Checkout and Settlement Essay Example for Free

Checkout and Settlement Essay Check out and settlement are part of the final stages of the guest cycle. It is the final phase of the guest cycle and examines the various activities involved in checkout and settlement. Check out involves the front desk as also other departments such as housekeeping, bell desk, cashier’s desk, Point of sales etc. Main areas for a checkout are the belldesk and the cashier. The FO performs at least 3 important functions during the checkout and settlement process. †¢ It resolves outstanding guest account balances. †¢ It updates room status information †¢ It creates guest history records. Guest account settlement depends on effective FO accounting system that maintains accurate guest folios, verifies and authorizes a method of settlement and resolves discrepancies in account balances. Hotels find it most effective to settle a guest account while the guest is still in the hotel. Guest can settle the bill by paying cash, charging the balance to a credit card, deferring payment to an approved direct billing entity or using a combination of payment methods. Most hotels require a guest to specify during registration an eventual method of settlement. FO should verify or confirm guest credit card or direct billing information before he/she arrives at the desk for check out. Pre settlement verification activities ensure that the hotel will be paid for accommodation and services. DEPARTURE ACTIVITIES AT VARIOUS DESKS: 1) At the Bell Desk: During checkout a luggage outpass has to be obtained from the cashier stating that the guest has settled his account and returned the room key. Once this is received a departure errand card is made and filled out by the bell boy and will got to the guest room to bring down the luggage. The bell captain will also make an entry regarding this in the bell captain’s control sheet. On reaching the guest room the bell boy will announce himself, knock on the door enter the room on gaining permission. The bellboy will also ensure the following: 1. Collect room keys from the guest 2. Check the room for any possible damage to the property. 3. Draws the curtains, locks the balcony. 4. Checks bathroom and fittings. 5. The guest is escorted by him to the front desk 6. He puts a â€Å"room to be cleaned tag† card on the door after switching of the lights and air conditioner. The departure room is then inspected by a housekeeping supervisor/ Room attendant to ensure that nothing is left behind by the guest. The housekeeping/ In room dining department will also check the minibar for anything consumed by the guest to be charged to the bill. At the lobby the bell boy will: Keep the guest’s luggage at the bell desk Put hotel stickers and mark the luggage with â€Å"D† indicating departure luggage. Collect the luggage out clearance slip from the reception and loads the luggage in the car/taxi. Return the errand card to the bell captain which will then be entered onto the bell captain’s control sheet. 2) At the Reception desk: The Front desk receptionist checks the list of expected checkouts for the day and will confirm with the guest his date and time of checkout. Departure notification slips are printed to inform the other departments of the guest’s checkout. In a manual system the room racks are updated. The departure register is also updated. Checking for the mail messages and faxes. Checking for safe deposit box or in room safe keys. 3) At the cashier’s desk: 1. Verifying account information. 2. Posting any remaining charges to the guest’s folio. 3. Presenting the guest folio. 4. Verifying the method of payment. 5. Processing the account payment. 6. Securing the room key. 7. Updating the room status. The procedures used will vary among Front Offices depending upon hotels level of service and degree of automation. Some Front Offices offer automated or express check out. Traditionally at check out guest is presented a final copy of his/her account folio for review and settlement. FOA should confirm how the guest intends to settle the account. Guest may establish credit by presenting a credit card but may choose to settle his bill by cash or travelers cheques. VIP or special guests or corporate accounts should not be asked for settlement if their account is marked that all charges are to be Direct Billed. FOA should bring the guest account balance to zero, called zeroing out. When guest pays by cash or credit card, hotels assume that the payment is full and close the folio. If the account is to be paid through Direct Billing by the hotel, however the account is not brought to a zero balance because it must be transferred to the city ledger and billed through the account receivable system. METHODS OF SETTLEMENT A guest account can be brought to a zero balance in several ways. Methods of settlement include cash payment, credit card or Direct Billing transfer or combined settlement method. I. CASH PAYMENT IN FULL Cash payment in full at check out will bring a guest account balance to zero. A cash receipt has to be issued to the guest by the cashier. The cashier should mark the folio paid. If the guest has produced a credit card at check in, the cashier should destroy the guest credit card voucher imprinted at registration when the guest pays the account in full with cash. Guests paying in foreign currency should convert their money to local currency (some international currencies like $ are accepted). Hotels often charge a fee to convert currencies as banks charge the fee from the hotels. Currency conversion rates are displayed at the Cashiers counter or it can also be taken from business sections of newspapers. Guests can also use traveler’s cheques to settle their bills. Traveler’s cheques are issued by banks and avoid the risk of carrying cash. At the time of settlement the cashier should confirm the identity of the guest from the safety and security point of view. Also there is no danger of them being stolen as they can be encashed only when the signature of the holder tallies with the signature signed at the time of issue. A foreign traveler’s cheque should be treated as foreign currency and the necessary records, statements and certificates must be maintained like in the case of foreign currency and should be sent to the Reserve Bank of India. Difference between an ordinary cheque and a traveler’s cheque |Ordinary cheque |Travelers cheque | |For issuing a person should have a bank account (either |No need of any bank account for purchasing and encashing of | |current or saving). |traveler’s cheque. | |Any amount can be filled in the cheque as they are blank. |Have a fixed amount printed on its face and available in different | | |denominations. | |Only one signature is needed of the holder. |Two signatures are required (one in the presence of the issuing | | |authority and second in the presence of encashing authority). | |Ordinary cheques are valid only for 3-6 months. |Valid for indefinite period of time unless dated. | |These cheques can be crossed for account payee. |No such provision. | |No slip/list of lost, damaged or stolen cheques is issued by |Many banks issue a stop list for stolen and damaged cheques. | |the bank. | | |Cheque may bounce as the balance in the account may be less |No such possibility as the amount is already printed on the face of | |than the cheque |the cheque. | |Not safe as someone might force the owner to sign the cheque. |Quite safe because the second signature have to be put in front of | | |the encashing authority. | Procedure for accepting foreign currency: †¢ Request guest passport and determine the credentials such as name and photo identification place of issue and date of expiry of the passport. †¢ Confirm that the guest is a resident of the hotel by asking his room no. If the guest is a non-resident the permission of the lobby manager is obtained who will extend this facility to VIP’s and regular guests. †¢ Receive the cash or traveler’s cheque in foreign currency. †¢ Calculate the total amount of ocal currency to be paid by multiplying the foreign currency by the exchange rate displayed. †¢ Fill in details of the foreign currency encashment certificate. †¢ Request the guest to sign the foreign currency encashment certificate and compare the signature with the passport. †¢ Request the guest to sign the traveler’s cheque if it is an instrument of exchange. †¢ Give the total amount of local currency with the encashment certificate to the guest †¢ Second copy of the certificate is attached to the notes or traveler’s cheques received †¢ Third copy remains in the encashment certificate book. †¢ Fill in details in the record of foreign currency transactions. †¢ Fill in details of the foreign currency transaction in the cashier’s report. II. CREDIT CARD TRANSFER Even though credit card transfer settlement brings a guest account to zero, the amount of the charge must be tracked until payment is actually received from the credit card Co. Credit card settlement creates a transfer of credit on the guest folio and moves an account balance from the guest ledger to a credit card account in the city ledger (non- guest ledger). (Procedure). Guest signature completes this transaction. In some hotels computer system sends the settlement transactions directly to the credit card Co. guest only signs on the voucher present at FO. There is no need to sign on imprinted voucher. When foreign guests pay by credit card, credit card Co. payment is in local currency. III. DIRECT BILLING TRANSFER Like credit card settlement, direct billing transfers a guest account balance from the guest ledger to the city ledger. Unlike credit card settlement responsibility for billing and collecting a direct billing lies with the hotel rather than an outside agency. Billing should be arranged and approved by hotel’s credit department. Guest signs the folio and accepts the responsibility to pay the bill should direct billing account not pay the bill. IV. COMBINED SETTLEMENT METHOD A guest may elect to use more than one settlement method to bring the folio balance to zero. E.g., guest may make partial cash payment and charge the reminder of the account balance to an acceptable credit card. FOA must accurately record the combined settlement methods and take care that all required paper work is properly completed. Once the guest has settled the account the FOA should provide the guest with a copy of the folio. Good evaluation and follow up should be there as it is the last chance to make an impression. LATE CHECK OUTS Guests do not always check out by the hotels posted check out time. To minimise late check outs, the front office should post check out time notices in conspicuous places such as back of the guest room door, FO, in departure material etc. some hotels charge late check out fee. Explain to the guest why the fee is charged (management policy, HK can prepare room for other guests arriving that day). CHECK OUT OPTIONS Advance in technology with special guest service to expedite departure activities. 1. Express check out Guests may encounter line at front desk when checking out during the peak hours (e.g., between 7.30 and 9.30 am). To ease front desk volume, some FO initiate check out activity before the guest is actually ready to leave. A common pre departure activity involves producing and distributing guest folios to guests expected to check out. FO, HK or Security staff can quietly slip the folio into the guestroom, while they go for their rounds. By completing such a form, guest authorises the front office to transfer his or her outstanding folio to the credit card voucher created during registration. Procedure for express check-out: The receptionist should inform the guest about the express check out facility in the hotel If the guest wishes to use this facility obtain his card during check in Take the impression of the card on a charge slip and on the express check out slip. The charge slip is signed by the guest. One copy of the express check out slip is given to the guest. Explain to the guest that he needs to wrap his room key in the copy and drop it in the express check out drop box located in the lobby at the time of his departure. Attach a copy of the charge slip and express check out sip to the registration card The lobby manager/duty manager files his copy of express check out slip as per the check out date. A day prior to the guests check out the copy of the guest bill is sent to the room with an ECO sticker attached An ECO rooms list should be printed every morning which is necessary for monitoring the entire system. The second copy of this list is given to the bell desk. This system is available only for credit card paying guests and is a facility given to those guests who avoid going physically to the cashier’s desk at the time of check out for considerable time saving. 2. Self check out In some hotels guests can check themselves out of the hotel by accessing self check out terminals in the lobby or in room system interfaced with front office computer intended to reduce check out time and front desk traffic. Some resemble automatic bank teller machines while others posses video and audio capability. Credit card has to be used (number or magnetic strip). Check out is complete when the guest’s balance is transferred to a credit card account and an itemised account statement is printed and dispersed to the guest. This system sends an updated room status to front office computer. In room folio review and check out usually relies on an in room television or guestroom telephone access via an in room TV. Guests can pick up a printed folio at the front desk on his way out. In room self check out automatically updates room status and creates Guest History records. Another advantage is guests can look at their folios at any time during their stay. UNPAID ACCOUNT BALANCES No matter how carefully the front office monitors guest’s stay there is always possibility that the guest will leave without settling his account. Guest may forget to check out or front office may discover late charges for a guest who has already checked out. After departure charges or outstanding balances represent unpaid account balances. LATE CHARGES may be a major concern in guest account settlement. Restaurant, telephone, room service charges etc are the examples of some potential late charges. Sometimes additional cost of postage, stationary, labor, etc is more than the late charge itself. It is important in maximising the profitability. FOLLOWING STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO REDUCE LATE CHARGES: In automated and semi automated system front office can- †¢ Post transactional vouchers as soon as they arrive at the front desk. †¢ Survey front office equipment and voucher and folio racks for unposted charges. E.g., local telephone, in room movie charge meters may posses information not recorded in a voucher. †¢ Ask departing guests whether they have incurred any charge purchase or long distance calls that do not appear on the folio. Front may appoint runners to collect vouchers or get information on phone at peak hours. Front office computer system that interfaces with revenue center outlets is often the most effective means of reducing or even eliminating late charges. Room key deposits at reception counter help in reducing unpaid balances. ACCOUNT COLLECTION Late charges that are billed to departed guests should not be classified as un- collectible until the front office has exhausted all billing and collection procedures. A registration card should contain guest address, phone number etc. Procedures for collection of late charges will be different for cash and credit card depending on company policy for late charges. Guest account not settled at check out regardless of the credit established or prepayments processed during registration are transferred from the guest ledger to the city ledger, from front office to hotels accounting division. TYPICAL CITY LEDGER ACCOUNT INCLUDE: 1. Credit card billing- to authorised credit card billing. 2. Direct billing–to approved company and individual account. 3. Travel agency account- for authorised tours and groups. 4. Bad cheque account- resulting from departed guests whose personal cheques were returned unpaid. 5. Skipper account- guests who left the hotel without settling their account. 6. Disputed bills account- for guests who refuse to settle their account (in part or in full) because of a discrepancy. 7. Guaranteed reservation account- for billing and tracing no show guests. 8. Late charges account- for guests who checked out before some charges were posted to their account. 9. House accounts- for non-guest business and promotional activities. To be effective, the front office must establish a policy for billing departed guests with overdue account. Account receivable billing include determining: 1. When outstanding account balances are payable. 2. The number of days between billing. 3. How to control departed guests whose accounts are overdue. Collection schedules can range from aggressive (short cycle) to lenient (long cycle) depending on the hotels financial needs, clientele profile, history of collection patterns and so on. †¢ Firm in any encounters involving deferred payment. †¢ Documented procedure for collecting overdoes. †¢ Credit for tour group to be established well before they arrive. †¢ Uncollectible accounts to be sent back to the departments that originally accepted the uncollectible charge. FRONT OFFICE RECORDS Front office usually makes two copies of each guest account folio. 1 copy – guest receipt 2 copy – hotels permanent record Front office that uses three part folio, file the third copy with credit card voucher or direct billing statement in case the guest later needs a summary of charges. Registration cards are filed alphabetically whereas guest folios are filed numerically. GUEST HISTORIES Front office management can better understand its clientele and determine guest trends when it develops and maintains a guest history file. It contains personal and financial data of the guest hence it is confidential and proprietary. It is the last step in check out and account settlement. Many hotels build guest history cards from expired registration cards. It has information about the guest’s spouse, family etc. the information may help develop ads that appeal to the types of clientele the hotel is attempting to attract. Guest histories may also point out the need for new, supplementary or enhanced services. MARKETING FOLLOW THROUGH Hotels marketing department may rely in part on guest history files to develop new marketing strategies. Also, a property-marketing programme may depend on the front office performance and follow through at check out. E.g., marketing department creates a program to reward frequent guests with a free stay. Front office may be responsible for tracking the number of stays. Frequent travelers clubs are designed to encourage brand loyalty. Here airlines work as co marketers. GROUP DEPARTURE: At the Bell desk: Sufficient number of bell boys are arranged to handle luggage of the group. Baggage down time and wake up calls times are important and must be checked and followed strictly. Allocate floors and rooms to bell boys to bring down the luggage down to the lobby. If on the day of departure the guests are not in the room the bell boys go to each group member’s rooms and â€Å"pull† each group members baggage out of the room and bring it down to the lobby until the group is ready to leave. This process is called as â€Å"bag pull† Baggage is brought down to the lobby and counted. Bell captain obtains a baggage outpass. Room keys are handed to reception After clearance from the cashier and reception Finally the baggage is loaded onto the vehicle by the bellboys. At the reception: Departure notification sips are issued half an hour prior to actual departure by the receptionist to telephones, housekeeping, room service, and food and beverage etc. to avoid any late charges. At the cashier: Cashier prints out the master folio and individual folios {if any}. Makes a room wise summary for easy collection Master folio given to the tour leader and the individual bills are collected with the assistance of tour leader.

The Impact Of Social Divisions Social Work Essay

The Impact Of Social Divisions Social Work Essay Social Workers work with some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in Society, those who have been possibly subjected to oppression in their daily lives. Most would agree that Social Work is a diverse and shifting activity (Jones 200241) in response to the situations presented within society. The society that we live in can be seen as one with many divisions, due to individual difference, people are categorised in due to these differences such as gender, race, class, age and disability. These Social Divisions can result in certain groups being oppressed. Barker (2003306-307) defines oppression as The social act of placing severe restrictions on an individual, group or institution. Typically a government or political organisation that is in power places these restrictions formally or covertly on oppressed groups so that they may be exploited and less able to compete with other social groups, the oppressed are devalued exploited and deprived of privileges by the individual or group that has more power. Oppression can be fully understood through attention to race, gender, class, disability, sexuality and age. Society can attribute to these differences by defining people and their roles based on their different experiences in relation to the power, status and opportunities in society. Northern Ireland is seen as a multi-cultural society with inhabitants from many different backgrounds and cultures. The roles and expectations that society assumes for different group of people is immersed on a cultural level, thus creating common values about what is normal which creates perceptions of social norms. Through these perceptions of social norms oppression comes to the forefront. Recurring discrimination leads to oppression. Thompson (199810) says this is: inhuman or degrading treatment of individuals or groups; hardship and injustice brought about by the dominance of one group over another, the negative and demanding exercise of power. Oppression often involves disregarding the rights of an individual or group and is a denial of citizenship. It is important that it is recognise that oppression is not intended solely to refer to situations where a powerful person or group exerts tyranny over others it also refers to the structural injustices that can arise from often unintentional oppressive assumptions and interactions which occur as a result of institutional and social customs, economic practices and rules. (Clifford and Burke 2009) For the purpose of this assignment I am going to focus on racism and the oppression faced by Travellers as an ethnic minority group. Travellers are an indigenous minority in Ireland and enjoy a distinctive culture, value system and common language. (OConnell, 2006:4) Travellers nomadic lifestyle follows a routine based on economic practices and religion. According to the Government, Travellers have shared histories, a nomadic way of life and distinct cultural identity (Department of Justice 2005; Cited by OConnell 20064) One notable feature about the discourse of Travellers is the tendency to associate traveller oppression with the terms discrimination and prejudice and not racism, a tendency which is reflective of a broader resistance among some members of the Irish public and some policymakers and politicians to naming the treatment of travellers as racist. (Exchange House Travellers Service, 2005, www.exchangehouse.ie) (accessed 14/10/10) The failure to acknowledge traveller oppression as racism may be stemming from failure to acknowledge travellers as a distinct ethnic group. While travellers are visually racialised in society by their normandism, they were also marked through their physical, not structural whiteness. This failure to associate the marginalisation of travellers in Irish Society with racism supports a false understanding of racism as pertaining exclusively or primarily to people of colour (Downes Gilligan 2007249) despite definitions such as Burke and Harrisons (2000 283) who believe: racism is a multidimensional and complex system of power and powerlessness, a process in which powerful groups are able to dominate, which can be seen in the differential outcomes for less powerful groups in accessing services in the health and welfare, education, housing and the legal and criminal justice systems. This notion of power can demonstrate the segregations in society, and can heighten the oppression faced by those of ethnic minority groups. The development of racial ideology does not reflect the state of knowledge about racial differences but an aspect of social conflict.'(Ely and Denny 19874) Racism is a negative term with negative connotations and can be seen as a socially constructed ideology rather than a biological entity. (Thompson 2006) The impact of racism on ethnic minority groups can be detrimental, it can place many restraint on the lives of the individuals such as being restricted in what services they can avail of, the lack of knowledge about the provisions and opportunities available to them. Racism damages those it oppresses socially, economically and politically. (Dominelli 200865) Thompson (1993, p19) states that: P refers to the personal or psychological; it is the individual level thoughts, feelings, attitudes and actions. It also refers to practice, individual workers interacting with individual clients, and prejudice, the inflexibility of mind, which stands in the way of fair and non judgmental practice. C refers to the cultural level of shared ways of seeing, thinking and doing. It relates to the commonalities, values and patterns of thought and behaviour, an assumed consensus about what is right and what is normal; It produces conformity to social norms, and comic humour acts as a vehicle for transmitting and reinforcing this culture. S refers to the structural level, the network of social divisions; it relates to the ways in which oppression and discrimination are institutionalised and thus sewn in to the fabric of society. It denotes the wider level of social forces, the socio-political dimension of interlocking patterns of power and influence. At the Personal Level Travellers can be seen to be oppressed in many ways, the impressions that Travellers are dirty, criminal As a minority group, Travellers suffer discrimination and oppression; they are marginalised and excluded by people of the settled community. Poverty is seen to be part of daily living within the travelling community and many of the settled community feel that it is due to their Normandic way of life and that it could be solved by settling down and getting a job. (De Burca Jeffers 1999; Cited in Downes Gilligan, 2007:249) Rather than offering a structural explanation for traveller poverty, or an understanding of these experiences from the travellers point of view, the views and interpretations of the dominant cultural group are usually imposed on travellers. (Downes Gilligan 2007) However the oppression faced by travellers cannot be seen just from a personal point of view, it needs to be viewed in a broader context. Racism manifests itself in many different ways in society. Thompsons (2006) PCS model provides an understanding to how racism des so; it can be seen to operate at three different levels, the personal, cultural and structural. Clifford and Burke (200918) believe that Oppression operates at both structural and personal levels at the same time. Since the formation of the Welfare State many changes have come about which have resulted in positive actions in attempting to challenge racism and the oppression faced by people in Society. Social Policy plays an important part in promoting integration in society. One of the functions of the Welfare provision in general, is to promote the integration of individuals in society. (Oliver 199678) These policies may be interpreted as responses to perceived social needs. The policies evolve within an environment where problems come to the forefronts that are seen to require political solutions and pressures occur for new political responses. (Hill 2009) Social Work practice is transforming through the creation of social relations, fostering equality and justice in moving toward an anti- racist approach, a political stance against racism is adopted on the personal, institutional and cultural levels within policies, practice, education and Social Work organisations. (Dominelli, 2008) OConnell (20065) states that Travellers have been victims of violence and intimidation and have been subject to exclusion from services, giving rise to many cases under the Equal Status Act. This Act covers discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, age, marital status, family status, religion, sexual orientation, disability and membership of the Traveller Community. Deconstructing power relations and privileging within professional relationships can begin the processes of changing professional and organisational structures. Dominelli (2008:77) The Traveller Education strategy (2006) seeks an end to separate Traveller provision in education to be replaced by inclusive provision in main stream services. The need to respect Travellers rights is a logical element of the new human rights and equality architecture established since 1998: the creation of an Equality Authority to promote equality, an Equality Tribunal to hear discrimination cases, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) to give expert advice on these issues, and the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) to promote human rights. Ireland has adopted new anti-discrimination legislation (1998 Employment Equality Act and 2000 Equal Status Act), and most recently the State has announced a National Action Plan against Racism (Department of Justice 2005). Anti-racist initiatives are reflected in Social Work education and practice, many Social work organisations engaged with what is known as Race Awareness Training. These initiative target Social Work education as well as service delivery. CCETSW implemented an anti racist policy which was aimed at looking at ways to educate student and practitioners of anti-racist practices. (Llewellyn 2008)

External Factors Affecting Itc Marketing Essay

External Factors Affecting Itc Marketing Essay In todays world due to globalization there is immense competition in the market. To sustain there position and value in the market companies not only have to take care of the functions happening internally but externally as well. The function of company is divided into internal and external factors. ITC was incorporated on august 24, 1910 with the name imperial tobacco company limited. As the ownership of the company got more indianised the name of the company was changed from imperial tobacco company ltd to Indian tobacco company ltd in the year 1970 and then later it changed to I.T.C LIMITED IN 1974. It is a public conglomerate company which has its headquarters in Kolkata. The headquarters name was Virginia house which was formed in the year 1928 is todays Kolkata most venerated land marks. Although the company started its business with manufacturing cigrates its later ventured into the business of packaging and printing in the year 1925. In 1975 the company launched its hotel business. In 1979 ITC entered paper board business. ITCs paperboard technology, productivity, quality, and manufacturing process are comparable to the best in the world. In the year 1990 ITC set up the agri business division for export of agri commodities. Then in the year 2000 ITC initiated the e-chopa l scheme with soya farmers in Madhya Pradesh. The turnover of this company is $6 billion and it has a market capitalization of $22 billion. It is now a fully independent company but it has its ancestry with imperial tobacco of United Kingdom. It was registered as by this name in 1974. It has diversified its business in many sectors such as ciggrates, hotels, paperboards, packaging, agribusiness, packaged food, confectionaries and many other sectors. Although its a much diversified company it is the only company in the world which has managed to be carbon positive, water positive and solid waste recycle positive. CARBON POSITIVE CORPORATION Due to global warming we are noticing climate changes in the environment. These are the result of large- scale emission of gases such as carbon-di-oxide. This can result too many harsh consequences. Itc has been a company which has worked for reducing green house gas emission. All ITC businesses work towards minimizing energy consumption and where ever possible use environmental friendly products. ITC has implemented several CDM projects under the Kyoto protocol and ensured that there is proper sequestration of carbon dioxide through large scale social and farm forestry initiatives. All this is done through a properly established technique to reduce the total carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Energy efficiency practices of ITC have helped the company to achieve a world class standard of energy utilization in many units. 30.9% of the energy consumption of this company is from renewable resources. Itc has chosen wind energy as a focus area for optimizing its positive environmental foot prints. The company has already invested in wind generation plants in Tamil nadu to meet its energy requirements for their plant in Chennai. The company has already registered 8 CDM projects with the clean development mechanism executive board. WATER POSITIVE CORPORATION. India has a very troubled water future. It has access to less than 4% to fresh water supply and the condition is likely to be worsening in the near future. Itc sustainability initiative focuses on the following: Itc has been able to achieve the lowest specific water consumption through benchmarking, conservation and audit. Itc recycles all waste water, hence they not only reduce fresh water intake but they also prevent pollution of fresh water resources. Itc has managed to create a positive foot print through rain water harvesting between their own units and watershed areas. Itc has managed to achieve the lowest specific water consumption [water used per unit for production]; they have the zero effluent discharge by treating and recycling all waste water. The rain harvesting project has been consolidated by ITC for 8 consecutive years. They not only follow it in the company premises but also do that for other water shed areas around their company. The total rain water harvesting potential so far developed by ITC is 3 times the total water consumed by the company. WASTE RECYCLING POSSITIVE. There is a significant amount of waste being disposed through land filling and dumping, hence waste management is an area of serious concern in India. Most of the landfills and dumping sites are serious health hazards to people living in the neighbourhood of these areas. This not only causes health problems but also causes soil and water contamination. All the factories of itc such as the cigarette plant at bengaluru, Saharanpur, munger and Kolkata, the ITC green centre at gurgaon, surya nepal cigrate factory at simla, and also the ITC hotels- maurya, maratha, grand central,sonar ,windsor, mughal,etc, all recycle almost the entire waste generated ,i.e , more than 99 % out of their operations. OTHER COMMITMENTS. ITC has a history of collaborations with communities and government institutions. It enhances farm productivity and rural resource base. ITC commitment in these areas has lead new aspects in competition and new farm practices. In the year 2000 ITC launched e-choupal ,it was a knowledge portal that provided farmers with a range of information and services. It was designed in such a way that the farmers could bargain collectively and enhance their transitive power. Today over 4 million farmers are part of this scheme . Itc then launched a program called as sunhera kal which was a rural capacity building program which made the local initiative to develop water and forest resources, it helped in opening up new non-farm livelyhood, empower women economically and expand primary education. The mission has now embressed a community of thousands of villages in 11 states. By linking technology and knowledge transfer to the creation of social and economic capacity, this company has brought a new dynamic to rural development. E-CHOUPAL Its an initiative of ITC which links millions of farmers via the internet to procure the agriculture and agricultural product like soya bean, wheat, coffe, prawns, etc. E-chaupal was formulated to tackel the problems of indian farmers such as fragmented farms, weak infrastructure and the involvment of various intermedies. The program involves instalation of internet facilities in all the villages so that the farmers can get up to date information about agriculture and agricultural products. But ITC had to face many external problems too which can be divided into political,economical,social and technological . POLITICAL PROBLEM :The agriculture produce marketing act required to create mandis so that there is an equitable distribution of gains among producers, consumers and traders. Due to its inefficiency the mandis were not able to serve the requirment of the farmers as well to a company like ITC. ITC had to face a fundamentel regulatory barrier which prohibited pocurment outside the mandis. ITC had to pursue the government that the company would operate according to the nature and requirment of the act. It had to convince the commission that e-chopal would benefit both market and farmers. Later on the government waived off the mandi tax which the company decided to pay in order to maintain good relation with the government. Economic issues : ITC e-chopal has considered all poverty, farming , poor livelyhood as inter connected issues. ITC has qucikly impacted whole agricultural chain from seed to money in the bank. It views rural poverty as the result of how rural society and rural economy has structured. Due to the ITC initiative of e-chopal there is a 10 % rise in the income of the farmers and incomes from farming and support services has risen by over 38%in 2000. This movment is reaching 6,50,000 farmers of 6000 villages and the company has big plans of expanding by establishing more 20 choupals in the country. Socio-cultural issues : Computers brought a big change in the farmers attitude towards agriculture as it was supported by high income and technology. The companys sustainable livelihood initiative works hard to create alternative employment schemes for extra labor and reduce pressure on arable land by promoting non farm incomes. ITC company has tried to improve the standard of living of the people of villages through its e-chopal movement and many other welfare schemes for the villages and farmers. The main aspect where the company has the social- cultural investment is on natural resourse management which includes watershed, wastlands, agricultural development and improving the livelihood consisting genetic improvement in livestock and empowering the women economically and developing the community by paying attention on sanitation , health and giving lot of attention on primary education. TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUES : the ITC e-chopal is a great example of how this company has used e-commerce to expand its business. The company has established a network of 5100 kiosks computers in many indian villages. Through this network millions of farmers can get usefull information that increases their ability to take proper dicisions. The e-choupal initiative of the ITC company acts as an advantage tothe small scale and poor farmers who have previously marketed in univolved markets. It provides access to the market where buyers pay the highest possible price to the farmers and also provide the farmers with weather information. The ITC group through its e-choupal program provide training, internet access, and computers. they help the small farmers by providing them information to attain better prices for their agricultural product. CONCLUSION. From the above given explanation we can understand that ITC is a group of company which has a very diversified business. It is also among the first companies which has worked towards building a brighter future for the poor people of the country. ITC through its many social and cultural ventures has benefitted allot to the population of this country. Apart from agriculture ITC ventured into the hotel industry so that it could bring foreign exchange and also increase tourism in the country. ITC has tried to fight competition in the market by diversifying into different product manufacturing. Due to the large scale of this company it has a great influence on the policies made by the government as this company provides employment to millions of people in the country. ITCs foray into the food business is an outstanding example of successfully blending multiple internal competencies to create a new driver of business growth. Its a rapidly growing company which fights its external factors by adopting new and innovative techniques. E-chopal is a very good example to explain this quality of the company.

Copernicus, Galileo and Hamlet :: Hamlet Copernicus

Copernicus, Galileo and Hamlet If imagination is the lifeblood of literature, then each new scientific advance which extends our scope of the universe is as fruitful to the poet as to the astronomer. External and environmental change stimulates internal and personal tropes for the poetic mind, and the new Copernican astronomy of the late 16th- and early 17th-centuries may have altered the literary composition of the era as much as any contemporaneous political shifts. Marjorie Nicolson, in "The Breaking of the Circle," argues that the heliocentric system greatly influenced the metaphysical poets, especially John Donne, as it necessarily mated the concept of a universal macrocosm with the preexisting notions of a personal microcosm and earthbound geocosm. Nicolson claims that the Elizabethans, Shakespeare included, failed to apply the new motion of heavenly bodies to their own bodies of work, and that their obsolete cosmology confers obsolescence upon their literary endeavors. I will argue that Hamlet, written in the aftermath of Copernicus's De Revolutionibus and Tycho Brahe's cosmological observations, not only follows many of Nicolson's tenets for the metaphysical poetry of the time, but stands as a central metaphor for the ambiguous period between Copernicus's initial theories and Galileo's visual proofs in Sidereus Nuncius. The conflict of Hamlet is the geocentric pitted against the heliocentric; Hamlet the "son/Sun" must revenge his Hyperion father's death by deposition of his traitorous and swinish uncle from the English throne, the center of the action and royally emblematized through the Sun. But the addition of the macrocosmic/heliocentric view to Hamlet's preexisting microcosmic†¹that is, self-centered or, to use a word that rings of etymological irony, solipsistic†¹obsessions does not make for a happy marriage; rather, the two spheres, representing externality and internality, stall Hamlet's geocentric development†¹earthly, physi cal action. Hamlet's legendary propensity to delay stems not from a mere excess of thought but from a divisive thought process that clouded Shakespeare's times: its fractured and debated cosmology. As Nicolson postulates, "'Correspondence' between macrocosm and microcosm, which man had accepted as basic to faith, was no longer valid in a new mechanical universe and mechanical world" (Nicolson, xxi). In Nicolson's eyes, King Lear reflects Shakespeare's preoccupation with the new cosmology more in astrological than astronomical terms: "Disruption in the heavens presaged disruption upon earth, the storms of the geocosm paralleled those in the microcosm, but our attention and Shakespeare's is centered on Lear, the man, rather than on the world and the universe" (Nicolson, 149).

United Nations :: Free Essays

Describe the goal and functions of the United Nations. Upon the conclus5ion of WWII, the 1945 San Francisco Conference created the provisions for the United Nations. The purpose of this multinational organization was to promote international peace and security, settlement of disputes between nations by peaceful means, develop friendly relations with other nations, and the international cooperation to solve global social, economic, and cultural problems. To accomplish this agenda, the United Nations is divided into six departments, all having their own specific duties.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The U.N. charter gave the Security Council the responsibility dealing with threats to our international peace and security. There are five permanent members on the board and they include China, France, Great Britain, Russia, and the U.S.. Each member carries veto power over other the member’s actions. There are also ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly. These ten members serve a two-year term to ensure that various populations are represented on a rotating basis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The General Assembly includes all voting eligible nations. This assembly meets to discuss and make recommendations concerning world problems. Africa makes up 33% of total membership and can have a tremendous influence on the resolution process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Secretariat is sort of the grunt or laborer in the organization. They are responsible for the day to day operations, calls conferences and meetings, and distributes information to the other departments as well as the public.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The U.N. Secretary General serves as a look-out. This part of the organization is to inform the Security Councils attention to direct or possible threats towards our world peace. The Secretary general also may undertake special missions and command emergency forces.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Economic and Social Council coordinates the activities of specific agencies. It is their responsibly to is make sure each department is running smooth and in the right direction.

Which level of government should take the lead?

In ascertaining which between the federal government and the state and local government can best address the problems facing this nation, it is important that the pressing problems of the United States of America be identified first. Evidently, the most pressing problems of our nation today include job creation and economic growth, the war in Iraq, health care and social security, energy and the cost of gas, terrorism, illegal immigration and environment and global warming.When it comes to addressing the problem of job creation and economic growth, the lead should not be taken by any of the two levels of government since both the federal as well as the state governments must share the burden of dealing with the same. At the state or local level, intrastate commerce must be readily addressed. While interstate commerce must be facilitated by the federal government.The federal government however must be permitted to take the lead in addressing the problems of the war in Iraq, terrorism, illegal immigration energy and the cost of gas and the environment and global warming as these problems substantially involves foreign policy works that only the federal government is empowered to do. These problems require immediate attention and may oftentimes necessitate instant action which may only be delivered by the national government.On the other hand, the problems of health care and social security must be addressed by the state and local governments for the identification as well as the cure to these problems can best be addressed locally. It is within the realm of the power of the state and local governments to make measures to attend to the problems of health care and social security. Discuss the Davis Administration and how it affected the writing of the 1876 Texas Constitution.Governor Samuel Jackson Davis’ administration was perhaps the most controversial and unpopular one in Texas history. This may be because even his assumption to office was in the first in stance questionable. The backbone of his administration was the Texas Constitution of 1869 which provided for the centralization of power into the Governor’s Office and the expansion of governmental power. Davis’ term lengthened from the original two years to four years and his salary was significantly increased.Davis was able to have control over local state officials because of the vast appointing and removal powers granted to him by the constitution. The Davis administration was also criticized for levying unreasonably high taxes and incurring lavish government expenditures. Aside from his control over the State Police, the Constitution also empowered Davis to take charge of the State Militia which he both used to maintain law and order and compel local officials whenever they refused or failed to obey.His unpopularity was bolstered by immense corruption coupled with his declaration of martial law in some counties. Texans have always preferred decentralization, chea per government spending and abhorred the coercive force of the state police and the state militia and the declaration of martial rule. That is why in December of 1873, Texans replaced Governor Davis with a Democrat in the person of Richard Coke and subsequently rewrote their constitution.Texans promulgated the Constitution of 1876 which, up to this time, remains to be the fundamental organic law of Texas. It provided for shorter terms and lower salaries of elected officials, obliteration of voter registration, local control of schools, low taxation and less government expenditure. Although the governor was given the power to appoint, fill vacancies, and enforce the laws of the land, he was not given control over local or other elected state officials. The 1876 Texas Constitution vastly differed from its predecessor constitution. References: Longley, Robert. â€Å"Federalism: National Vs. State Government.†Ã‚   (2008). April 28, 2008 . Webmaster. â€Å"The Handbook of Texas Online.†Ã‚   (2008). April 28, 2008 .

Children advertisements Essay

Children see thousands of advertisements on TV, in other media and as part of their daily environment. You can help your child develop an important skill for life by talking about what ads are and what they’re trying to do. Members of the Responsible Advertising to Children Program work to ensure that marketing is sensitive to the needs and concerns of children and families. They work toward this objective by: Reaching out to parents and stakeholders to understand societal expectations: Marketers are great communicators and are often innovative and creative. By listening to parents and families, marketers can use their skills to help parents convey messages that help children adopt good habits. Parents often say they need support in promoting right versus wrong, healthy nutrition, the importance of sleep and exercise and so on. We work with parents, schools and child experts to identify opportunities to use marketing to help convey positive educational messages. Reaching in to marketers to sensitize them to societal expectations: RAC members recognize that marketers must be conscientious about any form of communication that is likely to appeal to children. We seek to build trust in marketing communications by ensuring that we apply robust standards through effective self-regulatory systems. They proof that not all advertisement that target children can be bad some advertisement can teach children greet vales such as: The cereal commercial teach children the importance of eating breakfast every morning and how the vitamins’ are good for them and show them that eating breakfast could be fun by add fruits and honey. And the Colgate ads teach the children how to brush their teeth the right way and how brush their teeth twice a day help Prevent cavities.