Tourism Case Study

by admin | Mar 21, 2023 | Uncategorized

Visitor & Destination Management Plan: Greenwich Town Centre Case Study
Executive Summary
Tourism is defined as the activity of persons moving from one place to another, naturally beyond their usual place, for the purpose relaxation, business and other purposes. Thus, a tourist can be said to be the person who moves, stays and visits a place for the purpose of deriving pleasure.

Tourism has become a diverse industry in our economy, due to the range of the economic opportunities that it provides to the society at large (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 341). The management of visitors has increasingly become an important issue in tourism destination. Greenwich, having attained a world heritage site status, has seen significant growth in the number of visitors.

This has been attributed to the diverse use of time in the society, the ability to travel at reasonable cost, and the extensive media publicity given to Greenwich as a tourist destination. The market is also reported to have matured; this has made tourists to be more discerning, and they have great expectations regarding access to such destinations. This has created pressure on the destination, prompting the need for visitor management (Flanagan 2002, p. 23).

The dilemma associated with visitor management, is the one demanding a balance of tourist interests on one hand, and the provision of education and recreational opportunities for the members of the public. On the other hand, it is important to note that visitors expose the destination, to a range of harmful risks and particularly to the artifacts.

Tourism is associated with overcrowding, congestion at specific bottlenecks, and the physical stress on sensitive parts of the site. It is therefore important to have a visitor management mechanism, which best controls the visitors, by balancing the interests of the tourists with those required for safeguarding and managing the tourist destinations (Morgan et al. 2004, p. 43).

There is need to examine the various approaches that have been applied in the management of tourism, in order to facilitate good management of the increased levels of tourist visitation. Tourism is said to be an irregular movement, and this calls for appropriate management strategies. The potential of Greenwich as a tourist destination is high, and an effective management plan has to be developed.

The development of an effective management plan demands a good documentation for the facilitation of development of the appropriate infrastructures (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 51). In addition to this, detailed policies are important. The management plans helps in the maintenance of the tourist destination and management of the visitors.

The management of visitors includes their safety as well as the accessibility of the destination by the visitors, and particularly the disabled. There is also need to manage aiding and interpretation of the tourist destination to the visitors, through the use of the tour guides, booklets that create a synopsis of the tour destination, and other information boards (Howie 2003, p. 178).

Problem Statement
Greenwich is a world heritage site and the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site Steering Group is responsible for the management of the site. The site has demonstrated effective partnership with both the public and private sectors in terms of service delivery and other management plans. The Greenwich town was established and managed on the voluntary basis, and this makes it a unique approach in regard to destination management.

The management of the Greenwich tourist site developed this management approach after the World Heritage Site Marketing Group failed to finance the management of the site, due to lack of funding. The priorities were set in terms of collaboration in the setting and developing of annual marketing schedules, between the stakeholders of the destination.

This explains the fact that the activities of the Steering Group are facilitated and co-ordinate by the council on behalf of the partners. This management feature has made Greenwich Town a unique case, and it was selected as an appropriate destination (Flanagan 2002, p. 202).

This paper seeks to identify the key organizations that are involved in the management of the Greenwich tourism. The paper also seeks to draw an analysis of the management strategies of the Greenwich town as a tourist destination. This paper will draw an analysis of Greenwich as a tourist destination, and the key features in appealing to visitors.

In addition, the paper will draw an analysis of key issues facing the destination. This will include the experience of the visitors. These issues will be developed in accordance with the SWOT/PEST principles. The appropriate recommendations will be considered as likely to promote sustainable approach to the provision of quality visitor experience (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 254).

Analysis and Evaluation
Greenwich as an Appropriate Destination
Greenwich is a World Heritage Site and also home of Greenwich Mean Time as well as the meridian time. These are famous landmarks in addition to the National maritime museum and the royal observatory. The Christopher Wren’s Old Royal Naval College is also placed within the Greenwich Town.

There are also other attraction features which make Greenwich a suitable destination for many. There is a park which allows tourists to walk and experience the hospitality of the place. There are restaurants, shops that are excellent, quite and independent. There are also friendly staffs that enhance the hospitality industry in Greenwich. A lot of information is provided to the tourists and this helps tourists in keeping them abreast with events at the events which are either sporting events or entertainment events (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 89).

Greenwich town is about 20 minutes from London and is accessible through the Docklands Light Railway, rail, tube, river boat or bus. The tourists have access to the map and this helps them to find their way around the various attraction sites, accommodation facilities and other social facilities.

Greenwich is an appropriate destination that has various strengths; the fact that it is a World Heritage Site makes it an appropriate destination for tourists. Many people around the globe appreciate a lot of history that is related to artifacts that are available within the Greenwich Town (Howie 2003, p. 178).

The fact that Greenwich is a UNESCO World Heritage Site means that it is an endangered tourist destination and this could mean that the future prospect of its development is at a threat. There is limited development that should be done to the facilities that are available in the World Heritage site to retain the historical value of these facilities.

This is because such facility should not be modified or developed because this would change their value. This makes them vulnerable to due to exposure to tourism and environment changes. The fact that the destination has the status of a World Heritage Site makes it popular among tourists, this creates a lot of pressure on the resources and it is a challenge to manage the tourist population (Flanagan 2002, p. 77).

There are various opportunities that are associated with the Greenwich Town. This means that a lot of economic gains are made from the many tourists who visit this destination. There are direct gains to the management of the site as a result of the revenues that are realized from the fees that tourists pay.

It also facilitates the existence of a sound investment environment, the members of the community benefit through direct and indirect investment that is facilitated by the tourism sector. There are threats associated with the management of Greenwich and particularly the management of tourist, irregular visits and this means that the tourists’ number may be high during certain seasons. This demands good management strategies that ensure that the tourists get the benefit of visiting the destination.

There is the challenge of providing security measures that ensures that tourists are safe and secure. There is need to provide enough tour guides who provide assistance to the tourists. Tourists also cause a threat to the artifacts at the heritage site. There is need to ensure that the historical value of the tourist destination is maintained.

The management of the Greenwich Town is under the council and the steering group. The marketing plan is run by the organizations, this exposes it to political controls and this brings in the issue of political factor (Laws 1995, p. 48).

The payment of taxes to the government, laws regarding the employment of staffs, environmental regulations that are associated with its management, there are also other trade restrictions that are applied by the government regarding the issues of human traffic and the political stability of the country and this has greatly been affected by the development of terrorism.

The world is also experiencing challenges that are economical in nature and Greenwich is not spared. The issue of growth of certain economies, variation of interest rates and the exchange rates that has been attributed to inflation.

The influence of the British Empire makes many common law states to identify with the Greenwich, tourist across the globe wish to identify with the many features that are found in Greenwich. There are challenges that are associated with this issue, health concerns, the population of tourists is overwhelming and this challenges the safety of the town and owing to the fact that different tourists have their own attitude which may not be easily pointed out.

There is a lot of technological development in the world. Greenwich is a well automated tourist destination and this makes it accessible. The marketing of tourism in Greenwich has also been changed through advertising and online marketing. There are also legal issues that are involved in the management of Greenwich as a tourist destination. These includes health laws, consumer related laws, traffic laws among others (Flanagan 2002, p. 142).

The Identification of Key Organizations Involved in the Management of Greenwich as a Tourist Destination and their influence in it
The Steering Group and the World Heritage Site Marketing Group are responsible for the management of Greenwich. The World Heritage Site Marketing is reported to have developed the annual marketing plan which is shared between the stakeholders (Elper 2002, p. 71). The group’s activities are managed and coordinated by the council on the account of the partners. This is done with the objective of ensuring that Greenwich remains a sustainable economic and a cultural destination of the international repute.

These groups work towards value addition through marketing efforts which are either long-term or short term. They also work towards the promotional projects that are designed to place Greenwich close to the marketing segments.

The groups generate economies of scale for the individual organizations by means of corporation in marketing strategies. They also work towards the creation of sustainable image and identity of Greenwich as a leisure and business destination. This is only possible through the adoption of strategic approaches in planning.

The organizations also take the responsibility of breaking down the funding as per the agreement in the marketing objectives. This naturally depends on the size of the organizations as well as the level of funds availability. These organizations have also developed alliances with other key organizations for strategic contribution and this makes the promotion and management of Greenwich Maritime which includes the Greenwich Town Centre Traders Association and The Greenwich Royal Pack.

The plan is locally administered through the World Heritage Site Steering Group and each of the representatives from the delegated group is assigned responsibility. The Greenwich Council administers the budgets on the account of the World Heritage Site subject to any administration voluntary partnership.

The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site Steering Group undertakes the responsibility of managing the plan for the site. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the Public – Private Sector partnership that is used in the achievement of sustainable destination promotion and management approach (Elper 2002, p. 63).

The strengths of this approach are that there is an extended visitor numbers. It also establishes sustainable destination management systems through the recognized public – private partnership that attracts funding. There is also the opportunity that rises through such marketing approach and particularly the effective use of limited financial and human resources that are collected through such approaches.

The effect of the world Heritage Site marketing strategy activity is that there is an overall effect of visitor spending and this means more income. The only weakness that rises out of this sustainable approach is that the contribution and participation by group members is not compulsory and this can be a potential threat to the development of long term project. The interest of these groups could change thus compromising the very existence of these sustainable visitor management and promotion.

The interest of the groups is subject to political influence and controls. The most common political factors that may affect these plans include the laws that regulate the employment, taxation policies, environmental regulations, political stability which cannot be termed as a threat at the moment because the country is not known for political instabilities (Elper 2002, p. 50).

There are economic factors, in this case group members contribute depending on their willingness and ability as well as the economic growth, the interests in the market is not stable and this may have great impact on the implementation of long terms goals and objectives. The issue of economic inflation that is being experienced in the European Economic Zone may also affect the tourism industry because many visitors will not be willing to spend on leisure activities.

The social factors with the society and the world at large, there issues of health which are highly associated with the movement of the tourists. There is need to enhance the control mechanisms in a way that will effectively manage the high number of tourists without harming the Heritage Site. There is emerging technological development, the group should move towards using technology in advancing the development of good approaches that will facilitate the appropriate approach.

The Analysis of Greenwich as Tourist Destination
Greenwich as a tourist destination has peer review programs that regulate the implementation of the World Heritage Site Marketing plan. This involves the checking and review programs that advance the standards of delivery through constant improvements. The approach is designed to collect resources through the Marketing Group. This is achieved through collective bargaining of various supplies such as advertising and designing of well recognized institutions.

It ensures that the Greenwich Town is preserved, maintained and promoted in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. The Greenwich Marketing Plan ensures key objective of the heritage site Marketing Plan broadens the appeal to a wide audience of visitors.

This is illustrated by the Civic Trust Award of 2004 where it was categorized as the most accessible tourist destination. In addition the coherent approach to the destination analysis has demonstrated that the process in Greenwich is appreciated as a great visitor’s destination.

Another factor is that the management has successfully secured funding for the delivery of Greenwich Counsel’s Public Service Agreement. This focuses on the increasing Dockland due to good service delivery to the visitors. It is a strength which makes it appealing to visitors.

There is a limitation of how to handle the challenges that are associated with the high number of visitors and other developing challenges. The issue of service delivery has been well dealt with in the meaning of the hospitality industry making it a popular destination for many.

The plan has also managed to balance the needs of the local communities and those of the tourism sector. This is a wise way of striking a balance and it doubles the gains for the visitors who benefit from the members of the community through service delivery like tour guides among others (Barney 2001, p. 143).

This is a positive way of ensuring that the visitors appreciate the services. The community hosts the visitors who buy thus sustaining promotions, physical development, and commerce consultation services to the visitors, engagement and the regeneration of the site. This is a fundamental plank in the empowerment of the local communities and it also facilitates the management and development of tourism at the grassroots level through research, analysis and other forms of engagements.

The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site partnership is appreciated by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister for facilitating the achievement of the beacon council through sustainable tourism. This is regarded as the best tourism Initiative and more so after the foundation of the Best Tourism Initiative in the Visit London Awards 2004 (Elper 2002, p. 96).

It makes this planning strategy a strong approach that is appealing to the visitors. The visitors are given value for their money through service delivery. There is less limitation to this approach and this make it more popular to those who seek its services.

The awards accredited to the institution are great opportunities because they inspire the visitors with a degree of satisfaction. There are less or no threats in regard to the needs of the visitors. This is a show of satisfaction to aspiring tourists who intent to visit the heritage site, they are assured of what kind of services to get.

The analysis of Greenwich as tourist destination (key features and appeals to visitors) while examined under the PLEST tool of strategic management. The evaluation of the project planning process is that there are political factors that may influence choice of Greenwich as a tourist destination. The laws of the place are well legislated and this encourages the tourist chances of making it their destination of choice (Yeoman 1999, p. 40).

Although there are other laws that influence the chances of a tourist making Greenwich their travel destination, the involved parties should mobilize the legislation of laws that encourage the visitation. This may include that adoption of new tax policies that favor people who visit this historical site.

The strategic plans should also be compliant with the tax policies, employment laws. The fact that it is a heritage site should be taken seriously through compliance with the relevant environmental regulations, the available trade restrictions (Barney 2001, p. 127).

There is also need to consider the relevant economic factors. This may be established through the assessment of how much the visitors are willing to spend and the specific mode of spending. This will help overcome speculation which is a rather inaccurate way of establishing the visitor’s behaviors and practices.

The fact that most of the visited areas could be part of the market that is undergoing recession and this may mean a reduction in the level of visitation, there may need to encourage the visitation during financial crises through offers and waivers that would encourage tourism all year round.

Culture should be well addressed to encourage the visitors find a sense of identity whenever they visit Greenwich. This will be an effective way of encouraging tourism. The increase in population is also anticipated and this can be managed through planning for expansions of social structures to ensure needs of visitors are met.

It will also help to manage the population of visitors (Morgan et al. 2004, p. 53). Technology is a big ideal in the implementation of any plans. This means that there is need to exploit the existing innovation for the purpose of effective realization. Social media may be used for the purpose of effectively marketing the destination and getting the needs and expectations of the visitors (Elper 2002, p. 88).

Analysis of Key Features Facing the Destination
There is a world heritage site that is surrounded by buildings and a landscape setting. The Royal Park creates an architectural symbol of the English artistic, the scientific as well as other institutional endeavor. The most notable is the era of the 17th Century to the 19th Century.

The Queen’s house as the first Palladian building in the English empire while the old Royal Naval College, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Hawks Moor and it gives nothing but the English Baroque. The landscape and the ensemble of the buildings at Greenwich Town give a potent architecture (Barney 2001, p. 87).

The Greenwich Park has also been re-planned with a historical attribute to Andre Le Notre dating back to the 1660s. It surrounds Royal Observatory, a scientific designed building which has served as a research centre for over 250 years. It has also been used for the purpose of time keeping and other forms of taxonomy. This led to the navigational and temporal Greenwich Meridian dating back in the 1884. The Royal Hospital for the seamen was established in the 1696-1869.

These institutions create many historical features that are part of the Greenwich. They entail what is regarded as the early modern history of the British Empire which is attributed to British maritime power, scientific development, educational development and the British culture. This gives a historical account to the very existence of the modern day role of these historical institutions (Gibson 2005, p. 34; Papatheoderou 2006).

The World Heritage site status indicates the significance of the site to the world. The management plan is reported to be reviewed after every five years with the objective of preserving the character of the Greenwich. It promotes cultural and educational resources. This makes it very important for the welfare of the society. The set guidelines help in the conservation and also ensure that the sites maintain its interpretation to the posterity.

This has had significant impact on the Greenwich as it was demonstrated with the opening-up of the Old Royal Naval College to the public. The Queen’s house, Greenwich is one of the great features of the Greenwich gives a detailed account of the historical development of the British Empire. The Queen’s house creates a history and thus serves as a learning institution for many who visit it (Flanagan 2002, p. 60).

The Alfege Anglican Parish which lies at the centre of the Greenwich is more than one thousand years old and brings the memory of Archbishop Alfege who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. It forms part of the long British history. The Trafalgar Tavern is also a feature that forms part of the Greenwich making it a symbolic figure in the history of the British Empire. The National Maritime Museum gives a detailed history of the British Empire with collection of exploration collections.

It gives a detailed history of the rise of the British Empire. The Royal River which creates beautiful scenery is also one of the great features within Greenwich. Any visitor would not resist visiting all this destinations and this informs the need for an effective management policy that would ensure that all stakeholders benefits (Mearns 2011, p. 63).

Analysis of Issues Involved in Destination Visitor Experience
There is need to understand the behavioral trends of the visitors, consumer experience is an issue of concern in the development of an effective plan. The understanding of the consumer’s behaviors regarding the artistic, entertainment, sporting activities is an important issue for the purpose of information processing.

There is need to identify the leisure experience of the visitors for the emotional perspective. This is important for the purpose of understanding the appropriate destination management (Barney 2001, p. 67; Shackley 1998).

There is need to change from the rational to the emotional perspective which the visitor use in decision making. This is an effective approach because it evaluates the exact expectations of the visitor. This mode eliminates the traditional assumption which assumes that people come with vague expectations. It helps assemble the actual feelings that are associated with the experience of the visitor.

This is an efficient mode of evaluating the level of satisfaction of the visitor and it informs the development of effective strategies that are designed to meet the actual expectations of the visitors. This can be termed as a checklist on the discrete of an actual experience of a visitor. This is a move that can be regarded as strength in strategic planning as it eliminates the weaknesses that are attributed with the overall assumption that a visitor is satisfied without actually verifying the same (Gibson 2005, p. 34; Shackley 2003).

The plan is effective because it indicates an effective change from assuming the expectations to satisfying the actual interests. It is clear that a consumer will settle on a destination that they are congruent with or one that enhances his or her ideals. It is important to understand that a visitor would naturally settle for one convention beyond the daily hustles. The challenges and pleasures of the visitor should not be physical. This is because experience offer intellectual stimulus for learning and growth (Gibson 2005, p. 79; UNCSD 2001).

There is need to have an understanding of the role of the visitor as the active participant. This is because tourist could have experimental experience that is formed by their motivation. This approach has its limitation, it would be difficult to access all the visitors and establish their true experience.

There is also the issue of ideological difference that could be attributed to test and preferences. The test of one visitor could vary with that of another. There is also the issue of cultural experience. There are also other reasons that could be used to verify the validity of such a plan. Technology may be used to evaluate the experience of the visitor through the social media (Barney 2001, p. 46).

Recommendation for a Sustainable Approach to Provide a Quality Visitor Experience
There is need for positive changes that would facilitate the full realization of the potential of the promotion of a sustainable approach in the provisions of a quality visitor experience. The following areas have been recommended as deserving more enhancements (World Tourism Organization 2007, p. 58).

In order to provide quality services to the visitors, there is need for the review of the implementation of the World Heritage Marketing Plan. More efforts should be placed on the quality service delivery. It is recommended that the improvement be realized through constant improvements.

It is recommended that more focus be placed on the changing consumer expectations. This would provide quality accommodation and more visitors would appreciate the value and attention they get. This may be realized through encouraging the stakeholders to be more innovative. This can be achieved through working together as the social agents of change that would facilitate effective realization of effective plans for the visitors.

The achievement of quality tourism services can only be attained through close engagement of all the stakeholders. It has been observed that the local authority has a critical role in the management of the destinations and have a role in supporting the delivery of services by the partners.

The technology is a big ideal in the implementation of any plans. This means that there is need to capitalize on the existing innovation for the purpose of effective realization. The social media may be used for the purpose of effectively marketing the destinations and getting the views on the needs and expectations of the visitors.

References
Barney, J 2001, Strategic capabilities and knowledge transfer, Arturo Publication, Oxford.

Eagles, P et al 2003, Tourism and protected areas: benefits beyond Boundaries, Martin Publication, London.

Elper, W 2002, Ecotourism: principles, practices and policies sustainability, Longman, New York.

Flanagan, S et al 2002, Tourism destination planning, Tourist Research Centre, Dublin.

Gibson, H 2005, Understanding sport tourism experience, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford.

Howie, F 2003, Managing the tourist destination, Thomas Learning, London.

Laws, E 1995, Tourist destination planning, Tourist Research Centre, Dublin.

Mearns, F 2011, Using sustainable tourism indicators to measure the stability of community based ecotourism ventures, Pink Trek, Lesotho.

Morgan, N et al 2004, Destination Branding: creating the unique destination proposition, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford.

Papatheoderou, A 2006, Managing tourism destination, Edward Edgar, London.

Shackley, M 1998, Visitors management: case studies from the World Heritage sites, Oxford Publication, London.

Shackley, M 2003, Managing sacred sites: service provision and visitor experience, Thomson Learning, London.

UNCSD, 2001, From theory to practice: indicators for sustainable development, UNCSD, New York.

World Tourism Organization, 2007, A practical guides to destination management, World Tourism Organization, Madrid.

Yeoman, T 1999, Heritage Visitor Attractions: An operations management perspective, Cassel Publication, London.

History Case Study

by admin | Mar 21, 2023 | Uncategorized

“History of the NCO 1700: Valley Forge”: Case Study Analysis Case Study
Introduction, Key Problems, Thesis Statement
The American Revolution is one of the most pivotal moments in the history of the United States of America. However, when praising the military successes of our compatriots, we should remember at what cost they are achieved. Soldiers who fought in the war, died in combat, gave their lives for good causes. Despite this, death overtook many soldiers not only on the battlefield, but also in the camps. The first key problem of this case study is the poor camp layout and sanitation plan, which put the lives of all participants in the war at risk. This question leads to the second problem, which is the spread of various diseases and diseases.

The survival rate of soldiers, non-commissioned officers, commanders, and other military personnel in the camps must be ensured in order to achieve success. Thus, by setting up a camp at the most advantageous point, creating an effective sanitary plan that will avoid disease, the US army commanders would be able to avoid such a large number of victims.

Background
In 1775, the tension between the Americans and the British reached a peak, after which a full-scale war began. George Washington recruited the Continental Army, which occupied Boston in 1776. However, the same army lost New York and its strategically important harbor. By setting up camp at Valley Forge, Washington secured the protection of the Continental Congress, which was the governing body of the entire revolution. A convenient strategic position of the camp was completely uninhabitable for soldiers. Accordingly, the key character is George Washington, who at any cost achieved the proposed goals.

The army was numerous but many soldiers died from developing diseases. These sicknesses were the result of unsanitary conditions in the camp: prisoners lived in crowded places, ate from dirty dishes, while the animals were left to decompose in the ground.

Alternatives
An alternative to this situation could be to improve the living conditions of the military. If the premises were not so densely populated, Washington would be able to avoid unsanitary conditions. However, in the conditions of war, especially the War of independence of the United States, the budget of the army was small. Thus, most of the expenses were spent on arming the American troops, which were supposed to resist the professional soldiers of the British crown. Accordingly, Washington and the rest of the military elite lacked the means to ensure favorable living conditions.

Proposed Solutions
One of the solutions to the problem of unsanitary conditions and the spread of diseases among soldiers is the development of professional training of the army. Troops who have passed professional training are more resistant to such conditions, which allows them to achieve successful results. Such training should include training in the proper use of weapons, strategic skills, and survival skills. Specifically, survival skills would allow the army of Washington to understand what needs to be done in order to ensure the maximum survival of soldiers in the camps. Thus, with the help of professional training, the head of the army could avoid the spread of unsanitary conditions in the camps and various infections and diseases, ensuring the survival of the soldiers.

Recommendations
Thus, specific strategies to achieve this goal, namely camp survival, should include the training of the army. George Washington, as the undisputed leader and mastermind of the entire American revolution, had to train his soldiers in essential skills (Hayes, 2017). Leading thousands of soldiers, the general must be responsible not only for the success of the army on the battlefield, but also outside it. It is becoming clear that the morale of the military plays a key role in achieving victory in the war. Accordingly, the high mortality rate in the camp from various diseases and sanitary conditions lowered this spirit. In this sense, it was Washington that could ensure the flourishing of the army and its well-being.

Reference
Hayes, K. J. (2017). George Washington: A Life in Books. Oxford University Press.

Policing Case Study

by admin | Mar 21, 2023 | Uncategorized

Management of Police department Essay
It is challenging to manage dynamics of people in an organization. However, by use of ideal management measures, it is possible to maintain a standard form of success. One such challenging issue is management of gender in an organization. That is, strict adherence to gender parity rules in organization may discourage optimum input from employees.

In some instances, managers are required to implement a requirement of not more than two-third of one gender when employing and implementing promotional opportunities.

This essentially locks out experienced and hardworking members who are compromised to make the rule work. This paper explores a case of police department in mid- western Canada that is suffering from numerous problems emanating from certain initiatives. One such problem is frustration of police officers.

The situation: Employment Equity Initiative
On the overall, police department has been prompted to implement management measures that have been caused by budgetary constraints. The department has been forced to cut down major costs, significantly reduce employment levels of officers, intense monitoring of overtimes and tight controls on working hours.

These problems have not only affected the level of performance in the officers, but also brought in some disquiets in the officers. The anxiety brought in some resistances and degrees of uncertainty.

The employment equity initiative was brought in by the Division Commander as a result of complaints emanating from female officers. The disquiet nature in these officers was that there were some favoritisms and one-sided preferences, especially on male officers.

This concerned the selection process for the specialized positions, an issue that was prompted by the overall emergency management measures due to budgetary constrains. While it was expected that the measure would bring leverage in the selection process, it became a frustrating issue for others.

Employment equity- theory, model and concept
Employment equity is a theory, a model and a concept, and therefore in the analysis of the problem, it would be put into the three categories. Employment equity is a theory on its own; however, it falls under the overall equity theory (Williams, Vibert & Kondra, 2007).

It is an attempt to put fairness in employment opportunities and rules on the premise that people consider fairness in the organization as a most important aspect of motivation. The situation in the police department is more of affirmative action rather than equity in employment. It was a drastic measure to ease tension in the female officers rather than applying equity for all.

Employment equity is also a model, where, it comes as a series of planned action. According to Chowdhury (2002), it is a model for social economic progress and changes especially in relation to the sidelined persons. It is not supposed to be taken drastically; rather, it should be organized and planned well.

In the case study, this was introduced as an emergent measure to make female officers feel recognized rather than a measure to enhance equity in the organization. It was not planned and organized well to ensure it satisfies everyone hence causing frustration in the experienced men and women.

Employment equity is also a concept with an original goal of taking out barriers to some people like women, disabled, aboriginal and the minorities. In Canada, it is a legal concept that is meant to give the mentioned people a chance to participate in employment.

In the police department in the case study, this concept was not being utilized, and had become almost like a culture that experience was a major factor in employment. However, with the disquiet in women, it was implemented drastically leaving the experienced officers frustrated.

It can be recognized that haphazard implementation of this can result to frustrations of persons who may feel that the process is not fair or favors some people only.

Causes
The policy, Employment equity initiative, is identified in the case study as a problem. However, the real problems lay in the far reaching effects of its implementation, and one of these problems being frustration of the experienced male and female officers in the department.

The discussion below looks at the causes of the subsequent problem of the implementation of the program under environmental, cultural, organizational and planning factors.

The environment
All forms of management should have value additions and incorporation of new kind of management manifestos brought by the new millennium (Chowdhury, 2002). Critical to this value addition is the management of organizational environment and the general ecology.

While ecology has been argued to be a major requirement of management, the general organizational working environment is very critical. For example, the internal organizational environment affecting the employees could be the type of managers and their styles of leadership.

The external form of organizational management could institutions that directly or indirectly influence leadership of the police department.

The environment causing frustration in the male and female experienced officers is the already existing disquiet. The tense environment confirmed this perceived bias in the selection process, and could only result to frustrations.

A usual expectation in the selection process is that experience would be a major criterion. However, with the gender parity rule, it is possible to leave out experienced males so as to fit in some females who may not be experienced.

Chowdhury (2002) observes that the applicable theory in this initiative is the employment equity theory. However, the idea has been termed as hypocritical in the sense that it has been seen to favor women regardless of their qualification.

It is possible for affected parties to rise against such kind of an incentive since it is one sided. With the introduction of the incentive, the general environment is that qualification and experience is no longer a prerequisite in determining the nature of selection process.

The concept is largely in what has come to be known as feminist economics (Chowdhury, 2002). This is where females are assisted to move up economically and in the end trample on existing factors such as hard work of men.

Culture
Culture comes with different definitions; for example, there are the beliefs that are held by people forming culture, gender attributions and an organization culture that defines how people in the organization conduct themselves.

As pertaining the case study of the police department in mid-western Canada, both the organizational culture and gender attributions are applicable. For the case study, the kind of culture that influences these frustrations is the social cultural elements, where, a notion of inferiority of the females can ruin understandings.

The social cultural element encompasses the beliefs, the attitudes, the norms, values, associated demographic patterns and behaviors (Williams, Vibert & Kondra, 2007). The beliefs that a man should be considered at all cost and values that experience should always rule may have brought in the disquiets in these officers.

As pertains to Canadian law, the employment equity concept is applied to increase chances of representation in four designated persons namely disabled, women, aboriginal and visible minorities (Williams, Vibert & Kondra, 2007). It is an essential component of management of employees.

This has become like a culture in the country; however, this kind of culture has been entrenched in the minds of people especially the mentioned persons to an extent of disregarding those who are not mentioned. For example, men who have worked hard to perform in their organizations are affected when it comes to this rule.

They may not be promoted on the basis that women, the disabled, aboriginal people and the minorities are given a chance. In this police department, implementing this style of leadership in the selection process would affect majorly the experienced. It is a bad culture if it is implemented without proper guidelines.

The concept of employment equity has been equated to the necessity of culture change which is key to development (Williams, Vibert & Kondra, 2007).

For a police department such as that in mid-western Canada, it is possible that this culture started to take effect long time ago with women trying to go up the ladder. However, the way it is implemented in this initiative is what is bringing the disquiet. In this police force, it is a culture that is likely to destroy than bring the necessary change.

Organizing
Organizing is critical to effective management of any organization. For a police department such as that in mid-western Canada, it is crucial to put everything in order. All management issues such as cost cutting measures should be planned and made known well to the officers.

In this particular case, the implementation of employment equity initiative was implemented haphazardly. That is why some female officers of questionable calibers are promoted at the expense of experienced officers in the department.

It can therefore be noted that it is poor organizing of issues that has led to the disquiet in the police force resulting to some resistance of sort. This could have been the major cause, where, there were no consultations with relevant parties when implementing a management issue.

The employment equity concept cannot be compared with other human rights ideas. This concept ought to involve a lot of organizing rather than just implementing for the sake of it. It is this little or poor organizing that is making the experienced men and women feel that it is done in a most unfair manner.

Perhaps, there should have been planning and probable training for all to select those who can make it instead of choosing female officers who are not trained and experienced. There are recommended steps to organizing a decision. These are; establish the necessary prerequisite in implementing the idea, ensure there are synergistic interactions, allocate resources or ideas well and improve on incentives (Chowdhury, 2002).

Planning
Just like organizing, planning is very critical to organizational or departmental management. For a police force, planning may involve putting necessary measures well in advance. The gender parity rule should not be implemented all at once. In addition, when putting measures or before implementation, there should be consultation with relevant persons especially the ones that are involved.

Since the female officers were complaining of favoritism, an evaluation should have been done to ascertain the claims before taking such a drastic step. The program should not have been implemented without involving everyone in the department; more so, the members who had stayed in the force and the department for long.

Therefore, it can be recognized that lack of planning was a major cause of frustration in the experienced male and female officers after haphazard implementation of the employment equity incentive.

The concept of employment equity is not necessary an affirmative action. According to Chowdhury (2002), affirmative action is more female oriented or looks at empowering women. On the other hand, employment equity is for all who are sidelined and for the Canadian law, the sidelined fall under four major categories.

These are the aboriginal people, visible minorities, women and the disabled. Here then, lack of planning resulted to just concentrating on women without clear knowledge that the action is not for women alone. Planning remains essential in any kind of ‘affirmative action’ and where possible, considerate amount of time should be allocated to consult all affected people.

Conclusion
Planning is critical and should not be overruled however emergent an issue is. Hence, the case in mid-western Canada police department is that an employment equity initiative is implemented to cool down women who were disquiet about their representation.

However, it was done without involving all affected persons therefore resulting into some problems during the selection process. Some experienced officers had been sidelined to make the program take effect, and the aftermath of it is frustration.

The root cause is not the initiative, but the method in which this program was implemented. This paper has divided this root cause into four, namely the environment, culture, organizing and planning.

References
Chowdhury, S. (2002). Management 21C. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall publisher.

Williams, C., Vibert, C. & Kondra, A. (2007) Management 2nd Canadian Edition. Scarborough: Nelson Education Limited.

IT Essay

by admin | Mar 21, 2023 | Uncategorized

Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence Essay
Many modern researchers, scientists, and anthropologists dub the 21st century as the age of information technology. The latest advances in electronics, cybernetics, and the Internet enabled a world of information at the user’s fingertips. The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Virtual Reality (VR) furthers the potential for integration between humans and machines (Lombardo, n.d.). At the same time, computer sciences have benefitted from these advances as well, creating machines that can assist or even replace humans in many aspects of their labor. Although human intelligence is still necessary to perform complex tasks that involve abstract tasks, intuition, social skills, and decision-making, Artificial Intelligence (AI) shows much potential for improvement.

The future promises greater integration between human minds and artificial enhancements, which would allow to analyze and process information at much greater speeds. At the same time, greater artificial intelligence provides opportunities for businesses, homeowners, hospitals, and the military (Frankish & Ramsey, 2014). However, these advances also come with inherent risks related to the nature of AI and information technology. The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits, risks, and ethical concerns of developing intelligent machines and robots.

Benefits of AI, IoT, and Information Technology in Industry and Decision-Making
As it was already proven by the realities of modern businesses, the speed of information processing and analysis is very important in decision-making. The business landscape is changing quickly, meaning that managers require as much information as possible in order to make correct decisions (Lee & Lee, 2015). There are two limitations to this idea, however. The first limitation is the speed of information transfer, which, thanks to the advances in information technology, is becoming faster and faster. The second limitation, however, is more fundamental – human brain can only process so much information at the same time. Advances in information technology and the AI would have to remove the biological barriers of the machine-human interface. It is possible that, in the future, machines would be able to read the information from our minds directly, and for AI to undertake some of the menial decision-making functions, which would further enhance the fluidity and responsiveness of management systems and production processes (Russell & Norvig, 2016).

Risks Associated with the Widespread Use of AI, IoT, and Information Technology
Globalized economy and information technology are built around the concepts of erased borders, ease of access to information, and intractability of systems. These trends are likely to become even more dominant in the future. However, information technology and AI possess several inherent risks to themselves. The greatest risk revolves around the concept of security. Even this early into the 21st century, information technology has already proven to be a major challenge for the global security.

Some of the examples of risks associated with technology include malfunctions and hacking attempts, which could have a massive impact on enterprises and economies. The most recent examples include viral attacks on various industries and banks using malware programs like Petya and WannaCry. The alleged hacking attempt of the Democratic Party’s private emails during the US presidential campaign of 2016 is another famous example. The expansion of information technology networks and further integration between humans and machines could open new venues for hackers and greatly expand their influence and potential for damage. Another risk related to AI and information technology involves the level of confidence in capabilities of artificial intelligence in making accurate decisions in complex situations (Frankish & Ramsey, 2014). Humanity is still a long way away from teaching AI how to act in environments where intuition and the capability to make decisions based on insufficient information are required.

Ethical Concerns Associated with Advances in AI and Information Technology
There are many ethical concerns revolving around advances in AI and information technology. They differ one from another based on the issues and moral backgrounds behind them. This paper will cover some of the most prevalent ones. Based on the body of information available in open access, some of the most pressing identifiable ethical concerns are as follows (Frankish & Ramsey, 2014):

Privacy concerns regarding information technology and the IoT.
Ethical concerns regarding machines replacing humans at work, generating potential job crises and poverty.
Ethical concerns regarding the exploitation of sentient machines.
Concerns regarding sentient machines being capable of understanding and utilizing human ethics in their work.
Privacy concerns are some of the greatest obstacles for IoT and the idea of interconnectedness of items and appliances. There are risks of personal customer data being used for unsavory and unethical purposes (Lee & Lee, 2015). Some of the latest examples involve unethical and unauthorized data collection by social media, search engines, and governmental agencies with the purpose of using that information for commercial, criminal, and political reasons (Lombardo, n.d.).

The idea of mechanization and automation causing civil unrest is not new. During the industrial revolution of the 19th century, the introduction of engines and production plants resulted in thousands of workers and craftsmen ending up without jobs.1 Advancements in IT and AI have the potential of further decreasing the number of jobs available to humans, with disastrous social results (Frankish & Ramsey, 2014). The ethical dilemma would be in choosing between social stability and progress.

The third ethical issue revolves around exploitation of sentient machines. Sentience is defined by three criteria: Intelligence, self-awareness, and consciousness.2 As AI is taken into the direction of neural networks, it is possible for AI to achieve all three criteria necessary for sentience (Russell & Norvig, 2016). Such an occasion would invariably raise ethical questions of machines having rights and the humanity effectively exploiting what would be called a new sentient species.

The last issue revolves around the limitations of machines to understand and correctly implement human ethics in decision-making processes. As it is impossible to predict and program answers for all morally ambiguous situations that advanced AI would encounter in the course of its duties, there is a necessity for an ethical framework for them (Frankish & Ramsey, 2014). However, making an ethical decision requires not only the capability for data analysis interpretation but also a degree of empathy, which is unlikely for a machine to possess. This begets the question about how much authority and responsibility could be delegated to an AI.

Conclusions
Advancements in IT and AI have the potential of greatly improving the lives of every human being on the planet by offering greater and faster access to information, enhanced processing power, and delegation of tasks to intelligent machines and computers. However, these advances invariantly raise questions regarding personal safety and data security. In addition, there are numerous ethical dilemmas revolving around making AI too intelligent and human-like. Finding answers to these questions promises to be as much of a challenge as advancing IT and AI beyond their current limitations.

References
Frankish, K., & Ramsey, W. M. (Eds.). (2014). The Cambridge handbook of artificial intelligence. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Lee, I., & Lee, K. (2015). The Internet of Things (IoT): Applications, investments, and challenges for enterprises. Business Horizons, 58(4), 431-440.

Lombardo, T. (n.d.). Information technology and artificial intelligence. Web.

Russell, S. J., & Norvig, P. (2016). Artificial intelligence: A modern approach. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Pearson.

Footnotes
This sentence refers to the events that led to the rise of Luddites – a radical group of textile workers that destroyed machinery that replaced their roles in the industry.
Although certain criteria differ from one research to another, it has been a general conception that capacity for emotion is not a core criteria for sentience.

IT Essay

by admin | Mar 21, 2023 | Uncategorized

Information Technology in People’s lives Rhetorical Essay
The 20th century saw the emergence of the Information Age. Beginning in the late 1980s information technology (IT) began to dominate the lives of people, especially those in the Western world. This was made possible by two major technological breakthroughs: the invention of the personal computer and the creation of the Internet or World-Wide-Web.

These two distinct yet related technologies were combined to create a powerful network of computers that enabled the high-speed sharing of information and ideas. It did not take long before people began to utilize it for information dissemination, business, and social networking. There are a lot of positive things that resulted from the use of IT.

On the other hand unscrupulous men and women also used the same to make dishonest gain, torment others, and to commit crimes beyond the limitations of geographical borders. It is therefore imperative to develop an international coalition that would establish common laws and ethical standards to govern the use of IT, especially when it comes to the World-Wide-Web.

Background
One of the most amazing consequences of information technology is the ability to communicate over long distances. Although long-distance telecommunication was common even before World War II, it was only during the advent of IT when people can communicate to somebody living in another continent and do so without having to spend a great deal of money. As a result websites and other IT applications were developed at a frenetic pace as businessmen and private individuals discovered how IT can enhance their lives.

The proliferation of websites coupled with the increase in computer literacy ushered in the Information Age. At the same time globalization became more evident. It is true that international relations were a reality for centuries.

Nevertheless, the realization that nations were interconnected and that human beings were citizens in one global village was only apparent to national leaders and not to the common people. In the past, two people living in two different countries can establish a relationship only through letters and telegrams.

The process was terribly slow; it is possible that messages can only reach the intended recipient after many weeks. But with the Internet, globalization was a concept readily understood by the average person and not just international businesspeople. The following definition explains why IT fast-tracked globalization:

The World-Wide-Web is an infrastructure of information distributed among thousands of computers across the world and the software by which that information is accessed. The Web relies on underlying networks, especially the Internet, as the vehicle to exchange the information among users. (Dale & Lewis, 2010)

With the proliferation of websites and the sudden surge in computer literacy the planet began to experience globalization in a scale never before seen. There were international relations centuries before the Internet but it was limited to diplomatic relations between two heads of state. The creation of software and hardware that enabled the use of emails and instant messaging allowed users from different nations to connect and forge relationships both in the personal and professional levels.

The Social Impact
Information technology can be used for good or evil. It has nothing to do with technology because the abuse of IT tools and applications is linked to human nature. There are those who cannot resist the power that IT can give them when it comes to committing crime with the minimal chance of being caught.

The Internet paved the way for the establishment of a communication system that is cost-efficient and highly reliable. However, there are ill-minded people that were given access to a powerful tool that would allow them to access personal information, financial records, and business records without being physically present in the targeted home or business establishment. They can do all their illegal activities miles away or even outside the country.

This new phenomenon is made more difficult by the fact that cybercrime can be done beyond the borders of the UK. In a BBC News online commentary, experts are saying that foreign websites could not be prosecuted by British laws (BBC News, p.1). This has prompted many to be more vigilant and to prosecute with the full force of the law any British citizen found guilty of violating standards and statutes with regards to the use of the Internet.

According to experts, “Cybercrime is one of the terms used to denote the use of computer technology to engage in unlawful activity. Computer crime, high-tech crime and information-age crime are also used to describe this phenomenon.

Most of the cybercrime we have seen so far is nothing more than the migration of real-world crimes into cyberspace” (Jewkes, p.14). As a result the Internet has become a favourite tool for a new breed of criminals that can even reside as far as Eastern Europe or Nigeria and yet produce the same amount of damage.

These criminals now have access to elaborate schemes that they can use to commit identity theft, embezzlement of funds, and extortion. Aside from stealing money, cybercrime is also about putting a new spin into ancient crimes such as child pornography, human trafficking, blackmail etc. Consider the following commentary:

Another instance of globalisation at work is the relatively recent arrival of a complex network of world linked through the Internet that caters to child pornographers and paedophiles. By most accounts this is widespread, much condemned but quite hard to regulate, and it has generated extensive public talk about it as a problem in much of the Western Media (Carrabine et al, p.164).

In addition, cybercrime can also be associated with the destruction of personal property. In the Information Age, this can mean deletion and corruption of valuable data found in personal computers and computer database. Thus, the creation of computer viruses, worms, and other types of malicious computer code can be designated as cybercrime if used to cause harm to the livelihood and personal life of another human being.

Cybercrime
Aside from the information dissemination aspect of cybercrime, the Internet can be used to facilitate illegal activities such as the sale of drugs, weapons, and harmful chemicals. These activities can be labelled as transnational crimes or illegal activities committed by international syndicates – led by people who have no respect over international boundaries. It is therefore imperative to create some form of a coalition composed of different nations in order to bring cybercriminals to justice.

Something has to be done to regulate the Internet. This is of course easier said than done. However, cybercriminals must not have the impression that they can do anything that they want to do without reaping the consequences of their actions. This can be achieved by the creation of tough laws and the existence of an executive arm to demonstrate that regulators and law enforcement agencies have the power to pursue violators.

It must begin with the realisation that law enforcement agencies are dealing with a different type of criminal. Cybercriminals are adept in creating virtual identities and the capability to be mobile. Information technology has grown to such an extent that computers can be miniaturised and yet possesses the same computing power; so much so that a person inside a vehicle can still perform illegal transactions over the Web. It is impossible to prosecute a phantom.

Mitigating Forces
As of the present there are still no specific laws that gives power to law enforcement officials in UK to apprehend those who build and profit scandalous websites and those that demonstrates a clear bending of the rules. This is probably due to the fact that ethical standards are subject to interpretation.

But even those that are guilty of clear violations can easily evade capture and prosecution. The explanation is simple; in the UK there are no laws that call for a more stringent regulation of the Internet (Bidgoli, p.5). This was highlighted when many called for more drastic actions when it comes to paedophilia as well as other hard core pornographic content on British websites.

Nevertheless, there were minor developments in this regard. According to experts “In the United Kingdom concern over Internet content has not led to specific legislation or licensing controls. However, it has led to the establishment in September 1996 of the Internet Watch Foundation or IWF (Price & Verhulst, p. 70). This is the step in the right direction.

The UK government must take the lead in creating an international body that would be instrumental in reducing the incidence of cybercrimes. But a more practical approach is to begin the process in the local front. The UK government must not only develop laws that would deal with this issue; it must also involve all the stakeholders and all those who are affected by the rise of cybercrimes in the UK.

The government must not only work with individuals but also companies that form the backbone of the IT industry in this country. For instance this government must work closely with Internet Service Providers. At the same time the opposition to cybercrime must be initiated in the grassroots levels to include the participation of parents, teenagers, teachers, and local community leaders.

Conclusion
Information technology has transformed the way people live. It is now an integral part of how people communicate and conduct their day-to-day business transactions. However, there are those who are using the same technology for illegal purposes. These violators are committing crimes with impunity because they have the power to steal and peddle illegal items far away from the intended target. In most cases local governments do not have the capability to apprehend and prosecute.

But cybercriminals and other unscrupulous people who exploit the Internet may soon come face-to-face with an international agency intent on regulating the World-Wide-Web and bringing to justice those found to have disregard ethics and shamelessly flaunted their capability to destroy the lives of people. The local government in UK must take the lead and in the process show the world that a coalition can be formed safeguarding the common interest of law-abiding citizens all over the world.

Works Cited
BBC News. Do Violent Net Porn Laws Go Far Enough? 2007. BBC.co.uk. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/4196864.stm. 25 July 2011.

Bidgoli, H. The Internet Encyclopedia. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004.

Carrabine, E. et al. Criminology a Sociological Introduction. London: Routledge, 2004.

Dale, N. & J. Lewis. Computer Science Illuminated. MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2010.

Jewkes, Y. Crime Online: Commiting, Policing and Regulating. OR: William Publishing, 2007.

Price, M. & Verhulst, S. Charting the Course of Self-Regulation on the Internet in a Global Environment. In C.T. Marsden (Ed.) Regulating the Global Information Society. London: Routledge, 2000.