Poverty and progess of Mexico essays

Poverty and progess of Mexico essays What would it be like to live in a time of desperation? What would it be like to look up to foreign values instead of culturally your own? I would like to dive into this subject with this paper, to analyze cultural aspects during the latter part of the nineteenth century that show how Latin Americans (focusing more on Mexico) praised progress. Of course we must establish two factors: comparing the urban society to the country society. I would like to first establish the view of positivism, and how it had an impact on nineteenth century Mexico. Philosophically, positivism stresses on more reality and science aspects over those with metaphysical aspects. Some people that considered themselves positivists acknowledge that questions about metaphysics could be asked, but came to the conclusion there are no answers for such questions. Others who were positivists consider these questions to be pointless. This point of view impacted Mexico in the 1890s during the presidency of Porfirio Diaz (1876-1911). Diaz had gathered many intellectuals which would forma group called cientificos. Their main purpose was to create policies that all Mexicans were to follow. The policies that had the approval of Diaz emphasized the importance of rationalism and the use of scientific method to solve problems in Mexico. Main causes of problems came from financial and education difficulties. This alignment of the group may seem like a good idea, however this positivist movement as well as the Profirio regime was very praetorian. If the people refused to agree and follow these policies they faced penalties from harassment to death. However some policies of the Diaz regime were successful but few benefited from them which were the elites, or upper class society of Mexico. Some may ask why not establish their individuality? This can be seen by the search for progress in society. Many felt that in order to progres...

The Trial of Mary Winkler

The Trial of Mary Winkler Mary Winkler, 32, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter  for the shotgun shooting death of her husband, Matthew Winkler, in 2006 at their Fourth Street Church of Christ parsonage in Selmer, Tennessee. She was arrested the following day in Alabama, where she had taken the couples three young daughters. Latest Developments Mary Winkler Wants Daughters BackSept. 11, 2007A Tennessee woman who served only 67 days after she was convicted of shooting her minister husband is now petitioning the court to get her children back. The three daughters of Mary Winkler have been in the custody of her in-laws since she was arrested in March 2006. Previous Developments Mary Winkler Freed After 67 DaysAug. 14, 2007Mary Winkler has been freed from custody after serving only 67 days, most of which were spent in a mental health facility. She was released after undergoing about two months of treatment. Mary Winkler Sentenced to 210 DaysJune 8, 2007A Tennessee judge sentenced Mary Winkler to 210 days incarceration for her voluntary manslaughter conviction. Winkler will get credit for time she served in jail before she made bond, leaving only 60 days that she will actually be incarcerated. Convicted Pastors Wife Seeks New TrialJune 7, 2007Mary Winkler, the ministers wife convicted of manslaughter for his death, is seeking a new trial  before she has even been sentenced following her first trial. Defense attorneys filed motions last week seeking a new trial based on several rulings the judge made during her trial regarding testimony the jury was allowed to hear. Mary Winkler Guilty of Lesser ChargeApril 19, 2007A jury of ten women and two men found Mary Winkler guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the shotgun shooting death of her husband. Under state law, a conviction of voluntary manslaughter carries a sentence of three to six years, with parole possible after serving 30 percent of the sentence. Mary Winkler Says Shooting Was AccidentalApril 19, 2007Mary Winkler told the jury of a man much different from her husbands small-town preachers public image and said the shotgun accidentally went boom as she pointed it at him as he had done to her in the past. Mary Winkler: My Ugly Came OutApril 14, 2007Jurors in the murder trial of Mary Winkler got a glimpse of what may have driven her to shoot her minister husband. According to the defense, Winkler pointed the gun at Matthew Winkler, as he had pointed it at her before, to get him to talk about their problems. Jury Selection Begins for Ministers WifeApril 9, 2007Jury selection is scheduled to begin today in the murder trial of Mary Winkler. The trial could bring answers to the small Tennessee town of Selmer, where residents wonder what caused a quiet, demure preachers wife to kill. Trial Set April 9 for Pastors WifeFeb. 23, 2007The trial of Mary Winkler has been scheduled for April 9, a date agreed upon both prosecutors and defense attorneys. I think everyone is ready to get this tried, said Winklers defense attorney, Steve Farese Sr. Slain Ministers Wife Out on BailAug. 15, 2006Mary Winkler was released from jail on $750,000 bond. Her release was delayed for more than a week while the judge assessed the terms of her release and checked the reliability of the bonding company that posted her bail. Wife Killed Minister After Money ArgumentJune 6, 2006A Tennessee ministers wife told police that she shot him after they argued about finances then told him Im sorry as he lay dying in the bedroom of their home, according to testimony at a hearing requesting bond for her release from jail. Ministers Wife Indicted for MurderJune 12, 2006A substitute elementary school teacher and the wife of a minister who was found shot to death in the church parsonage has been indicted for first-degree murder, meaning that authorities believe that she planned to kill Matthew Winkler, 31. Pastors Wife Charged with First-Degree MurderMarch 24, 2006The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued an arrest warrant on first-degree murder charges for Mary Winkler, the wife of Selmer, Tennessee pastor Matthew Winkler. Tennessee Pastor Slain, Family MissingMarch 22, 2006A Tennessee church pastor was found shot to death after he failed to show up for Wednesday night services and a statewide Amber Alert has been issued for his missing wife and three young daughters.

Virgin Atlantic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Virgin Atlantic - Essay Example Also, deregulation has resulted in a multitude of other airlines whom are able to provide low fares. That said, their strengths, which includes providing luxuries such as Samsung Galaxy tablets and high speed Wi-Fi, plus extra creature comforts such as flat bed and comfortable chairs, in addition to other value-added services, such as express security check-in for business customers. However, for the future, Virgin should continue to invest in higher end luxuries, and continue to keep their fleets small, and this is the best way to compete in any market. The Value Chain The value chain is one of the ways that the Virgin Airlines will be strategically examined. Porter (1985) described how firms can be broken down by their activities, and how a firm may obtain a competitive advantage by identifying these strategic activities and finding a way to perform these activities cheaper and better than its competitors (Porter, 1985, p. 34). Porter explained by the value chains may go upstream, which is the supplier delivering to the firm, and downstream, which is the firm delivering the product to the customer. Moreover, Porter states that the value chain must take a holistic approach, which means that the discrete components of its value chain must fit into an overall value system, therefore they all must be integrated. Porter goes on to explain ways that a firm might obtain a competitive advantage over other firms, such as targeting to a niche market, which would allow the firm to tailor the value chain to this niche, which results in lower costs; competing in related industries with coordinated value chains; or firms may also gain a competitive advantage by widening or narrowing their geographic markets. Porter also states that firms may gain a competitive advantage by affiliating themselves with other entities, such as mergers, joint ventures, licenses and supply agreements (Porter, 1985, p. 34). How this relates to Virgin Airlines is that, as will be explained, it is gaining a competitive advantage, through its value chain, by appealing to a niche market, which is the high-end market who is patronizing an airline because of its amenities and luxuries. As it is tailoring its strategy to this niche, as opposed to attempting to appeal to a broader market, it has been able to keep its costs down by keeping its fleet small, and diversifying only by expanding into other markets through subsidiaries. It has therefore chosen to eschew another way that Porter states that companies may gain a competitive advantage, which is through affiliating themselves with other entities. Above illustration available at: http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&hl=en&newwindow=1&biw=1067&bih=489&tbm=isch&tbnid=Q095X0MX-AyACM:&imgrefurl=http://www.docstoc.com/docs/9354561/Porter-Value-Chain-Template&docid=gBEEIrN13AnqTM&imgurl=http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/9354561.png&w=1500&h=1125&ei=YhDyT6faFuio2wWBkaTSCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=276&vpy=4&dur=6408&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=1 36&ty=162&sig=111730839532732020329&page=2&tbnh=127&tbnw=169&start=10&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:10,i:113 According to Oster (1999), the value chain is one way that an organization may be competitive by identifying where, on the value chain, they can improve upon the competition by improving or differentiating themselves from their competitors. For instance, a firm may improve its method of procurement, distribution or inventory (Oster, 1999, p. 131). Or, in the case of an airline, the airline may look at its

Contracts in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contracts in Business - Essay Example Consideration Either of the parties involved in a contract has to receive something valuable for the contract to be sealed. Therefore, in a situation where one promises a friend to give him a car and the giver refuses to eventually give the car to the friend, such a friend cannot go to court and sue him/her for not giving him that car. This is due to the fact that, the receiver of the car was not to give something of value to the giver in return to the favour. Thus, the price that is paid to the promise of the other is simply the consideration. Besides these elements, it is of essence to have a look at one of the most confusing elements of a contract that is often overlooked. That is ‘an invitation to treat’. (Smithies, 2007) Invitation to treat An invitation to treat is usually confused with an offer. This expression, â€Å"invitation to treat†, refers to the invitation or call for other persons to make an offer. Thus, some of what are usually perceived as offers is as a matter of fact, invitations to treat. Take, for instance, an advertisement for the sale of a sofa set. That advertisement is just an invitation to treat and it is upon the willing buyer to make an offer to the seller by requesting to buy the sofa. The advertising seller will in turn accept the request and this forms an acceptance of the offer. The payment for the sofa by the buyer marks his fulfillment of his part of consideration and thus, the advertising seller fulfils his consideration by delivering the sofa to the buyer. (Fuller, 2010 p180) The case to illustrate the issue of invitation to treat is as follows: Case: Fisher versus Bell (1960) Facts: This case is about a shop-keeper who had displayed a flick-knife, which had a ticket placed behind it which read â€Å"Ejector-Knife 4 shillings†. The Act of Offensive Weapons of 1959 was used to charge this shop-keeper for having the flick-knife being offered for sale. The Magistrates Court convicted him (the shop-kee per) and he appealed on a law point. He said that there can be no offer to sell, but buy only. Thus, the one who purchases makes an offer. Held: This was an invitation to treat (the display of the flick-knife for sale) and following this the Act was amended to read to say that it is an offence for a person to be found in possession or expresses intent to sell a flick-knife. (Blond and Petrillo, 2007 p208) The case provided involves HE Ltd which posted (on September 10th) an offer to dispose 10 laptop computers to GCS. The offer for sale included a price tag of ?300/Laptop and was open until September 24th. This offer for sale, as per the facts obtained from the aforementioned elements of a contract, is just an invitation to treat. GCS’s manager, Gemma called HE Ltd for an enquiry whether they would accept a 2-month credit and that signifies an offer to buy. On September 20th Bertie, HE’s manager refused to sell the laptops since the terms of sale stated otherwise and t his signifies a refusal to make an acceptance to GCS’s offer. The sale of the same laptops to Argon Electronics on September 22nd shows a complete contract. Therefore, the September 23rd offer to buy by Gemma would not be valid since the contract had already been carried out. Thus, no contract had existed before between HE Ltd and GCS. Question 2 To:

School Rules Essay Example for Free

School Rules Essay 1. Silence must be observed – a) As the first bell rings b) When coming into and leading out from the place where worship or assembly is conducted. c) When teachers enter the classroom. 2. Quiet talking is allowed between lessons, after a teacher has left a classroom. 3. Day scholars should leave the school as soon as school closes unless they are staying for games or extra lessons. 4. Letters of excuse for absence etc. should be addressed to the Principal. Those should be handed to the Class Teacher who will pass then on to the Office. 5. No day scholar may bring books or magazines to school without permission. 6. No day scholar may carry letters or messages for boarders without special permission from the Principal. 7. No day scholars may go to a dormitory or the refectory without permission. 8. Girls taken ill during school hours are to be taken up to the sick room or dispensary and the Office informed. 9. Borrowing without permission is strictly forbidden. 10. No student may take part in any public stage, televised or other show or advertisement without the prior written permission of the Principal. 11. Birthday parties are not allowed during school hours, but a birthday cake ONLY may be shared with the class after obtaining prior permission from the Principal. 12. The Prefects are responsible for the general tidiness of the school buildings and have the authority to maintain discipline. 13. Only presents of flowers may be given to members of the staff. 14. Visiting shops or homes of friends during school hours or in the course of extra curricular activities after school or in between examinations is strictly forbidden. 15. The uniform includes the school tie, white socks and black leather shoes. Girls are permitted to wear white canvas shoes. Girls are expected to wear a petticoat, or a vest and underskirt and have their uniforms at a reasonable length. Hair must be neat and tidy. Girls wearing their hair short can use clips (black). Those who have shoulder length hair must tie it back with a ribbon. Those having longer hair should plait their hair. Safety pins on belts, front and side openings of the uniform should not be used A small pair of gold ear studs may be worn. Gypsy earrings are not permitted.

The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson Essay example -- essays research pap

The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson President Andrew Johnson assumed office following Lincoln’s assassination. Johnson had his own ideas of Reconstruction and tried to take his own course of action in putting the Union back together following the Civil War. A series of bitter political quarrels between President Johnson and Radical Republicans in Congress over Reconstruction Policy in the South eventually led to his impeachment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Radical Republicans wanted to enact a far-reaching transformation of Southern social and economic life, permanently ending the old planter class system, and favored granting freed slaves citizenship and voting rights. After the war, they came to believe whites in the South were seeking to somehow preserve the old slavery system under a new appearance, (Divine 389). In April of 1866, Congress enacted a Civil Rights Act in response to southern Black Codes. The act granted new rights to native-born blacks, including the right to testify in court, to sue, and to buy property. President Johnson vetoed the act, claiming it was an invasion of states' rights and would cause conflict between the races. Congress overrode the veto by a single vote. This marked the beginning of the escalating power struggle between the President and Congress, (Divine 395).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In June of 1866, Congress passed the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing civil liberties for both native-born and naturalized ... The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson Essay example -- essays research pap The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson President Andrew Johnson assumed office following Lincoln’s assassination. Johnson had his own ideas of Reconstruction and tried to take his own course of action in putting the Union back together following the Civil War. A series of bitter political quarrels between President Johnson and Radical Republicans in Congress over Reconstruction Policy in the South eventually led to his impeachment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Radical Republicans wanted to enact a far-reaching transformation of Southern social and economic life, permanently ending the old planter class system, and favored granting freed slaves citizenship and voting rights. After the war, they came to believe whites in the South were seeking to somehow preserve the old slavery system under a new appearance, (Divine 389). In April of 1866, Congress enacted a Civil Rights Act in response to southern Black Codes. The act granted new rights to native-born blacks, including the right to testify in court, to sue, and to buy property. President Johnson vetoed the act, claiming it was an invasion of states' rights and would cause conflict between the races. Congress overrode the veto by a single vote. This marked the beginning of the escalating power struggle between the President and Congress, (Divine 395).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In June of 1866, Congress passed the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing civil liberties for both native-born and naturalized ...

Rural Tourism

A BRIEF ANALYSIS ON THE STATUS OF RURAL TOURISM IN INDIA REFERENCE: GIMRM024 Table of Contents Abstract2 Initiatives6 Issues Faced8 Infrastructure10 Finance 11 Impact12 The Way Forward13 Bibligography14 ABSTRACT Tourism is one of the primary catalysts in generating sustainable livelihood in India. India’s vast rural diversity and heritage offers tremendous opportunity for rural tourism. The idea of rural tourism was born out of the need to provide first-hand experience of living in rural areas to the urban population and also as supplementary income for the local population. The Ministry of Tourism in its Outcome Budget for 2011-2012 has emphasized on the need of giving greater focus to rural tourism with the objective of creating employment, with specific emphasis on the upliftment of the status of women and to encourage local arts and handicraft. Rural tourism has the potential of carrying the additional burden of uplifting poverty and reducing migration towards urban areas. This research paper aims at studying the status of rural tourism in India, looking into some initiatives that have already been undertaken, both by the Ministry (The Choti Haldwani Project at the foothills of Nainital) and by organisations (NGO ViaDesh, Delhi and Himalayan Homestays, Ladakh) in different parts of India and the way forward. The paper concentrates on the following major areas: 1) Initiatives undertaken 2) Problems faced while trying to establish such initiatives 3) Infrastructure developed for this purpose ) The finances involved 5) The impact of such initiatives 6) Its co-relation with eco-tourism and agri-tourism 7) Future plans The government of India along with UN Development Programme (UNDP) has drafted policies and implemented some on the same lines by associating and granting funds to NGOs. Rural tourism will go a long way in realising some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) laid out by the UNDP, to be achieved by 2015. â€Å"The air is soft and balmy. The wild flowers are in full bloom, and the butterfly is on the wing. The grasshopper is singing his ceaseless song, and the bees are humming a chorus thereto. † These are excerpts from Ruskin Bond’s novel â€Å"Mussoorie & Landour, Days of Wine and Roses†. Such is the beauty of the Indian landscape. Tourism in India is the biggest service industry contributing 6. 23% to GDP and providing a host of employment opportunities. With 5. 58 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in 2010 and a provisional number of 2. 92 million during the first half of 2011, the tourism industry is pegged to grow at a rate of 9. 4% annually over the next decade. It’s linkages with a myriad of sectors in the economy, like transport, construction, handicrafts, manufacturing, horticulture, agriculture, etc. , makes it a potential economy driver, while also becoming an effective tool for poverty alleviation and ensuring growth with equality. The focus, thus, is now on rural tourism, an avenue that provides immense possibilities and opportunities for inclusive growth and equality in rural India. The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have collaborated in an initiative named the Endogenous Tourism Project – Rural Tourism Scheme (ETP-RTS) on rural tourism. Initiated in 2003, the project identified 36 sites across India, where a number of pilot projects have been initiated to assess the impact of this kind of tourism in these areas. The principal objective of the project is to focus on sustainable livelihoods and at the same time aims at the convergence of issues such as gender equality, empowerment of women, youth and other disadvantaged sections and working towards cultural sensitivity and environmental sustainability. This paper will look into one such government initiative, Choti Haldwani, which is a community based tourism project. Apart from government initiatives, numerous NGOs have been involved in different forms of rural tourism, be it agri-tourism, treks, homestays, workshops with locals etc. In the NGO space, this paper cites the example of ViaDesh, a social enterprise, based out of Delhi that arranges expeditions and treks in Uttarakhand, the Himalayan Belt (Kargil, Leh, Ladakh etc) and Rajasthan. This paper also briefly looks at Himalayan Homestays, an initiative by the Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC), The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. Traditional tourism, concentrated in coastal and mountain resorts, urban and cultural centres, has proven that tourism can bring enormous benefits to the economy, society and environment of a certain area. However at the same time there is a realization that certain parts of the country have been left behind in development. Rural tourism could be the harbinger of change in such a scenario. In recent years demands for holidays in small villages and the countryside has increased significantly in many rural regions of the world. The challenge for rural tourism then is to focus on providing sustainable livelihoods in rural areas all while preserving the traditions, cultures and values that exist in these areas, instead of trying to â€Å"urbanise† the area. INITIATIVES Choti Haldwani Choti Haldwani, better known as Jim Corbett’s village, is located in the Nainital District of Uttarakhand. Bought by Corbett in the early 1900s, this was the last village he stayed in before migrating to Kenya after Independence, donating the land to the 40 families residing in Choti Haldwani at that time. The village has now grown in population with 138 families making Choti Haldwani their home, and earning their livelihood mainly from agriculture. In 2001, Choti Haldwani was one of the four villages chosen to implement a community-based tourism (CBT) project. The CBN (Corbett National Park, Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Nainital) Tourism Initiative was designed to develop a framework for conservation and tourism by making use participatory processes that seek to engage stakeholder groups for planning, to help develop a common vision, build ownership, and buy in from various stakeholder groups for plans and projects. Many consultations and deliberations later, the USP of the village was discovered. This led to the formation of the Corbett Heritage Trail (which included historical sites like Corbett’s house, the historical gun of Tejsingh and Moti’s House to name a few). ViaDesh ViaDesh (established in 2010) is a social enterprise based out of Delhi. Its philosophy is engrained in its name – ViaDesh literally translates to â€Å"by way of country†. Founded by Jamal Mohammad and aimed at promoting village life and providing sustainable livelihood options, Viadesh promotes itself as a unique holiday planner committed to giving a transformative experience to both the tourist and the host. ViaDesh works towards building partnerships with villagers, and forging relationships with them through community interaction. The expeditions and treks give the tourist a first-hand experience of rural living. They are exposed to the unique and rich village culture that every village brings with it. Villagers turn into guides, narrating stories from the village and sharing their own experiences with the tourists. Tourists also bear witness to the different folk songs and dances, gathering together with the village folk. Home-stays are arranged for tourists in some of the houses within the village itself. By doing this, ViaDesh ensures that the tourist is involved, from early morning, in every facet of village life. Starting from collection and preparation of fodder for animals to cooking food, to even plucking apples and apricots from plantations and planting herbs like oregano, tourists get hands-on experience of rural living. Rural locations offer an idealized release from stress and the opportunity to re-engage with a simpler, quieter way of life that offers rest and relaxation. Himalayan Homestays Himalayan Homestays is an Initiative by Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC), The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. The need for this initiative was felt due to the rising disparity between the rural and the urban communities due to the fact that the tourism boom in Ladakh offered little opportunities to the rural people. The rural community was also facing the problem of diminishing livestock population due to Snow leopards. Hence they offered tourism as a solution to promote conservation as well as to combat livestock loss. Villagers defined the Himalayan Homestays in the following way: â€Å"A traditional village based Ladakhi Homestay would share their traditional way of life and values with visitors provide traditional food, in an eco-friendly environment that requires little initial investment. (Source – Redefining Tourism: Experiences and Insights from Rural Tourism Projects in India) The project was implemented with various guidelines for selecting locations to setting minimal facilities such as a separate room for tourist to a toilet (with door). Also 10% of the money generated was to be divulged into the conservation fund for village activities. Initially, for setting up, they assessed the demand and preferences of the tourist by conducting a survey for the location choice, food and accommodation option as well. Interestingly, the choice was local food was rated highly. Capacity building measures such as training the youth as nature guides. To avoid hygiene issues, community members were trained on cooking and cuisine as well. The main aim of SLC was community empowerment and hence it was decided that the tourists would be shared on rotation basis. For the homestays, which were far off, and where the tourists were unwilling to go, they were trained for additional services such as Parachute cafes, Guides etc. ISSUES FACED Rural tourism as a whole is a sensitive issue to deal with since it deals with people and also their livelihoods. The rural people are skeptical about the kind of invasion that happens due to rural tourism. While implementing rural tourism many issues have cropped up. It is necessary to understand that the issues faced by the government are different from private and non-governmental entities. a)Finance: It deals with arranging as well as managing finances for any project. This aspect is prevalent in all initiatives from the government. Here the government has struggled to route funds flow whereas private players have found it difficult to arrange funds for the project. If the funds flow issues crops up at the beginning of the project then it becomes difficult to keep the local community engaged as they tend to lose interest as well as trust in the initiative. b)Pace of the Project: It is an important issue that needs to be addressed. It has been observed that private entities have tried to build upon strong finances. This has resulted in very little time for institutions as well as the local community to reflect on their performance and also absorb this transition. In a fast paced project, the players fail to understand that this is a sensitive issue where resources and money are of equal importance. The pace of project should be best decided by the local communities involved as it would be help them adapt to their role. c)Partner Agencies: This issue is predominantly associated with the government where the implementing agencies differ in vision and also their work ethics. The government needs to understand that different agencies behave differently and hence the outcome of the projects would also vary. )Local Community: The basic motto of this project was to eradicate poverty and envisage an empowerment campaign. Many a time it has been observed that the richer community in the village gets all the control while the poorer sections takes a backseat, as they are deprived of minimum requirements for a tourist such as separate homestays or even proper education. Here the government needs to ensure that these people are involved in group activiti es where they could learn and also contribute. Also, conscious measures should be taken to incorporate the marginalized communities into the success story. Government as well as private players should make sure that inclusive growth takes place and hence the beneficiary is the entire village and not select individuals. e)Hygiene: Hygiene is an issue which has made foreign as well as domestic tourists hesitate in turning an eye to rural tourism. Basic facilities such as bathroom and sanitation have been a cause of concern for tourists. The players should make sure that proper training should be given to handle these things so that the village does not lose out. )Issues from Tourists: Tourists, many a time, tend to compare rural tourism with general tourist spots and hence get bogged down by the results. Tourists are not able to connect with the rural theme which results in loss of interest. Also, sometimes issues like food and lifestyle tend to be a hindrance in the project. Sometimes, the traditional and cultural beliefs of the rural people prevent them from catering to the needs of the tourists. g)Cultural and Environmental Pollution: Tourism is a phenomenon which also brings with itself the ill effects. If not implemented properly, it can lead to destruction of the very basic cause of rural tourism i. e. the cultural heritage. Also, with hordes of tourists pouring in, the environment is at risk. Moreover, sometimes there should be strict control at some places because there are traditions and cultural beliefs of people that will prevent them from catering to all that the tourists may require and even the tourist would know that this is what he can expect in a village and accordingly will prepare them before coming to that village. The major issue faced by the Choti Haldwani community was visibility. It gets lost in the mad rush of tourists from Corbett to Nainital. With the Himalayan Homestays initiative gaining popularity, many other institutions have also tried to tap into the market. But in the process, the focus has shifted from community development to profit making. It also did not consider the capacity of the community, hence impacting the social structure. Also, the influx of many tourists eventually led to negative influence on the environment. With the difficult terrain, many of the homestays would not get sufficient number of tourists. This led to disparity between the villagers. INFRASTRUCTURE A key aspect in setting up different facilities was the formation of the Corbett Gram Vikas Samiti that coordinated with the project team (mainly from Forest Department and consultants) and took up implementation of work at the village. This ensured that the inhabitants of the village had a say in the development of the village as a tourist site. Proper footpaths were organised, information signboards were set up, an entry gate set up and renovations at the various heritage sites carried out. To support the Heritage Trail, the following activities were carried out 1)Training of guides: Interested people were asked to register for training as guides, but since not many tourists opted for the walk, the number of guides is dwindling, but there still is hope with a number of women interested in undergoing training as guides. 2)Identifying homestays: Presently only two families provide homestays. Although the concept of homestays is fast catching up with the community, the facilities within the homes is a hurdle, as these houses are installed with the traditional Indian toilets. Unlike ViaDesh, new houses are thus being built with better facilities for the tourist. Homestays rents and dining are very nominal at the rate of Rs 250/- a day with Rs. 60/- per person for 3 meals. 3)Establishing a souvenir shop: The Moti Souvenir Shop, run by the village committee, ran into trouble initially with very little funds and limited knowledge on how to run and what to sell at the shop. Eventually, with the aid of the committee, Haldi (turmeric) was bought from a lady, which was powdered and sold at the shop. The profits are given out to the lady, which has resulted in other items like pulses and spices being sold at the shop. Also, with the help of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), three self-help ladies groups were started, who supply products like jam, jellies and pickles to the shops. In addition to this, handmade hankies , scarves, bed sheets, dupattas and sweaters from Ranikhet were sold at the shop. 4)Information kiosks: In a small section of the souvenir shop, a computer with internet connection has been set up, with a trained person manning it. Although introduced for the tourists, this has benefitted children more, as they are provided computer education with a fee of Rs. 200/-. ViaDesh’s policy is simple – no construction of new structures and the promotion of indigenous lifestyle. In an attempt to preserve the natural environment of the village and to inhibit urbanization of villages, ViaDesh, in partnership with the villagers, arrange for homestays within the village. One room in selected houses is refurbished to cater to the tourist lifestyle, which is taken care of by the residents. ViaDesh has installed eastern-style toilets in all homestays to give tourists the actual feel of rural life. Apart from this, hosts are trained about hygiene and cleanliness standards that need to be adopted. They are also trained to follow hygiene while cutting vegetables and preparing food. ViaDesh has tried to work around the available resources and provide a comfortable experience for the tourist. As such physical infrastructure was not built for the Himalayan Homestays project unlike mud houses in other places. The trust had decided on tourists sharing the rooms with the villagers. Hence, there was a need for virtual infrastructure to attract tourists and spread awareness. The trust tied up with local operators to market Himalayan homestays. It was a conscious effort that the local operators chosen would think as well as work in parallel towards the community. This move also helped in briefing the tourists about the norms to avoid confrontation at the later stages. The trust also developed a website to tap the tourist seeking a similar experience on the internet. To tap walk-in clients, the trust had designed posters and maps as well. It was decided that 10% of the fund would be shared with the conservation fund. Conservation fund was used for various community works such as preserving wildlife, tree plantation etc. FINANCE ViaDesh, being a fledgling organisation, is a self-financed enterprise. Initial investment for setting up rooms, toilets etc. was made by Jamal. Participants' project donations also help to ensure that funds are available throughout the year to maintain the work done by the teams. These funds are either channelled through ViaDesh’s own charity, Sustainable Tourism Trust, or partner charities. ViaDesh donates 10% of its profits from travel to community development projects in host areas, with a focus on health and education. The investment involved at Himalayan Homestays was only Rs. 500/- for one home as the people would be thoroughly trained in various aspects of tourism (as guides and drivers). Also, the tour operator charged Rs. 50/- for spreading awareness about the homestays. The villagers would get Rs. 300/- per tourist per night, which would be directly paid to the homestay provider, to avoid clashes with agents or guides. IMPACT The Choti Haldwani project has managed t o keep alive the history and legacy of Corbett. For the tourists visiting the National Park, Choti Haldwani adds another dimension to understanding Corbett. Even though the benefits (economics of it) are limited the motivation is very high. The interest & enthusiasm shown, the coming and working together of the community in a cohesive manner is another critical aspect of this initiative which is a significant reason why the community has been able to sustain this engagement. New jobs and supplementary sources of income have been created, with more opportunities in the offing. There has also been active participation from women in the SHGs that were formed in collaboration with WWF. While ViaDesh is still trying to evaluate its impact on villages, the potential impact of this venture and such ventures like this are enormous. It gives the locals an alternate source of income, from homestays, guides, drivers, porters and trekking activities. This in turn prevents the migration (which is rampant in rural areas for lack of better opportunities) of people to cities. ViaDesh ensures that the money earned from homestays etc. is given to the female member of the household, thus promoting woman empowerment. ViaDesh aims for these communities to build their capacity to make things, from handicrafts to eatables like jams, and for them to be able to sell such quality items in the city market. Initiatives like this also squash the myth that rural community is not open to change. With tourists coming in and staying with the locals, there is mutual benefit from such initiatives. It’s a mutually enriching experience. ViaDesh also aims at setting up quality education and health centres within the area from the funds set aside from profit for such a purpose. Himalayan Homestays has had a positive impact on the villagers. The additional income from the homestays was helpful in buying ration in lean season and even sending children to the school. It also helped villagers in protecting their livestock and build predator-proof pens. The income gave much deprived decision power to the women community of the villages. The tourism activity increased local participation with the fact that many parachute cafes and local businesses propped up. The flow of tourists also instilled a sense of pride in the local people for their culture and lifestyle. In a way, this activity also helped preserve Ladhaki culture as people can now take pride in displaying the distinct Ladhaki decor and cuisine. The community on a whole has had an increased awareness of hygiene. The tourism activity also helped in checking migration of youth towards city. Homestays helped in the overall personality development of the villagers as the interaction with foreign tourists increased. Some of the added benefits for the villagers were the utilization of conservation fund, adoption of waste management practices and tree plantation activities. A change of attitude was seen in the villagers towards the snow leopards as they are now the attractions for the tourists to visit this place. The homestay experience for the tourists helped in learning about Ladakhi cultures through nature treks and its cuisines. THE WAY FORWARD The way ahead for the Samiti at Choti Haldwani is now to work and continue development on the initiatives already undertaken, and also start new programmes like organic farming and bullock cart rides to further expand and provide different sustainable employment opportunities for the locals. ViaDesh intends to move further into different villages and start similar projects like the ones already established. At the same time, ViaDesh aims at phasing its operations out of the existing locations, thus making these villages self-sustainable, with a well-established education and health system running. The idea of converting a livelihood problem into tourism initiative has worked well for the community based around the Himalayan Homestays initiative. Also, this project shows how rural tourism is related to eco-tourism and agri-tourism. This project has helped the community in its economic upliftment through measures such as these, while keeping the local culture intact. This project has also helped in protecting snow leopards and generating an alternative source of income through it. It shows how a balance can be maintained between tourism and ecology. Rural tourism has immense potential in the overall development of the economy, while preserving the rural structure, cultures and keeping traditions intact. Government initiatives should constantly monitor the progress of the projects that have already been initiated, continuously identifying bottlenecks and obstacles, to ensure the smooth functioning of such initiatives. Rural Tourism can help achieve some of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that aims at ending poverty by 2015. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1)Redefining Tourism – Experiences and Insights from Rural Tourism Projects in India ( © Ministry of Tourism, Government of India / UNDP India 2008) 2)www. viadesh. com 3)www. himalayan-homestays. com 4)Performance of Tourism Sector during July 2011, Ministry of Tourism 5)Annual Report 2011 Ministry of Tourism 6)Equations Annual Report, 2009-2010 Rural Tourism A BRIEF ANALYSIS ON THE STATUS OF RURAL TOURISM IN INDIA REFERENCE: GIMRM024 Table of Contents Abstract2 Initiatives6 Issues Faced8 Infrastructure10 Finance 11 Impact12 The Way Forward13 Bibligography14 ABSTRACT Tourism is one of the primary catalysts in generating sustainable livelihood in India. India’s vast rural diversity and heritage offers tremendous opportunity for rural tourism. The idea of rural tourism was born out of the need to provide first-hand experience of living in rural areas to the urban population and also as supplementary income for the local population. The Ministry of Tourism in its Outcome Budget for 2011-2012 has emphasized on the need of giving greater focus to rural tourism with the objective of creating employment, with specific emphasis on the upliftment of the status of women and to encourage local arts and handicraft. Rural tourism has the potential of carrying the additional burden of uplifting poverty and reducing migration towards urban areas. This research paper aims at studying the status of rural tourism in India, looking into some initiatives that have already been undertaken, both by the Ministry (The Choti Haldwani Project at the foothills of Nainital) and by organisations (NGO ViaDesh, Delhi and Himalayan Homestays, Ladakh) in different parts of India and the way forward. The paper concentrates on the following major areas: 1) Initiatives undertaken 2) Problems faced while trying to establish such initiatives 3) Infrastructure developed for this purpose ) The finances involved 5) The impact of such initiatives 6) Its co-relation with eco-tourism and agri-tourism 7) Future plans The government of India along with UN Development Programme (UNDP) has drafted policies and implemented some on the same lines by associating and granting funds to NGOs. Rural tourism will go a long way in realising some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) laid out by the UNDP, to be achieved by 2015. â€Å"The air is soft and balmy. The wild flowers are in full bloom, and the butterfly is on the wing. The grasshopper is singing his ceaseless song, and the bees are humming a chorus thereto. † These are excerpts from Ruskin Bond’s novel â€Å"Mussoorie & Landour, Days of Wine and Roses†. Such is the beauty of the Indian landscape. Tourism in India is the biggest service industry contributing 6. 23% to GDP and providing a host of employment opportunities. With 5. 58 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in 2010 and a provisional number of 2. 92 million during the first half of 2011, the tourism industry is pegged to grow at a rate of 9. 4% annually over the next decade. It’s linkages with a myriad of sectors in the economy, like transport, construction, handicrafts, manufacturing, horticulture, agriculture, etc. , makes it a potential economy driver, while also becoming an effective tool for poverty alleviation and ensuring growth with equality. The focus, thus, is now on rural tourism, an avenue that provides immense possibilities and opportunities for inclusive growth and equality in rural India. The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have collaborated in an initiative named the Endogenous Tourism Project – Rural Tourism Scheme (ETP-RTS) on rural tourism. Initiated in 2003, the project identified 36 sites across India, where a number of pilot projects have been initiated to assess the impact of this kind of tourism in these areas. The principal objective of the project is to focus on sustainable livelihoods and at the same time aims at the convergence of issues such as gender equality, empowerment of women, youth and other disadvantaged sections and working towards cultural sensitivity and environmental sustainability. This paper will look into one such government initiative, Choti Haldwani, which is a community based tourism project. Apart from government initiatives, numerous NGOs have been involved in different forms of rural tourism, be it agri-tourism, treks, homestays, workshops with locals etc. In the NGO space, this paper cites the example of ViaDesh, a social enterprise, based out of Delhi that arranges expeditions and treks in Uttarakhand, the Himalayan Belt (Kargil, Leh, Ladakh etc) and Rajasthan. This paper also briefly looks at Himalayan Homestays, an initiative by the Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC), The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. Traditional tourism, concentrated in coastal and mountain resorts, urban and cultural centres, has proven that tourism can bring enormous benefits to the economy, society and environment of a certain area. However at the same time there is a realization that certain parts of the country have been left behind in development. Rural tourism could be the harbinger of change in such a scenario. In recent years demands for holidays in small villages and the countryside has increased significantly in many rural regions of the world. The challenge for rural tourism then is to focus on providing sustainable livelihoods in rural areas all while preserving the traditions, cultures and values that exist in these areas, instead of trying to â€Å"urbanise† the area. INITIATIVES Choti Haldwani Choti Haldwani, better known as Jim Corbett’s village, is located in the Nainital District of Uttarakhand. Bought by Corbett in the early 1900s, this was the last village he stayed in before migrating to Kenya after Independence, donating the land to the 40 families residing in Choti Haldwani at that time. The village has now grown in population with 138 families making Choti Haldwani their home, and earning their livelihood mainly from agriculture. In 2001, Choti Haldwani was one of the four villages chosen to implement a community-based tourism (CBT) project. The CBN (Corbett National Park, Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Nainital) Tourism Initiative was designed to develop a framework for conservation and tourism by making use participatory processes that seek to engage stakeholder groups for planning, to help develop a common vision, build ownership, and buy in from various stakeholder groups for plans and projects. Many consultations and deliberations later, the USP of the village was discovered. This led to the formation of the Corbett Heritage Trail (which included historical sites like Corbett’s house, the historical gun of Tejsingh and Moti’s House to name a few). ViaDesh ViaDesh (established in 2010) is a social enterprise based out of Delhi. Its philosophy is engrained in its name – ViaDesh literally translates to â€Å"by way of country†. Founded by Jamal Mohammad and aimed at promoting village life and providing sustainable livelihood options, Viadesh promotes itself as a unique holiday planner committed to giving a transformative experience to both the tourist and the host. ViaDesh works towards building partnerships with villagers, and forging relationships with them through community interaction. The expeditions and treks give the tourist a first-hand experience of rural living. They are exposed to the unique and rich village culture that every village brings with it. Villagers turn into guides, narrating stories from the village and sharing their own experiences with the tourists. Tourists also bear witness to the different folk songs and dances, gathering together with the village folk. Home-stays are arranged for tourists in some of the houses within the village itself. By doing this, ViaDesh ensures that the tourist is involved, from early morning, in every facet of village life. Starting from collection and preparation of fodder for animals to cooking food, to even plucking apples and apricots from plantations and planting herbs like oregano, tourists get hands-on experience of rural living. Rural locations offer an idealized release from stress and the opportunity to re-engage with a simpler, quieter way of life that offers rest and relaxation. Himalayan Homestays Himalayan Homestays is an Initiative by Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC), The Mountain Institute, local tour operators and villagers living in important snow leopard areas. The need for this initiative was felt due to the rising disparity between the rural and the urban communities due to the fact that the tourism boom in Ladakh offered little opportunities to the rural people. The rural community was also facing the problem of diminishing livestock population due to Snow leopards. Hence they offered tourism as a solution to promote conservation as well as to combat livestock loss. Villagers defined the Himalayan Homestays in the following way: â€Å"A traditional village based Ladakhi Homestay would share their traditional way of life and values with visitors provide traditional food, in an eco-friendly environment that requires little initial investment. (Source – Redefining Tourism: Experiences and Insights from Rural Tourism Projects in India) The project was implemented with various guidelines for selecting locations to setting minimal facilities such as a separate room for tourist to a toilet (with door). Also 10% of the money generated was to be divulged into the conservation fund for village activities. Initially, for setting up, they assessed the demand and preferences of the tourist by conducting a survey for the location choice, food and accommodation option as well. Interestingly, the choice was local food was rated highly. Capacity building measures such as training the youth as nature guides. To avoid hygiene issues, community members were trained on cooking and cuisine as well. The main aim of SLC was community empowerment and hence it was decided that the tourists would be shared on rotation basis. For the homestays, which were far off, and where the tourists were unwilling to go, they were trained for additional services such as Parachute cafes, Guides etc. ISSUES FACED Rural tourism as a whole is a sensitive issue to deal with since it deals with people and also their livelihoods. The rural people are skeptical about the kind of invasion that happens due to rural tourism. While implementing rural tourism many issues have cropped up. It is necessary to understand that the issues faced by the government are different from private and non-governmental entities. a)Finance: It deals with arranging as well as managing finances for any project. This aspect is prevalent in all initiatives from the government. Here the government has struggled to route funds flow whereas private players have found it difficult to arrange funds for the project. If the funds flow issues crops up at the beginning of the project then it becomes difficult to keep the local community engaged as they tend to lose interest as well as trust in the initiative. b)Pace of the Project: It is an important issue that needs to be addressed. It has been observed that private entities have tried to build upon strong finances. This has resulted in very little time for institutions as well as the local community to reflect on their performance and also absorb this transition. In a fast paced project, the players fail to understand that this is a sensitive issue where resources and money are of equal importance. The pace of project should be best decided by the local communities involved as it would be help them adapt to their role. c)Partner Agencies: This issue is predominantly associated with the government where the implementing agencies differ in vision and also their work ethics. The government needs to understand that different agencies behave differently and hence the outcome of the projects would also vary. )Local Community: The basic motto of this project was to eradicate poverty and envisage an empowerment campaign. Many a time it has been observed that the richer community in the village gets all the control while the poorer sections takes a backseat, as they are deprived of minimum requirements for a tourist such as separate homestays or even proper education. Here the government needs to ensure that these people are involved in group activiti es where they could learn and also contribute. Also, conscious measures should be taken to incorporate the marginalized communities into the success story. Government as well as private players should make sure that inclusive growth takes place and hence the beneficiary is the entire village and not select individuals. e)Hygiene: Hygiene is an issue which has made foreign as well as domestic tourists hesitate in turning an eye to rural tourism. Basic facilities such as bathroom and sanitation have been a cause of concern for tourists. The players should make sure that proper training should be given to handle these things so that the village does not lose out. )Issues from Tourists: Tourists, many a time, tend to compare rural tourism with general tourist spots and hence get bogged down by the results. Tourists are not able to connect with the rural theme which results in loss of interest. Also, sometimes issues like food and lifestyle tend to be a hindrance in the project. Sometimes, the traditional and cultural beliefs of the rural people prevent them from catering to the needs of the tourists. g)Cultural and Environmental Pollution: Tourism is a phenomenon which also brings with itself the ill effects. If not implemented properly, it can lead to destruction of the very basic cause of rural tourism i. e. the cultural heritage. Also, with hordes of tourists pouring in, the environment is at risk. Moreover, sometimes there should be strict control at some places because there are traditions and cultural beliefs of people that will prevent them from catering to all that the tourists may require and even the tourist would know that this is what he can expect in a village and accordingly will prepare them before coming to that village. The major issue faced by the Choti Haldwani community was visibility. It gets lost in the mad rush of tourists from Corbett to Nainital. With the Himalayan Homestays initiative gaining popularity, many other institutions have also tried to tap into the market. But in the process, the focus has shifted from community development to profit making. It also did not consider the capacity of the community, hence impacting the social structure. Also, the influx of many tourists eventually led to negative influence on the environment. With the difficult terrain, many of the homestays would not get sufficient number of tourists. This led to disparity between the villagers. INFRASTRUCTURE A key aspect in setting up different facilities was the formation of the Corbett Gram Vikas Samiti that coordinated with the project team (mainly from Forest Department and consultants) and took up implementation of work at the village. This ensured that the inhabitants of the village had a say in the development of the village as a tourist site. Proper footpaths were organised, information signboards were set up, an entry gate set up and renovations at the various heritage sites carried out. To support the Heritage Trail, the following activities were carried out 1)Training of guides: Interested people were asked to register for training as guides, but since not many tourists opted for the walk, the number of guides is dwindling, but there still is hope with a number of women interested in undergoing training as guides. 2)Identifying homestays: Presently only two families provide homestays. Although the concept of homestays is fast catching up with the community, the facilities within the homes is a hurdle, as these houses are installed with the traditional Indian toilets. Unlike ViaDesh, new houses are thus being built with better facilities for the tourist. Homestays rents and dining are very nominal at the rate of Rs 250/- a day with Rs. 60/- per person for 3 meals. 3)Establishing a souvenir shop: The Moti Souvenir Shop, run by the village committee, ran into trouble initially with very little funds and limited knowledge on how to run and what to sell at the shop. Eventually, with the aid of the committee, Haldi (turmeric) was bought from a lady, which was powdered and sold at the shop. The profits are given out to the lady, which has resulted in other items like pulses and spices being sold at the shop. Also, with the help of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), three self-help ladies groups were started, who supply products like jam, jellies and pickles to the shops. In addition to this, handmade hankies , scarves, bed sheets, dupattas and sweaters from Ranikhet were sold at the shop. 4)Information kiosks: In a small section of the souvenir shop, a computer with internet connection has been set up, with a trained person manning it. Although introduced for the tourists, this has benefitted children more, as they are provided computer education with a fee of Rs. 200/-. ViaDesh’s policy is simple – no construction of new structures and the promotion of indigenous lifestyle. In an attempt to preserve the natural environment of the village and to inhibit urbanization of villages, ViaDesh, in partnership with the villagers, arrange for homestays within the village. One room in selected houses is refurbished to cater to the tourist lifestyle, which is taken care of by the residents. ViaDesh has installed eastern-style toilets in all homestays to give tourists the actual feel of rural life. Apart from this, hosts are trained about hygiene and cleanliness standards that need to be adopted. They are also trained to follow hygiene while cutting vegetables and preparing food. ViaDesh has tried to work around the available resources and provide a comfortable experience for the tourist. As such physical infrastructure was not built for the Himalayan Homestays project unlike mud houses in other places. The trust had decided on tourists sharing the rooms with the villagers. Hence, there was a need for virtual infrastructure to attract tourists and spread awareness. The trust tied up with local operators to market Himalayan homestays. It was a conscious effort that the local operators chosen would think as well as work in parallel towards the community. This move also helped in briefing the tourists about the norms to avoid confrontation at the later stages. The trust also developed a website to tap the tourist seeking a similar experience on the internet. To tap walk-in clients, the trust had designed posters and maps as well. It was decided that 10% of the fund would be shared with the conservation fund. Conservation fund was used for various community works such as preserving wildlife, tree plantation etc. FINANCE ViaDesh, being a fledgling organisation, is a self-financed enterprise. Initial investment for setting up rooms, toilets etc. was made by Jamal. Participants' project donations also help to ensure that funds are available throughout the year to maintain the work done by the teams. These funds are either channelled through ViaDesh’s own charity, Sustainable Tourism Trust, or partner charities. ViaDesh donates 10% of its profits from travel to community development projects in host areas, with a focus on health and education. The investment involved at Himalayan Homestays was only Rs. 500/- for one home as the people would be thoroughly trained in various aspects of tourism (as guides and drivers). Also, the tour operator charged Rs. 50/- for spreading awareness about the homestays. The villagers would get Rs. 300/- per tourist per night, which would be directly paid to the homestay provider, to avoid clashes with agents or guides. IMPACT The Choti Haldwani project has managed t o keep alive the history and legacy of Corbett. For the tourists visiting the National Park, Choti Haldwani adds another dimension to understanding Corbett. Even though the benefits (economics of it) are limited the motivation is very high. The interest & enthusiasm shown, the coming and working together of the community in a cohesive manner is another critical aspect of this initiative which is a significant reason why the community has been able to sustain this engagement. New jobs and supplementary sources of income have been created, with more opportunities in the offing. There has also been active participation from women in the SHGs that were formed in collaboration with WWF. While ViaDesh is still trying to evaluate its impact on villages, the potential impact of this venture and such ventures like this are enormous. It gives the locals an alternate source of income, from homestays, guides, drivers, porters and trekking activities. This in turn prevents the migration (which is rampant in rural areas for lack of better opportunities) of people to cities. ViaDesh ensures that the money earned from homestays etc. is given to the female member of the household, thus promoting woman empowerment. ViaDesh aims for these communities to build their capacity to make things, from handicrafts to eatables like jams, and for them to be able to sell such quality items in the city market. Initiatives like this also squash the myth that rural community is not open to change. With tourists coming in and staying with the locals, there is mutual benefit from such initiatives. It’s a mutually enriching experience. ViaDesh also aims at setting up quality education and health centres within the area from the funds set aside from profit for such a purpose. Himalayan Homestays has had a positive impact on the villagers. The additional income from the homestays was helpful in buying ration in lean season and even sending children to the school. It also helped villagers in protecting their livestock and build predator-proof pens. The income gave much deprived decision power to the women community of the villages. The tourism activity increased local participation with the fact that many parachute cafes and local businesses propped up. The flow of tourists also instilled a sense of pride in the local people for their culture and lifestyle. In a way, this activity also helped preserve Ladhaki culture as people can now take pride in displaying the distinct Ladhaki decor and cuisine. The community on a whole has had an increased awareness of hygiene. The tourism activity also helped in checking migration of youth towards city. Homestays helped in the overall personality development of the villagers as the interaction with foreign tourists increased. Some of the added benefits for the villagers were the utilization of conservation fund, adoption of waste management practices and tree plantation activities. A change of attitude was seen in the villagers towards the snow leopards as they are now the attractions for the tourists to visit this place. The homestay experience for the tourists helped in learning about Ladakhi cultures through nature treks and its cuisines. THE WAY FORWARD The way ahead for the Samiti at Choti Haldwani is now to work and continue development on the initiatives already undertaken, and also start new programmes like organic farming and bullock cart rides to further expand and provide different sustainable employment opportunities for the locals. ViaDesh intends to move further into different villages and start similar projects like the ones already established. At the same time, ViaDesh aims at phasing its operations out of the existing locations, thus making these villages self-sustainable, with a well-established education and health system running. The idea of converting a livelihood problem into tourism initiative has worked well for the community based around the Himalayan Homestays initiative. Also, this project shows how rural tourism is related to eco-tourism and agri-tourism. This project has helped the community in its economic upliftment through measures such as these, while keeping the local culture intact. This project has also helped in protecting snow leopards and generating an alternative source of income through it. It shows how a balance can be maintained between tourism and ecology. Rural tourism has immense potential in the overall development of the economy, while preserving the rural structure, cultures and keeping traditions intact. Government initiatives should constantly monitor the progress of the projects that have already been initiated, continuously identifying bottlenecks and obstacles, to ensure the smooth functioning of such initiatives. Rural Tourism can help achieve some of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that aims at ending poverty by 2015. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1)Redefining Tourism – Experiences and Insights from Rural Tourism Projects in India ( © Ministry of Tourism, Government of India / UNDP India 2008) 2)www. viadesh. com 3)www. himalayan-homestays. com 4)Performance of Tourism Sector during July 2011, Ministry of Tourism 5)Annual Report 2011 Ministry of Tourism 6)Equations Annual Report, 2009-2010

Management challenges for the 21st Century

What Are Three 21st Century Challenges in Strategic Management? Answer Many challenges face a manager in the 21st century. A looming challenge in strategic management right now is globalization. Another is a volatile world economy. A third challenge in 21st century strategic management is the ever changing environment of government regulations, both domestically and internationally. Globalization Globalization is the international integration of intercultural ideas, perspectives, products/services, culture, and technology.Ethics and GovernanceEthics is at the core of corporate governance, and management must reflect accountability for their actions on global community scale. Diversity Globalization demands a diverse work force, and assimilating varying cultures, genders, ages, and dispositions is of high value. Career Success and Personal Fulfillment Career success and fulfillment hinges on effective human resource management, the practice of empowering employees with the necessary t ools and skills. Technology Technology management is crucial in offsetting the risks of new technology while acquiring the operational benefits the technology provides.Competition Managers must understand a company's competitive advantage, and translate this into a strategy that incorporates the competitive landscape. A Framework for Considering Challenges: PESTEL The PESTEL framework highlights six critical factors for management to consider when approaching the general business environment. A Look at the Managers of Tomorrow Posted on August 25, 2009by greatworkplace Randstad recently published an excellent report on the Managers of Tomorrow, including some fascinating statistics and observations on what our managerial landscape might look like in the future.In his book, â€Å"The Future of Management,† Gary Hamel argues that the secret to long-term business success is â€Å"not operational excellence, technology breakthroughs, or new business models, but management innova tion–new ways of mobilizing talent, allocating resources, and formulating strategies. † We’ll take a look at some predictions for the future and how we might be able to influence them. Who wants to be a supervisor? According to Randstad’s report, current employees have mixed feelings about the quality of managers currently, but their outlook of future supervisors looks somewhat bleak.The report goes on to suggest that â€Å"It’s clear that finding and preparing the next generation of managers is rapidly becoming one of the most critical business needs in the modern workplace. † The problem: future generations of employees aren’t embracing the role of a manager. â€Å"Employees watch their managers and see long hours, loads of new responsibilities and not much more money. Increased stress is the number one reason employees don’t want to become managers. † What attracts employees to a manager role?We’ve established t hat future generations might not currently embrace the role of a manager, but Ranstad’s report does provide some insight on what employees do find attractive about being a manager. So what makes management more attractive? â€Å"Maybe it begins with rethinking management. When we asked employees to list the reasons why they would want to be a manager, the answers were surprising. Power, status and money didn’t even make the list. The number one reason was being able to share my knowledge with others. Number two was being responsible for the success of an organization. And, number three was being able to influence decisions.†Some Goals for the Future In February, the Harvard Business Journal published an article featuring 25 Stretch Goals for Management in the 21st Century. Here are a couple interesting points from the article: Redefine the work of leadership. The notion of the leader as a heroic decision maker is untenable. Leaders must be recast as social-syste ms architects who enable innovation and collaboration. Create internal markets for ideas, talent, and resources. Markets are better than hierarchies at allocating resources, and companies’ resource allocation processes need to reflect this fact.Depoliticize decision-making. Decision processes must be free of positional biases and should exploit the collective wisdom of the entire organization. Retrain managerial minds. Managers’ traditional deductive and analytical skills must be complemented by conceptual and systems-thinking skills. (Source: â€Å"25 Stretch Goals for Managementâ€Å", Harvard Business Journal) Supervisory Training for Tomorrow’s Supervisor Today’s work environment demands highly skilled frontline supervisors different from the command-and-control leaders of the past.People are not interested in working for someone who just gives orders daily and conducts evaluations annually. Today’s employees are looking for leaders who devel op, support and coach them and keep them engaged. In ERC’s popular Supervisory Series I, beginning September 8, participants learn the managerial and interpersonal skills necessary to handle all leadership interactions—including those that are emotionally charged—along with the ability to apply both of these skill sets in any leadership setting or interaction. Organizational Promotions – The Managers of TomorrowSEPTEMBER 1, 2010 BY JORRIAN GELINK 1 COMMENT The people decision process is the control an organization has in whether its vision is being executed as well as achieving high performance. Having mission statements and core values posted across the walls is irrelevant unless the actions towards the people align with the organization’s core vision. Delivering a message emphasizing the importance of attaining new markets falls short when the company promotes an associate that is focused on retaining older clients but moves up due to â€Å"long tenure†.Every decision that is made in regards to people movement up, down or sideways is viewed on carefully not only by those within the department or division; but as well with others that do a â€Å"temperature check† of what it takes to stay/move up within the organization. The management of today need to follow two core steps in order to promote the management of tomorrow. Integrity of character. The start of any promotion should be on an individual’s integrity; for without that the organization is compromised. Integrity is not something learned in an organization, it is a trait brought into the organization and is easily judged by others.Integrity is always worn on a manager and is the fabric that can never come off; whether the integrity is strong or weak, all can see it and will respond to it accordingly. Lack of management integrity will show up in less than one month, but be rest assured the damage will show up the same time that integrity of characte r is breached. Many examples plague a manager’s strength of integrity: favoritism, fear of dealing with strong subordinates, placing blame on others, fear of performance communication, and promoting others â€Å"like me† are some of the main issues that plague poor management today.The people of the organization will forgive upper management promoting someone new to role, but they will never forgive a promotion of one with a lack of integrity. Organizational Performance. The organization has to promote based on performance: clear results achieved by executing tangible goals of the organization. Behavior leading to results needs to be looked at, any manager promoting one based on performing the right behaviors but not achieving results shows a lack of ignorance to the organization’s goals. Others will look upon this type of poor promotion it as â€Å"as long as I do what my manager tells me, who cares if I need to perform†.Not only will you damage your bus iness, you also shun others from wanting to move up the organizational ladder. Another result of poor promotion planning are the â€Å"opinions† of whether one can be handle a new role: what needs to be there is factual evidence of performance. The worst damage that can be done is not only average performance of a candidate, but under-performance, as any objectives and goals leading to results will not be taken seriously by co-workers and upper management will be looked upon as â€Å"the promoter of friends†.Continuous poor promotions with this method result in sub-ordinates leaving the organization due to favoritism or even worse, destroy the organizations objectives by trying to be-friend their superior in place of achieving results. The managers of tomorrow require high integrity of character as well of results of organizational performance. Focusing on these two requirements helps the organization be fair and accountable to what it needs from its teams. Missing eve n one of these requirements not only threatens the performance of the organization, but also detracts others from looking to be promoted.This is the true control of the organization: moving the right people into the right places for the right reasons. Jorrian Gelink Management Architect 5 Key Roles for HR Managers of Tomorrow What wlll the HR directors of tomorrow look like and what will their roles be? If we listen to theorists and academics, they might not look like much at all — in fact, they might already be extinct. This isn’t news: mandates for change in the profession have been prolific since the ’90s. Remember Fast Company’s 2005 article â€Å"Why We Hate HRâ€Å"? That certainly got our attention: attacking HR’s intelligence and value.Still today, noted practitioners like Jacques Fitz-Enz advocate breaking up HR, suggesting that the competencies needed for each area of the HR practice be allocated to other capable departments within a co mpany. I, naturally, wholeheartedly disagree with Fitz-Enz and other HR-killing proponents. Why? There is absolutely nothing in any organization that does not require people. People are an organization’s greatest asset — they are the human capital. So why should there not be a talented team of professionals focused on all things people?I think there is hope for HR, but it will require a dramatic paradigm shift and a deliberate refocus on what’s important to an organization in order to drive the performance and development of the workforce. If HR is to survive, it must think and act as if the organization was paying for its services — and could pull the plug at any time. Here are five roles that the HR Leader of tomorrow will have to play in order to shift the paradigm and add true value to an organization: Strategic Investor Today’s HR team is overwhelmed, overly busy and stretched beyond capacity.With multiple customers having exponential number o f needs, run from one project to the next, without stopping to understand why we are doing it, what the end result should be and whether or not we met the end results. Think about that. If HR were a business with services and products for an organization, would we not have to think about our business as a strategic investor, providing the right products and services for a cost that the customer will pay? We cannot be everything, and do everything. We need to learn to deliver our work where it adds value, and continuously measure that delivery.Relationship Facilitator Sticking with the concept of Human Resources as â€Å"all things people† for a minute, it goes without saying that a huge element of that role is facilitating relationships throughout (and outside) the organization. I see â€Å"building relationships† as being part of this, but not all. Yes, HR needs trusted relationships with executives, peers, the HR team, and the employees. But Human Resources cannot st op there; they must facilitate relationship building up and down levels, across business units, and with the community at large.Relationships are the biggest derailers of organizational success, and HR is poised to be the trusted facilitator bring people, teams and the organization together to drive business success. Developer of People Human Resources tends to be the â€Å"cobbler’s children†, going without shoes while the cobbler provides shoes to everyone else. Developing the skill and talent of the workforce goes without saying on the HR job description (at least in my mind), but we cannot forget our own team. How can we expect to influence and facilitate if our own team is in disarray?How can we facilitate trust, if our HR team is not trusted? Risk Manager There is no getting around it; there are tremendous risks related to people in an organization, and it is the role of HR to manage those risks. That doesn’t mean providing policies and procedures to ensur e no one steps out of line, but building capability in the leadership team and engagement and commitment in the workforce. Technology Geek The Human Resources Director of Tomorrow cannot survive on inference and buzzwords; they must provide credible business intelligence.Anyone stepping into HR leadership must have broad knowledge of technology systems, data integrity, process improvement and analytics. We must be able to critically analyze our processes to ensure that the business intelligence that we provide to our customers is credible. With the complexity of today’s HR systems, HR has to have to â€Å"geek-y curiosity,† asking, â€Å"how can we do this better and more efficiently using technology? † Can We Shift the Paradigm? Not only can we, but we must, not only for our survival, but for the organizations we serve.The people of the organization make it or break it, and need the talent and skills to make it. That’s where HR can shine. A Word from the Associate Dean: VUCA and the managers of tomorrow Posted on July 4, 2013 by GMBA Community Change is occurring faster than ever before, the world is more and more unpredictable. More players, more issues, and more voices means chaos and complexity and the â€Å"realities† of doing business are not so hard and fast as we may have once assumed it to be. Organizations operating under these forces face unique challenges and opportunities in decision-making, problem-solving, and planning.VUCA, an acronym standing for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity is a term derived from military vocabulary that is increasingly relevant for describing how managers should take into account the external environment. Being aware, being prepared, and anticipating the complications arising from VUCA are essential characteristics of a global manager today. As companies understand (or more likely, fail to understand) this operational chaos, they seek a new kind of leader, a talent tha t is prepared, aware, and capable of foreseeable strategy and informed action.These are the kinds of leaders the Global MBA seeks to train, to help provide companies with the talent they need to stay ahead of the trends. The companies that fail to perform today are the ones that are still operating under the talent acquisition, talent management, and workforce planning processes of yesterday. But this chaos is here to stay, so businesses and business leaders not only need to get up to speed but to start finding the relevant talent that can perform and remain agile in this environment.Agility is a term we stress in our program. In the age of innovation, disruption, and globalization, sticking with the tried and true won’t necessarily cut it. Unique challenges require unique solutions, and the demands placed on business leaders in this setting are diverse, varied, and in constant flux. As new markets emerge, new opportunities and obstacles arise. At a faster pace, the future is upon us before we can anticipate it. And with disruptive innovation the rule rather than the exception, competition is breakneck.Traditional leadership styles don’t work in this sort of dynamism. The leadership must mirror the environment and focus on VUCA preparedness, anticipation and evolution. And that doesn’t mean that there’s a one size fits all model for management; complex problems require complex solutions and equally complex strategies. Tomorrow’s leaders must be able to thrive in multiple, multi-faceted environments, keeping a finger on the pulse of emerging markets, mature markets, entrepreneurship and innovation, and efficiency and optimization.Embracing chaos, taking risks, being capable of rapid strategy changes in response to changing markets: all of these characteristics must also be balanced by pragmatism and commitment and underscored by a passion to bring employees along on the adventure. The skills gained through interacting with a d iverse cohort, traveling and working internationally, exposure to emerging markets, studying in a mature market, learning from the best professors from around the world are all hardwired into the design of the Global MBA to respond to these needs.Studying a variety of cases of multiple situations and from diverse industries helps students examine strategy and learn from failure. Extensive teamwork helps them learn to collaborate, share strengths and compensate weaknesses, and adapt collectively in response to the VUCA microcosm of a rigorous, 12-month MBA. How should companies respond to these complex external environment? In kind. Agile leadership means harvesting the best of skills, styles, and experience to meet specific, unique needs.In July, the Global MBA students will take off around the world for their International Immersion Projects. Each team consists of students of different nationalities, with different linguistic capabilities, with different professional expertise and different academic strengths. They would be working in for a Lifestyle brand in China, agri-business in Bolivia, energy and bottom-of-the-pyramid issues in India, eco-tourism in Morocco, small and medium size sector development in Djibouti and wine industry in S.Africa. To tackle these diverse projects in challenging external environment requires diversified skill set. The teams will work in environments ranging from -20 degree C to +50 degree C! It also means that the teams are uniquely equipped to respond to the shifts and demands of their different projects in different locations through practiced collaboration and constructive conflict. The successful companies of the future will harness resources like these and use them to become leaders in a VUCA-fueled world.

Free Essays on The Confederate Flag Controversy

Living in this diversified country, the one thing that everyone has in common is the fact that we all live under the American Flag. It symbolizes that this is the land of the free, and represents a part of this country’s history just as the Confederate Flag does. The Confederate flag for some people is a symbol of racism and oppression. For others it remains a nostalgic source of pride. Still for others, it’s simple design grants testament to that turbulent era in American history, where American stood against American, glared one another in the eye, and attacked with barely a thought as to why. Is history destined to repeat itself? Are we as Americans prepared to divide ourselves again over the Confederate flag? Will there ever be a day when at last man can sit back; taking with him one thing that has escaped unscathed from controversy? I think not! I fear we live in a restless society where issues like the Confederate flag will always be a problem. What symbol is so important that we spend years debating over, we waste lives fighting for, our best minds quarrelling over, and precious manpower defending? The answer is quite simple â€Å"The Flag.† This simple but complex piece of material holds many different meanings for many different people. Since its conception in late 1861, the Confederate flag was designed to represent the Southern Confederate States of the early Civil War era. While these Confederate States were based loosely on the concept of slavery, the flag was also established for still undetermined political reasons. As such, the flag exemplifies these same concepts. It was flown imperiously on Civil War battlefields and it came to represent the cause of the Southerner. Then again, this cause was just as ambiguous as its aim. Over the years, after its abuse by white-supremacist groups, namely the KKK, and the like, it has ultimately become a symbol of hatred and racism in the eyes of many. One example of h... Free Essays on The Confederate Flag Controversy Free Essays on The Confederate Flag Controversy Living in this diversified country, the one thing that everyone has in common is the fact that we all live under the American Flag. It symbolizes that this is the land of the free, and represents a part of this country’s history just as the Confederate Flag does. The Confederate flag for some people is a symbol of racism and oppression. For others it remains a nostalgic source of pride. Still for others, it’s simple design grants testament to that turbulent era in American history, where American stood against American, glared one another in the eye, and attacked with barely a thought as to why. Is history destined to repeat itself? Are we as Americans prepared to divide ourselves again over the Confederate flag? Will there ever be a day when at last man can sit back; taking with him one thing that has escaped unscathed from controversy? I think not! I fear we live in a restless society where issues like the Confederate flag will always be a problem. What symbol is so important that we spend years debating over, we waste lives fighting for, our best minds quarrelling over, and precious manpower defending? The answer is quite simple â€Å"The Flag.† This simple but complex piece of material holds many different meanings for many different people. Since its conception in late 1861, the Confederate flag was designed to represent the Southern Confederate States of the early Civil War era. While these Confederate States were based loosely on the concept of slavery, the flag was also established for still undetermined political reasons. As such, the flag exemplifies these same concepts. It was flown imperiously on Civil War battlefields and it came to represent the cause of the Southerner. Then again, this cause was just as ambiguous as its aim. Over the years, after its abuse by white-supremacist groups, namely the KKK, and the like, it has ultimately become a symbol of hatred and racism in the eyes of many. One example of h...

Sugar Produces Bitter Results for the Environment

Sugar Produces Bitter Results for the Environment Sugar is present in products we consume every day, yet we rarely give a second thought to how and where it is produced and what toll it may take on the environment. Sugar Production Damages the Environment According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), roughly 145 million tons of sugars are produced in 121 countries each year. And sugar production does indeed take its toll on surrounding soil, water and air, especially in threatened tropical ecosystems near the equator. A 2004 report by WWF, titled â€Å"Sugar and the Environment,† shows that sugar may be responsible for more biodiversity loss than any other crop, due to its destruction of habitat to make way for plantations, its intensive use of water for irrigation, its heavy use of agricultural chemicals, and the polluted wastewater that is routinely discharged in the sugar production process. Environmental Damage from Sugar Production Is Widespread One extreme example of environmental destruction by the sugar industry is the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. Waters around the reef suffer from large quantities of effluents, pesticides, and sediment from sugar farms, and the reef itself is threatened by the clearing of land, which has destroyed the wetlands that are an integral part of the reef’s ecology. Meanwhile, in Papua New Guinea, soil fertility has declined by about 40 percent over the last three decades in heavy sugar cane cultivation regions. And some of the world’s mightiest rivers- including the Niger in West Africa, the Zambezi in Southern Africa, the Indus River in Pakistan, and the Mekong River in Southeast Asia- have nearly dried up as a result of thirsty, water-intensive sugar production. Do Europe and the U.S. Produce Too Much Sugar? WWF blames Europe and, to a lesser extent, the United States, for over-producing sugar because of its profitability and therefore large contribution to the economy. WWF and other environmental groups are working on public education and legal campaigns to try to reform the international sugar trade. â€Å"The world has a growing appetite for sugar,† says Elizabeth Guttenstein of the World Wildlife Fund. â€Å"Industry, consumers and policy makers must work together to make sure that in the future sugar is produced in ways that least harm the environment.† Can Everglades Damage From Sugar Cane Farming be Reversed? Here in the United States the health of one of the country’s most unique ecosystems, Florida’s Everglades, is seriously compromised after decades of sugar cane farming. Tens of thousands of acres of the Everglades have been converted from teeming sub-tropical forest to lifeless marshland due to excessive fertilizer run-off and drainage for irrigation. A tenuous agreement between environmentalists and sugar producers under a â€Å"Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan† has ceded some sugar cane land back to nature and reduced water usage and fertilizer run-off. Only time will tell if these and other restoration efforts will help bring back Florida’s once teeming â€Å"river of grass.† Edited by Frederic Beaudry

Operating system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Operating system - Essay Example When we turn on the computer, it boots itself, which means that it checks if everything is running correctly, and if a new software or hardware has been installed. After booting for around a minute, the OS gets started. After startup, it manages the processes, takes user’s commands, and works accordingly. OS makes sure that all the programs get their required memory and storage on the hard disk. Examples of OS include Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh, and Linux. Windows OS was created in 1980s by the Microsoft. When we buy a computer system, OS is already installed in it, but we can also install it at home without professional help. All we need to do is follow the step-by-step instructions that come on the screen after we start loading our desired OS from CD. In short, an OS is the software that manages every program running on the hard disk, receives input from the user, transmits it to the related programs, and displays output on the

Ubiquitous Computing Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ubiquitous Computing Technology - Essay Example Many researchers from whole world are at the present working in the ubiquitous computing structure. Their effort impacts all regions of computer science, including hardware components (like chips), interaction substrates, applications, privacy, network protocols and computational techniques (Banavar et al, 2002). Ubiquitous computing or normally called â€Å"ubicomp† is an away desktop or post desktop model of human computer interaction in which data and information processing has been comprehensively incorporated interested in daily life matters and actions. As different to the desktop working and processing, in which a sole user deliberately engages a single device for a meticulous task, someone "employing† ubiquitous computing employs several computational devices and systems at the same time, in the track of normal actions, and possibly will not essentially even be conscious that they are doing so (Stajano, 2002). Ubiquitous computing is the visualization of a world in which computing power and digital infrastructure are tremendously economical property, so low-priced they are entrenched in all the daily things that enclose us. We can say that ubiquitous computing is not virtual reality, it is not a Personal Digital Assistant or PDA like Apples Newton, and it is not an individual or friendly computer with agents responsible for your bidding. Different from virtual reality, ubiquitous computing actions to put together information exhibit into the daily physical world. It believed that nuances of the authentic world to be magnificent, and plans plainly to augment them. Unlike PDAs, ubiquitous computing visualizes a world of completely associated devices, with inexpensive wireless networks all over the place (Kenneth, 1998); unlike PDAs, it is assumed that you are required nothing with you, because information will be available all over the place. Unlike the intimate agent computer that reacts t o ones tone or voice and is an individual