Strategic Alignment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Alignment - Assignment Example Hong Kong is the heart of for the group with three properties in this city. These include the Landmark, Excelsior, and Mandarin Oriental. These properties have registered a greater performance despite the competition in the hotel segment in Hong Kong. Landmark, Excelsior, and Mandarin Oriental generate 38 percent of the total revenues of the group. Mandarin Oriental performs best and utilizes well the market space in Hong Kong contributing an approximate of 15 US dollars per square meter. The group has witnessed a heavy growth of visitors from the mainland China to Hong Kong. In the year 2011, China attracted about 28 million of visitors to Hong Kong. Mainland China recorded 28,100,129 in 2011 and 22,684,388 in the year 2010 (Group Communication 2). It was 67 percent of the total clients of the Mandarin Oriental. Relaxation for individual Visa Scheme in China to people visiting Hong Kong will benefit Mandarin Oriental in its ambitious project of investing in branded residences. This is the principal value driver, which will support Mandarin Oriental competitive method in the hotel industry in Hong Kong. The competitive method capitalizes on the growth of tourism industry in Hong Kong. Tourism industry contributed to growth of Hong Kong GDP by 15.2 percent. There are projections that GDP in Hong Kong will increase by 2.4 percent in 2012. The rate of visitors’ expenditure is favorable for this future and ambitious project of Mandarin Oriental. In 2011, the visitors’ spending was 6,094 US dollars. This was approximately 21 percent increase of the record of 2007 (Group Communication 1). This consistent growth in tourism expenditure will be an advantageous to Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. Currently, the Mandarin Oriental uses creative marketing strategy that lays a lot of emphasis on the strengths of the group. The marketing plan addresses a comprehensive set of factors that influence the marketing for the hotel. Sound

Asian Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Asian Philosophy - Essay Example The main issue in dispute here is the fact that, while Brahman is conceived as encompassing all reality, Brahman is also understood to be the cause of the world. This claim seems contradictory to the metaphysical principle of causality. This is because, according to the metaphysical principle of causality, the cause and the effect can never be the same. The metaphysical principle of causality demands that the cause and the effect must, of necessity, be different, otherwise there will be no causality at all. On the contrary, however, Vedanta Sutra holds that Brahman is the absolute reality that encompasses the totality of reality and at the same time is the cause of the world; this claim clearly seems to be contrary to the metaphysical principle of causality that we have explained. In an effort to reconcile the metaphysical principle of causality and the teachings of Vedanta Sutra on the nature of reality, Samkara held that the non-difference of cause and effect in regard to Brahman a nd the world result from the use of such terms as origin and other such terms. The main point that Samkara makes in this claim is that in reality there is no causal relation, as we conceive it, between Brahman and the world. For Brahman, the concept of causality in regard to the relation between Brahman and the world is fictitious, and it is brought about by use of wrong terms like† origin† in the description of the relation between Brahman and the world. For Samkara, Braham is all there is, and it is not differentiated or it does not have any modifications, it is one absolute entity that encompasses all reality. Samkara defended this claim in the following three ways. Firstly, using the example of clay and the things that are made from the clay, Samkara argued that there is no really any difference between the clay and the things that are

Wing Lee Street Project Failure Causes

Wing Lee Street Project Failure Causes In the Central and Western District on Hong Kong Island, there are quite a number of pre-World War II ancient buildings and avenues, most of them are going to be dismantled for solving the problem of urban disintegration. Sheung Wan Wing Lee Street, a tenement portion to the URA H19 and integral part of redevelopment proposal, in view of last few months, the communitys interest on Wing Lee Street. And majority of the opinion stating out that this URA project is completely failed to adopt the â€Å"people-centered† approach. Obviously, the major cause of the failure is due to the social value of Wing Lee Street. When decide whether to conserve the old building, we should take into account expert assessments of its cultural value and also its social value. Let us taking an international environmental paper Bula Charter Guidelines as an example, â€Å"Cultural Values Article 2.5 from the guidelines state that â€Å"Social value embraces the qualities for which a place has become a focus of spiritual, political, national or other cultural sentiment to a majority or minority group†. There are a lot of buildings in different places in Hong Kong of resembling time of life and style. What is extraordinary and unusual here is that the whole street has not been redeveloped recently. Many people thought that streets with old buildings like Wing Lee Street should be preserved because they were replete with Hong Kong peoples collective memories. As a result, there is a growing body of sentiment for its preservation. However, the government used to emphasize and spot development at the expense of preservation. They will not try to seek to get a proper scale between redevelopment and conservation. The URAs original plan is to solve the puzzle of urban decay and to ameliorate the living conditions of habitants in decayed urban areas. But the plan for redeveloping Wing Lee Street is not in keeping with the dogma of balancing urban evolution against conservation. The government only thought that the street cannot show monuments, nor do any of the buildings there, appearing a special design. Whats more, a film produced by Hong Kong director Echoes of a Rainbow awarded with Crystal Bear prize at Berlin International Film Festival. It was the first time that a Hong Kong movie has obtained this award. This has delivered Hong Kong citizens together once again to consider of the preservation of our collective memories and the historical buildings. This film presented the collective remembrance of people here through the description of a Hong Kong household of four during the 1960s. It is significant stating that the execution of the film was come from Wing Lee Street in the Central district. That region about the street is slated for redevelopment by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA). The director has used a lot of authentic and actual acts on that street as background of the film, as a result it does not only make it to appear more practical-minded but also give audiences some immeasurable sensation and nostalgia of these decayed and old streets. After the film getting the award and was screened, there has raised a fever in hunting and exploration of Wing Lee Street. Just like the main theme of Echoes of a Rainbow-â€Å"Time can be a thief, but time cannot steal good memories and the Hong Kong spirit†. This is the foremost message that the producer wants to show to us. So, Wing Lee Street in Sheung Wan may be just a street, but it is part of Hong Kong history and keeps us reminded and citizens including the post 1980s and post-1990s generations join their efforts to treasure and safeguard them and therefore the redevelopment plan for the street is completely failed due to the eminent social value of Wing Lee Street. Apart from the high social value of Wing Lee Street, Building Value is another factor of the failure of the proposal. Quite a number of professors and scholars finished a building research from Sai Ying Pun to Central. They have recognized a tenement buildings, being its puny body weight, stretchable layout, the construction of a simple form, should be our city building a part of cultural heritage.As the Wing Lee Street, the tenement housing in the entirety and in a extraordinary space on the street level, and its architectural significance is much higher than some singular buildings infrequent on the avenue or in a tenement building has been segregated and contrasted with the building in No. 145-153 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun, is also appreciated as distinctive value of the architecture of cultural heritage, it is of an equivalent value. So calls on the government not to dismantle but to preserve Wing Lee Street have become increasingly sturdy among conservationists for cultural he ritages. Moreover, the main purpose of this redevelopment project is due to the building safety of the buildings of Wing Lee Street. Secretary for Development Carrie Lam had said that the buildings there were beyond repair and had to be dismantled. However, after carrying out a preparatory reconnaissance on Wing Lee Street Buildings by professional engineers and surveyors, it can be established that the whole set of columns do not discover tenement difficulty to repair the building safety puzzles. The existing portions of the wall surface cracks and illegal porch and roof fabrication, can be repaired by the rehabilitation efforts, there is no insurmountable technical problems. Actually, Wing Lee Street 1-2 has been completed rehabilitation of the outcomes somewhat well. At the same time, a up-to-date main research of old buildings conducted by the Buildings Department, also shows that the environs is not the old housing in Wing Lee Street buildings fall into disrepair, imperiling the safety o f the pillar. In an article issued by the URA in March 2008 report of the scrutiny of the street and the buildings have not been come to the incapability for rehabilitation due to old age settlement. So, the view that â€Å"the buildings there were beyond repair and had to be demolished† should be discarded. Therefore, this project will redouble social controversy, leading in momentous repercussions of the public right URA violates about private property rights interests. In conclusion, the URA is required to adore the residents will be able to redevelop the Wing Lee Street, and to explore another proposals.

The Physics of Skiing Essay -- Sports Athletics Essays

The Physics of Skiing I have been skiing for about five years and I find it to be one of the most fun and challenging sports there is. A lot of the reason it is so challenging is because of the laws of physics such as gravity and friction. In this essay I will discuss how physics relates to skiing and how this physics makes skiing so fun and challenging. I will also discuss how things like wax and the shape and width of your skis can affect these laws of physics and enhance your skiing. There are really only two main forces acting on a skier, they are gravity and air resistance. The first and most important thing relating to the physics of skiing is the law of gravity. Gravity is the most familiar force in our everyday lives it is the force that keeps us on the ground it is also the force that makes things fall. We have all heard the saying, â€Å"what goes up must come down.† This saying is relating to gravity. Near the earths surface the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s^2. When you ski you are taken up to the top of a mountain by a chair lift once you reach the top of the mountain gravity wants to pull you back down the mountain. These forces of gravity and air resistance are what make skiing happen. The air resistance of a skier has a huge effect on how fast a skier is going to go. Air resistance is major factor in ski racing. A skier may reduce his or her air resistance by skiing in a tucked position. This reduces the amount of area that the wind has to hit, thus creating less drag and causing the skier to go a lot faster. Some world class skiers even have helmets that come to a point a few inches behind their head like an airplane wing to further reduce their drag. The reason that gravity is able to pull ... ...I would ski everyday if I could. I am so glad that there are such things as gravity, friction, air resistance, and kinetic and potential energy because without some of these skiing would not even be possible and without the others skiing would be really boring. If there were no gravity or kinetic and potential energy skiing could not exist. If there were no friction you would not be able to stop, and if there were too much friction you would not be able to move. And last but certainly not least if there were no air resistance there would be no ski racing. If nobody had any air resistance and they all just went straight down the hill they would all go about the same speed. There would be no way of going into a tighter tuck to go faster that another person. You may have never thought that if there were no such thing as physics there would be no skiing but it is true.

Scientific Method( Diffusion Lab)

Experiment: At this experiment we are investigating does the temperature affect how quickly the particles diffuse to an even concentration throughout the water, we are going to do this experiment by using food coloring to see how quick the food coloring diffuse in hot water and cold water. Materials: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ One beaker Hot plate Ice Water Food coloring Thermometer Timer Eye dropper Hypothesis:I think the food coloring will spread faster, because the particle in the hot water have more kinetic energy than the cold water, so it will spread faster.Particles at a higher temperature are moving faster than particles at a lower temperature, that is one of the law in particle theory. It spread slower in cold water, because the particles is moving slower than the hot water, when the water cool down the particles start to lost kinetic energy and they slowly clump together and vibrate. Procedure: First gather all the materials we need for the experiment, then pour 40ml cold water into the beaker.Wait for the temperature even out, then measure and record the temperature. After that use the eye dropper to collect some food coloring drip 4 drops into the beaker, record the amount of time needed for the food coloring to reach an even concentration throughout the cold water beaker. After the food coloring reach an even concentration, write what much time it takes to reach that. Next empty the beaker and add 40ml room temperature water from the tap into the beaker. Measure and record the temperature.Repeat the steps where we start using the eye dropper to drip 4 drops of food coloring into the beaker to where the food coloring spread evenly. Empty the beaker and heat up some water on the hot plate at level 2. After ? ve minutes of heating on the hot plate, pour 40ml of hot water into a beaker. Repeat the steps where we start using the eye dropper to drip 4 drops of food coloring into the beaker to where the food coloring s pread evenly. Last step, empty the beaker and replace all lab materials.Observation: When I start to drip 4 drops of food coloring, I saw the food coloring spread faster in the hot water, it take eight minutes and ? fty-one second to reach equal concentration through the beaker. I pull the food coloring after the water is boiled, and I can feel the heat was ? owing in the air, that mean it got many energy in the water to make the food color spread faster, it take three minute and ten second second to reach an equal concentration. For the cold water it take eleven minutes and ? ty-eight second to an reach equal concentration with the temperature 9 Celsius. It take eight minute and ? fty-one second for the room temperature water to reach an equal concentration. Conclusion: After this experiment I found that the food coloring spread faster in hot water, and it spread slower in the cold water, because the hot water had more energy and molecular movement in the warm water, particles at a higher temperature are moving faster than particles at a lower temperature, that is one of the law in particle theory.Diffusion is a process by which particles move from an are of high concentration to an area with low concentration, to explain why this happen because particles are always bouncing off each other, and an area witha high concentration of particles would be harder for a particle to bounce into than the one with very few particles.When I come up with the hypothesis I think of everything that we learn in science class, and I do research on the internet, so I came up that the particles inside the hot water is moving faster, and I thought that the cold water will spread slower, because when state change liquid to solid the particles start to lose energy and they slowly clump together and vibrate ,as the particle theory said the higher temperature the faster it moves.Water Temperature Time Cold Water 9 Celsius 11:58 min Hot Water 60 Celsius 3:10 min Room Temperature Water 20 Celsius 8:51 min Does Temperature affect how quick the food coloring to reach an equal concentration?

Role Of Public Libraries In Society Education Essay

IntroductionA public library is a non-profit library, which is maintained for public usage and funded by the authorities or the public beginnings. Unlike other libraries, public library satisfies general public information demands by supplying all sorts of cognition and information available to all sections of the community regardless of race, nationality, age, gender, faith, linguistic communication, disablement, economic and employment position. It may besides supply other services to their communities such as, storytelling for kids, after-school plans, linguistic communication acquisition, seminars, workshops and other community services. Public libraries were initiated back in antediluvian times. They were known and used by Greeks, Romans, North Africa and Middle East. However they did non originate in Europe and America until 18th and nineteenth century. In USA and Europe, public libraries started with a contribution from many private altruists like Andrew Carnegie and Benjamin Franklin. Like other altruist, both Benjamin Franklin and Andrew Carnegie realized that books, and the cognition they provide, should non be for merely profusion but for functioning the populace and for anyone who wanted to larn. Because of this belief, they made books and money available to the general populace through their philanthropic gift. Throughout the history, the library aggregations have been changed and developed. Nowadays, beside printed books and traditional stuffs, public libraries offer broad scope of other media and modern engineerings like, videos, audio books, e-books, DVD ‘s and others. Similarly, the functions and missions of public library have been shifted from recreational reading to moving as active educational, economic and societal agents. A A A A A A A This paper seeks to offer a literature reappraisal on the function of public libraries in society. Take the manner of the litrature reappraisal and the words from article ( kids litracy ) A study reveals that, show, found, assume, Harmonizing to Lyman ( 1977 ) , Weibel ( 1992 ) looked at the function of the library in advancing literacy, Spink ( 1989 ) notes, Other surveies have concentrated on, provinces, points out, believeRole of public librariesPublic library plays an of import function in people ‘s lives as a beginning of accessing information and a topographic point for cognition creative activity. It has shown that public libraries are of import informational, educational, cultural, and societal establishments. Public library and Education One of the public libraries ‘ important and cardinal functions is instruction. Public libraries provide books and other stuffs for people to read and utilize. These stuffs are educational and lead to self-improvement and develop basic literacy accomplishments. Public Libraries have ever seen as an educational resource for all people. The educative function of public libraries has expanded to include back uping both formal and informal instruction. A. Public library and literacy Literacy is the ability to read and compose. In libraries civilization, this construct is expanded to include the cognition or instruction in one or several Fieldss required to develop single and communities ‘ accomplishments. Learning today is non a luxury limited merely to selected group, but it is indispensable for endurance. Expansion of literacy demands reading and composing stuff. ( Wijentunge, 2000 ) The public library is the local centre for supplying a wealth of information through acquisition installations and stuffs to back up literacy to the general populace. Literacy is besides achieved by supplying literacy plans and activities for different groups and ages. Public libraries continue to play a major function in furthering literacy in communities and societies, peculiarly among those groups of the populations that need particular aid in developing literacy accomplishments, such as preschool and simple school kids. Children literacy is one of the educative functions of public libraries. Public libraries concern in supplying kids and exposing them to high-quality reading stuffs and rich linguistic communication experiences during the important preschool and simple school old ages. ( Celano, 2001 ) Pennsylvania public libraries are among the libraries, which keen in heightening the kids literacy accomplishments by turn outing them high quality stuffs and affecting them in summer reading plans, narrative hours, humanistic disciplines and crafts activities. A survey was done in Pennsylvania public libraries utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze how library preschool and summer reading plans contribute to kids ‘s reading accomplishments. Surveies were sent to every 3rd library mercantile establishment listed in the directory of Pennsylvania libraries ( 227 studies ) . The survey reveals that kids who participate in summer reading plans gain more literacy accomplishments. They besides found that preschool and summer reading plans encourage kids to pass more clip with books. Furthermore, Observations and question show that library plans encourage parents to play greater functions in their kids ‘s literacy development ( Celano, 2001 ) . B. Public library and Non-formal Education Non-formal instruction is an unsystematic signifier of acquisition and educational activity that occurs outside of traditional organisation or establishment. Unlike the formal instruction, non-formal instruction is non-structured educational system. Examples of non-formal instruction include after-school plans, community-based organisations, museums, libraries, or at place. The purposes of both formal and non-formal instruction are similar but they are different in attack. ( Abraham, 2010 ) . Both larning focal point on deriving cognition and accomplishments nevertheless, the manner of deriving acquisition is different. Non-formal educational patterns are reinforced due to the challenges of modern information society. Abraham ( 2010 ) states that rural people suffer from deficiency of proper instruction. He points out that formal instruction is clip edge, stiff and hard to such people hence, non-formal instruction is much suited to rural people in order to fulfill their demands and suit their environmental conditions. He describes the public library as â€Å" public assistance centre, which provides utile services to the community by furthering instruction, advancing civilization, diversion and airing of information to all subdivisions of the society † . Abraham ( 2010 ) looked at the public libraries as the most appropriate centres through which non-formal instruction can be achieved. He found that some public libraries in rural countries in India ( Kerala ) play an of import function in back uping non-formal instruction by forming dark schools, constructive treatments, seminars and symposia to contend illiteracy and proliferation reading wont. A survey was conducted in one of the Kerala territories ( Abraham, 2010 ) to garner an overview of the function of public libraries in advancing non-formal instruction. Inquirers were distributed among 20 adult females labourers. It was found that 30 % of them could go on their instruction and are trying to accomplish minimal making through utilizing rural libraries in their ain place countries. 60 % could read and compose and 10 % stopped their instruction due to assorted forces grounds. C. Public library and Life long larning Lifelong acquisition is the procedure of continues and on traveling larning throughout individual life in order to heighten uninterrupted development and betterment of the person ‘s ‘ cognition and accomplishments. Life long larning can non be achieved without literacy because reading and authorship is indispensable for larning. Due to the complex and rapid alteration environment, people need to get a assortment of accomplishments and knowledge irrespective of their age, societal, political or economic position. Wijetunge ( 2000 ) states that public libraries contribute to the womb-to-tomb acquisition by back uping the scholars to place and turn up the reading stuffs relevant to the demands of the community. Karunawathie ( 1998 ) gave an illustration of how the Negombo Public Library has contributed to the community in which it exists. The public library has assisted the fishing community in Negombo in altering the procedure of their fishing engineering by supplying the community with good and rich stuffs related to completing industry. 2. Public library and Economic development Public libraries do non merely have educational functions and maps but besides contribute to states ‘ economic systems. There is a important displacement in the function of libraries ; from recreational reading and educational establishments to active economic development agents. † Due to economic development and globalisation, public libraries started to concern in back uping concern and economic development through supplying effectual concern services, resources and literacy plans to their concern communities. Economic and instruction research workers have been analyzing how educational degrees are related to states ‘ economic growing and economic productiveness. They believe that more educated and skilled workers are more productive. ( Liu, 2004 ) A research survey ( Liu, 2004 ) was done to analyze the relationship between public libraries and school libraries and how they are related to states ‘ literacy degrees, which in bend contribute to states ‘ overall economic productiveness. This empirical survey developed a way analysis theoretical account. Cross- state statistics were gathered from a figure of beginnings including the Statistical Abstract of the World and Unesco ‘s Statistical Yearbook. It is demonstrated from this survey that public libraries have a important impact on economic productiveness through supplying assorted concern resources and literacy plans. Other surveies done corroborating the same indicant. A research done by the institute for public and Business Research on behalf of the Kansas State Library ( Glass etc. , 2000 ) . The intent of the survey was to find how Kansas public libraries could play a more active axial rotation in back uping concern and economic development in their communities. The research applied three chief tools: ( 1 ) Focus groups with bibliothecs and concerns, ( 2 ) Case surveies of four local libraries, ( 3 ) Surveies of public libraries, concerns, Chambers of Commerce, and Small Business Development Centers. The survey shows that about a 3rd of successful concerns and economic organisations in all parts of the province usage public libraries as a resource. 3.Public libraries and democratic administration Public libraries are one of the most successful information centres for increasing the quality of life and democratic opportunities for citizens by supplying free and equal entree to high-quality information. Information is of import to civic engagement and its development, which become one of the basic maps of public libraries. ( Arko-Cobbah, 2005 ) Harmonizing to Arko-Cobbah ( 2005 ) , Public libraries can help civil society to implement democratic civilization through the followers:Free and just electionsPublic libraries provide civic societies with instruction plans and necessary information to develop an informed electorate. Through an unfastened entree Internet installations, public libraries can assist with voter enrollment and even function as polling Stationss in some countries. They besides can be used to make out to politically unmotivated citizens and publicise party places, solicit feedback, new thoughts and new members ( Drake, 2001 ) .Citizen engagement in decision-makingThrough the proviso of Internet installations, public libraries provide and exchange the information needed for duologue that the public needs to do determinations about common concerns and guarantee answerability from the authorities.Human rightsIn conformity with the rule of human rights, public libraries play important function in guaranting tha t stuffs and resources are available to run into the demands and involvements of all sections of the community including national minorities.Information AccessFree entree to information is a critical component of the human rights issue that promotes the construct of democracy. Intellectual freedom is a basic human right. Want of this right leads to bossy administration. Public libraries play an of import function in supplying free entree to information, which is a necessary status for good administration.DecisionHarmonizing to the literature reappraisal, public libraries play cardinal functions in the society. They are educational establishments. They provide educational plans, such as kids ‘s and adult literacy plans, to better the literacy degrees of users. They besides support life long learning instruction. Public libraries besides play a function in supplying concern resources and aggregations in their establishments in order to react to the universe economic challenges. They are besides indispensable to the operation of a democratic society by supplying free and equal entree to high-quality information. Despite of all these critical functions for public libraries in society, these functions are non recognized in Kuwait society. Public libraries in Kuwait focal point merely on back uping formal instruction. The library still remains visited by pupils who perform research on assignments and undertakings. It is recommended that public libraries expand their functions to more important one as discussed in the literature reappraisal. That required more attempts in supplying and diverseness in the resources, aggregations, engineering installations, activities and educational plans in the libraries, which can back up different functions. Besides it is recommended increasing the consciousness of public library functions among users. Media besides could hold a important function in indicating out the importance of public libraries in Kuwait.