressed.We will then hold a managers meeting on the first Wednesday of every month so that we can establish ways to improve our program and how to implement the improvements. Each manager will then hold store meetings with their employees the next day to discuss answers to questions and let their employees know what changes and improvements will be made. Thank you so much for reading S hine Sun Tan’s Ethics Program. Once again, we are so excited that you have made the choice to join our team and we look forward to being a part of your journey here at Shine Sun Tan! We look forward to seeing you Shine!

Creating a Sustainable Environment Essay

The terms Sustainable and Sustainability are used to describe many different approaches toward improving our way of life. Sustainability is a way to develop the environment without harming it, creating a system that keeps its self-feasible for future needs. Thus, sustainability means taking the long-term view of how our actions affect future generations and making sure we do not deplete resources or cause pollution at rates faster than the earth is able to renew them. Hence, if sustainability is enforced and took in action it will create a world where everyone can have fulfilling lives and enjoy a rich level of well-being within the limits of what nature can provide. Nowadays, there are many lifestyle trends that are rapidly damaging the environment and which are not sustainable. The main three lifestyle trends I am focusing on are; Children’s toys, entertainment focusing on cinema and pubs/clubs and office work environment. These lifestyle trends have a lot of unsustainable factors that can be changed and improved till year 2020. It is important that from a young age children will be taught the values of sustainability because they will inherit the world that we create today. Therefore, the stuff given to them should not damage the environment. Today there is the possibility to make sure that children’s playthings are green and healthy. Finding sustainable and less toxic toys for children is important since it can do well both for children and the environment. When buying toys it is important to look for PVC-free toys (polyvinyl chloride). PVC releases toxins into the environment all the way through its lifecycle from manufacturing to disposal. Many PVC toys also contain, chemical compounds that make the PVC plastic more flexible, which can lead to both cancer and hormonal disruption. Therefore, when choosing PVC-Free toys one will not only be sustainable but will prevent children from hazardous toxins. A better and safer alternative is to choose toys made from wood since, they are more sustainable and most importantly will last generations longer than the cheap plastic stuff. Batteries have become second nature in most toys today. Not only this is harmful for the environment due to massive battery consumption but also easily children can chew batteries which are toxic. Hence, one can easily replace these battery-powered toys by simpler toys which still are of an entertainment and fun. Furthermore, these would be cheaper and sustainable. However, for the older children that have more sense and always look for original and new toys which have the latest electronics, one should opt to look into rechargeable batteries to eliminate waste. Sometimes the most rewarding toy might not be a toy at all it might be the act of planting a tree, play catch or hide and seek. Getting children outside provides them with abundant opportunities to run around, have fun, get exercise, and learn about th e urban and natural environments around them. Outdoors needs to get revived again and children should be given the opportunity to play and enjoy more outdoors activities. Another way of being sustainable is by buying Second-hand toys because it does not mean that when a toy has been used once it would not be just as much fun the second time around. Thus, this will decrease the waist of toys which sometimes are hardly used or damaged, also these would be cheaper and one will be more sustainable. Additionally, for children sometimes is not what’s in the box but it is the box! Sometimes it is the stuff that one already has that can prove the most fun to imaginative children. Therefore before throwing the box from that new toy away, think of it as a potential arts and crafts project instead. These factors are really important and not such difficult to practice and understand. These simple adjustments are both beneficial for children and the environment itself. Moreover, the children will be grown up in well sustainable grounding and mentality. Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment may also provide fun, enjoyment and laughter. However, it is still important to be aware of a more sustainable entertainment environment. Thus, the challenge is to create good entertainment that sustains an audience and it is sustainable. Looking at the cinema industry there are so many things that go to waste that can be easily used more than once. Starting from when one arrives at the cinema each person that pays gets a ticket, why not making it a stamp on our hand to prove that we have paid therefore, this will eliminate the use of all those paper usage every day. Furthermore, when buying snacks a lot of packaging material is used, normally it would consist of paper and plastic which are all thrown away after usage since, most of them are not good to be recycled due to certain chemicals that are present. What a waste! So let’s entre a new cinema trend instead of a paper bucket or cups let’s replace them with plastic bowl and cups, which remains in the cinema to be reused. Why Plastic? Plastic is more safe, to prevent broken glass on the floor and since people themselves has to walk with them it will prevent certain accidents. This will be more sustainable due to less of waste and even less expenses since one will diminish the cost of buying so much packaging every year. Looking and the pubs/clubs sector one has no idea how unsustainable they are. From my own experience I work in this industry and therefore know a lot of what goes on. From the bar itself the amount of plastic thrown away every night is crazy. Why this? For safety purposes drinks are given in plastic cups to prevent having a lot of injuries during fights. However, these cups are not reused or recycled thus a plastic cup is only used for a couple of minutes and then thrown away. Therefore, replacing them with solid plastic cups which can be washed during the night and reused again is a better option which is more sustainable, more environmentally friendly and cheaper on the long run. Moreover, a lot of empty plastic bottles of soft drinks and glass bottles of alcohol and beers are thrown away in the same bin without recycling them, which is a pity because one only needs two separate bins to do so. Additionally a lot of paper made tickets are given when paying beforehand for parties. Yes, giving a ticket is the best way to prevent hassle and chaos when entering the club however, the size of the ticket sometimes is too much! Since, sometimes one can actually make three tickets from the size of the normal ticket that is normally given nowadays. If minimizing the size of the tickets one will decrease the amount of paper usage every night. Moreover, a lot of fliers are used to market other parties, fair enough marketing is important however, printing thousands of fliers and not even using half of them is a waist. Today, one can market their party through facebook, internet and even automatic mobile messages, this will decrease the amount of fliers printed which is more sustainable. What about noise pollution? The sound at the clubs is set at a very high volume that one cannot even talk to someone else because it will be impossible to understand one another. Noise pollution has an effect on our health, the extra sound can damage physiological and psychological health. Noise pollution can cause annoyance and aggression, hypertension, high stress levels, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects. Then there are certain factors that can be adopted in both sectors, both in the cinema industry and the club/pubs environment. For example focusing on the bathrooms, automatic sensors can be fixed to switch on the light when entering and then switch off when no one is present. Even automatic water turn off devices can be installed to prevent water loss. Additionally, electric hand dryers with automatic turn-off system are good to prevent the use of disposable paper towels. Furthermore, it is good to use water pressure system to save water and energy by adding a water saving device for water taps in wash hands basins to decrease the consumption of water usage. These all are changes which can make a better sustainable environment. Increasing awareness on the work place about sustainable principles can encourage workers to implement sustainability principles into their own personal practices and beyond. There are also sustainable factors that can be adopted till 2020 in an office work environment. Such as using electronic mail to send memos, or route memos to staff members rather than making a paper copy for each person. One can use reused envelops for internal mail. Moreover, is better to do direct deposit instead of making a paycheque every time. Furthermore, it is essential to have a photo copier that makes double sided copies to minimize the amount of paper used every day. Also, cleaning shell be done within office hours rather than at other times which this would require lighting and air conditioning to remain on. It is also vital to encourage employees to bring their own washable mugs to work rather to use disposable cups. Also having a thermos for beverages is a good practice to decrease the use of energy daily. Additionally, it is better to use reusable containers rather than cover launches in plastic or disposable paper bags. It is also good to use a reusable cloth then disposable tissue every time one needs to wipe his/her hands. This will result to a better sustainable environment and less expenses since, an object is used consequently rather used once and then thrown away. These mentioned above are all practices that can be adopted in the future which can make the world more sustainable. If from now people will change their mentality and get more informed how to become more sustainable in 2020 people will be able to live a healthier life, a life where less money is spent, a life which helps build stronger relationship between them and their neighbours, and a life which helps protect, conserve or improve the natural environment. Children are the future, so teaching them sustainability is essential to the well-being of the planet. As a Home Economics and Textile studies teacher it is important to teach students that everything on this earth is related and demonstrated by their behaviours and actions that affect the environment. By teaching students the importance of sustainability, they will be empowered and be more convinced that even they are capable of making a difference. Moreover, in order to make students aware of the importance of sustainability, as a teacher I have to make them aware of the consequences of their actions and decisions taken know and the affect it would have in the future on the environment. Furthermore, it is important to teach students how their daily decisions can affect their ecological footprint so that they make more conscious decisions to boost the sustainability of their lifestyle. Home Economics gives the opportunity to the teacher to entre deeply in the topic (sustainability) therefore it gives us the opportunity to teach and show students the importance of sustainability and build more awareness and knowledge on the meaning and the term sustainability. Furthermore, as a teacher I can show students that being sustainable is not something that require a lot of work but only require some thought. Additionally, show students that we can be sustainable in everything that we do in our life, example trough textile studies I can encourage students to use recycled fabric and teach them how to sew simple things example; repair a zip, make patches to holes, these will prevent from throwing clothes away when little adjustments is required. Therefore it is essential that awareness and education will increase to enhance sustainability. Moreover, encouraging and stimulating good practice in the use and management of natural resources, in particular their minimal use and maximum reuse by recycling in an environmentally sustainable manner is a vital issue. Hence, Education is an essential tool for achieving sustainability.

Free Essays on History Of Straight Edge

straight edge into a song will attract a whole group of people, young and old alike. If the music doesn’t stand up to the expectations, howe... Free Essays on History Of Straight Edge Free Essays on History Of Straight Edge In the midst of the drug-infested punk rock underground scene of Washington, D.C. in the early 1980’s, a band called â€Å"Minor Threat† emerged. They would prove to be a great threat to the drug world. the lead singer, Ian MacKaye, would start a revolution that is still present to this day. The revolution would be coined â€Å"Straight Edge† by the song Minor Threat composed of the same name. The whole idea of straight edge would be to lead a clean lifestyle of no drugs, no drinking alcohol, and no sex without love. In the 12 years since the expiration of Minor Threat, the ideas of straight edge are still going strong in today’s punk scene and beyond. The key to the growing of the revolution is young men and women’s disgust with society’s ailments. Even though the original beliefs are still strong, the modern hard-core straight edge person is a vegetarian the abstains from caffeine and takes an interest in both political and environmental issues. As straight edge was reaching its apex in the mid 1980’s, it was also reaching a level of extreme hostility. The reason is was being fought against was because it seemed that a war was starting between the straight edge people and the people who violated the ideas of straight edge. Many people were fighting against straight edge because of its harsh intolerance to substance use and abuse. the music of straight edge has been nearly the only way the word has been spread around over the years. There are several hundreds, if not thousands, of bands that call themselves â€Å"straight edge bands†. As with â€Å"rock and roll†, â€Å"punk† and â€Å"hard-core† music, straight edge has its own brand of music. Although mostly heard as merely incoherent screaming and profanity, it has a much deeper meaning. Merely incorporating the words straight edge into a song will attract a whole group of people, young and old alike. If the music doesn’t stand up to the expectations, howe...

Facts About Soft Coral (Octocorals)

Facts About Soft Coral (Octocorals) Soft corals refer to the organisms in the class Octocorallia, which includes gorgonians, sea fans, sea pens, sea feathers, and blue corals. These corals have a flexible, sometimes leathery, appearance. Although many resemble plants, they are actually animals. Soft corals are colonial organisms, which means they are formed of colonies of polyps. The polyps of soft corals have eight feathery tentacles, which is why they are also known as octocorals. One way to tell the difference between soft corals and hard (stony) corals is that the polyps of hard corals have six tentacles, which are not feathery. Here are some stony coral characteristics, with some of the key differences with soft corals identified: They have polyps that secrete a cup (calyx or calice) in which they live. The polyps of soft corals usually have feathery tentacles.They may harbor zooxanthellae, algae that live within coral polyps and can produce brilliant colors. Others may be colored by bright pink, blue or purple pigmentation.They may contain spikes called sclerites, which are made of calcium carbonate and protein, and are located within a jelly-like tissue called coenenchyme. This tissue lies between the polyps and contains canals called solenia, which transport fluids between the polyps. In addition to providing structure to the coral and protection from predators, the shape and orientation of the sclerites can be used to identify coral species.They have an inner core made out of a protein called gorgonin.They may have a variety of shapes, including fan-like, whip-like or feather-like, or even leathery or encrusting. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: CnidariaClass: AnthozoaSubclass: OctocoralliaOrders:Alcyonacea (the horny corals, also known as the gorgonians, sea fans and sea feathers)Helioporacea (blue corals)Pennatulacea (sea pens) Habitat and Distribution Soft corals are found worldwide, primarily in tropical or subtropical waters. Soft corals do not produce reefs but may live on them. They may also be found in the deep sea. Feeding and Diet Soft corals may feed during the night or day. They use their nematocysts (stinging cells) to sting passing plankton or other small organisms, which they pass to their mouth. Reproduction Soft corals can reproduce both sexually and asexually. Asexual reproduction occurs by budding when a new polyp grows out of an existing polyp. Sexual reproduction occurs either when sperm and eggs are released in a mass spawning event, or by brooding, when only sperm are released, and these are captured by female polyps with eggs. Once the egg is fertilized, a larva is produced and eventually settles to the bottom. Conservation and Human Uses Soft corals may be harvested for use in aquariums. Wild soft corals may also attract tourism in the form of dive and snorkeling operations. Compounds within the tissues of soft corals may be used for medicines. Threats include human disturbance (through humans stepping on corals or dropping anchors on them), overharvesting, pollution, and habitat destruction. Examples of Soft Corals Soft coral species include: Dead Mans Fingers (Alcyonium digitatum)Sea FansSea Pens Sources and Further Reading GBR Explorer. Soft Corals. ReefED.NOAA. Coral Anatomy and Structure. NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program.Simpson, A. 2009. Reproduction in Octocorals (Subclass Octocorallia): A Review of Published Literature. Version 16 July 2009. In Deep-Sea Corals Portal.South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Octocoral Morphology.Tan, Ria. 2008. Soft Corals. Wild Fact Sheets.Wet Web Media. The Soft Corals, Order Alcyonacea; Use In Marine Aquariums.

Travel Agency Sector in the United Kingdom Essay

Travel Agency Sector in the United Kingdom - Essay Example The barriers to market entry in the travel agency sector are low, therefore, increasing the intensity of the competition. Most travel agents are shifting their marketing to online bookings in order to remain competitive. In 2013, the penetration of in-store bookings fell from 25 percent to 18 percent from the previous year (www.store.mintel.com). The agencies are facing numerous challenges due to an increase in mobile internet penetration. The two leading travel agencies in the UK are TUI Travel plc and Thomas Cook Group plc. Thomas Cook travel agency is one of the leading UK-based travel agencies, and it is also listed on the London Stock Exchange. The agency owns a number of tour operators and charter airlines in the United Kingdom. The agency also extends its presence to Belgium and the Scandinavian countries. It is also the owner of Condor (scheduled airline) and Hotels4u (booking website). Currently, Thomas Cook has a customer base of 19.1 million and 32,722 employees making it the second largest travel agency in Europe and the UK. Thomas Cook ranks second after TUI UK Limited, which has 4,644,025 passengers licensed (CAA 2015). This Group attributes its growth to the introduction of new products and its winter sun initiatives (Thomas Cook 2015, p. 1). Table 1 shows the overall performance of Thomas Cook for the two-year period. TUI Travel plc is the leading travel services provider in the United Kingdom. The Group offers high-quality travel services to its 30 million customers in 31 major source markets. These services include flight bookings and the entire holiday services (TUI Travel plc 2014). Despite the high competition in the travel industry, TUI Travel plc recorded an underlying operating growth profit of 11 percent at constant current rates (TUI Travel plc 2014, p. 1).  Ã‚