What is it to be Homeless?

Homelessness, it carries strong connotations of poverty, abandonment, and despair, yet it is still a major problem in American society with no end in sight for the people who find themselves in its midst. In 2004, over 7% of Americans found were defined as homeless, a number which continues to grow in connection with job losses and housing unavailability (Donohoe, 2004). Growing up in an upper middle class family, homelessness is something I’ve never had to experience firsthand but have witnessed time and again in people pandering for money in parking lots and on street corners. I have seen men, women, and children huddled together as they brace themselves for a night on the streets but until this point had largely kept myself separate. Through my field work and research for this project, I have come to a better understanding of the causes and effects of homelessness not only on the individual but on the family and society as a whole. Defined as sleeping in shelters, on the street, in cars, abandoned buildings, train or bus stations, homelessness is a constant reminder of the inequalities of society (Donohoe, 2004). In Kentucky, where the homeless rate has climbed steadily, it is a growing problem. In 2005, the number of homeless persons seeking assistance in Kentucky was 19,908 – a noticeable jump from the previous year when the number was 15,226 (Kentucky Statistics). The question is posed in viewing these statistics, as to what happened to cause such a high increase in individuals and families finding themselves without a home during a time when the economy was in an upturn. Now, in recent light of the recession and overall jobless problem in the United States, the outlook does not seem promising. The primary causes of homelessness range from domestic abuse, lack of housing, poverty, low wages, post-traumatic stress disorders, etc (â€Å"Factors Contributing to Homelessness†). The causes are as varied as the people who find themselves in this situation. Annually there are anywhere from 2. 3 million to 3. 5 million people nationwide who are homeless, 39% of which are children (â€Å"How Many are Homeless,† 2006). Their day to day lives center around finding food and shelter for themselves, of which are becoming scarcer as public assistance continues to decrease. As part of my research I conducted several interrelated field studies, each meant to give me a better understanding of the homeless in Kentucky and to better ascertain the reasons behind their homelessness. The best way to understand this, I reasoned, was to place myself in their shoes. My experiments involved viewing the public’s response to homelessness. Dressing down in jeans, a t-shirt/sweatshirt combination, and a pair of old gym shoes with an old baseball cap borrowed from a friend, I set out to downtown Lexington to try and pander for loose change. As this had been my most common experience with the homeless, I sought to dispel my own stereotypes as well as experience through action what it means to be reduced to these circumstances. Standing on the corner of S. Broadway and Main streets, I scanned the area and saw a man farther down the street dressed in rags and holding a cardboard sign. I momentarily regretted my decision to forego the sign myself as it would be helpful in drawing people to me. However, I reasoned that as this was meant as a means of interacting with the public as a homeless person I had a better chance at verbal communication without the sign. Having chosen both a high traffic area and a busy afternoon, I was soon watching people pass me without so much as a backward glance. Unsure of myself, I tried to remember my own experiences with being asked for money. It had seemed almost an effortless endeavor, lending to the stereotype I have heard most commonly thrown about that people begged no out of necessity but laziness. I soon discovered that pandering was no easy task. Seeing an elderly woman, who reminded me of my grandmother, I called to her, asking the standard question, â€Å"can you spare some change? Maybe I called it too loud in my nervousness or possibly the dirt I had purposely smeared and worked into the fabric of my clothes and my general appearance of disarray but she moved away from me seeming to hold her breath. I smiled, trying to dispel her unease but it was too late. Surprising me with her speed and agility, she quickly made her way past darting between other ongoing pedestrians. Trying not to lose my ner ve, I quickly turned my attention to the other people crossing in front of me. A man in a business suit, out of place himself on a Saturday afternoon, stopped in front of me as I called to him trying this time to temper my voice and not appear over enthused or worse disingenuous. â€Å"Why don’t you get a job? † he asked. â€Å"I work 50 hours a week to support my family, and you can’t go to McDonald’s and flip burgers for some cash? No! You expect me and all of these other hardworking people to give you theirs! † and with that he dug in his pocket, tossing a handful of pennies and pocket lint on the sidewalk in front of me. This was not easy. Pandering required that you have not only a tough skin but also that you set aside your pride. I found myself struggling with tears, wanting to call out to the man as he plowed his way down the street that I wasn’t really homeless. I wanted to call, but I’m a college student, I have a job, I have a home but this would only stunt any further work I wished to accomplish in this area. I needed to blend. A young woman, not much older than myself, stopped in front of me as I struggled with my own ego trying to reconcile the humiliation of the research with understanding I knew I would gain. I looked up and she appeared the very opposite of the man in the business suit. Dressed similarly to me, though clean with freshly washed hair and fashionably distressed jeans and a bright green sweater, she held a cup of coffee in one hand and a few dollar bills in the other and on her face was a sympathetic smile. â€Å"Don’t let him bother you,† she said handing me the coffee and forcing the bills into my hand. â€Å"I know where you are coming from. I lost my job two years ago and was in the exact same spot as you. I was evicted from my apartment and lived in my car and the shelter for 2 months before I was able to get back on my feet. Just be happy you don’t have kids, I still feel guilty that my daughter had to go through all of that with me. † With this, she smiled and waved to me before crossing to the other side of the S. Broadway. Within minutes of each other, I had experienced the two extremes of the human interaction side of pandering. Though the man in the business suit had almost discouraged me to the point of blowing my cover, the kind young woman’s kindness made me feel a new kind of guilt. She did not seem a financially well off woman but she had still tried to help. Even more than the embarrassment and loss of pride at the man in the business suit judging me all from a simple request, â€Å"can you spare some change† I felt guilt at having taken money from this woman and her daughter. I made a mental note to try and ask the homeless people I encountered how they felt at asking for money from strangers. First, I had the day to worry about. I had purposely set off on my research without money or other means of procuring food and drink. For the moment, if I wanted to eat, I would have to continue to pander for a little more cash. As it went from morning to afternoon, I had no repeat encounters with the anger of the businessman but also did not experience any more of the kindness of the young woman. Many people either ignored my call for spare change or reach into their pockets without looking in my direction. One man asked why I needed the money. I tried to reply that I just needed enough to get a meal or two, at which he laughed before tossing some loose change my way, â€Å"Sure. Last time I checked, crack wasn’t a meal. The audacity of the man completely surprised me. Did I look like a drug addict? Did he think people only became homeless because of personal mistakes? I realized I was taken aback because he had asked a question aloud that I had only thought in my own head as I gave spare change to people in the past. Though drug addiction is a major problem for the homeless community, it is not the root o f the problem. Given the discrepancies in statistics though it is understandable that this would be associated with and even blamed for the continually growing rate of homelessness. In information published by the National Coalition for the Homeless in 2005, it is noted that early statistics for substance abuse and addiction among the homeless were incorrectly calculated leading to an assumption that over 60% of the homeless suffer from one form of substance addiction of another. However, recent statistics from US Conference of Mayors in 2005 puts the number as being closer to 30% (â€Å"Who is Homeless† 2005). The question is though, did their drug addiction lead to their homelessness or is it a result? After collecting almost $15 dollars, I set off to find a homeless person or people who would talk to me about the circumstances that led to their current state. Walking toward the man with the cardboard sign, I thought at first to speak with him as I had grown to feel a certain kinship with the man having worked the same street this morning. As I approached him, I saw a group of teenage boys stopped in front of him. They were laughing as one of them tore the man’s sign from his hands and proceeded to tear it in half. The man, obviously angered, kept his head down to the verbal abuse that rained from the teens mouths. No one it seemed was in the least concern. Pedestrians kept a wide breadth of the scene and kept their eyes to the ground. Finished with their fun, the boys threw the sign at the man’s feet and continued walking, still laughing at the humiliation of the man. Seeing the anger of the man, I decided that now would not be a good time to speak with him. Instead, I continued walking past him knowing that while his pride may be hurt, he had been spared any actual physical violence. I knew that this man had been one of the lucky ones. From 1999-2005 there were 472 acts of violence committed against homeless individuals (â€Å"Hate Crimes. † 2006), targeted specifically because of their homeless status. Of that number, 169 were murders. Shelter workers and advocates have heard increasing stories of harassment, beatings, being set on fire, and even decapitation (National Coalition for the Homeless. â€Å"Hate Crimes. † 2006) as the years have gone by. After walking for several blocks, I stopped in a corner store to buy myself some water. Walking to the back of the store where the refrigerators were, I could feel the clerk’s eyes follow me. I guess, making sure I was not shoplifting. With this, I understood yet one more stereotype and misconception of homelessness – namely the role of criminal. Though I had the money to buy the water, though I had spent a day being verbally abused and ignored in order to scrounge together the change for this very water, the clerk assumed I would steal it. I walked to the counter, feeling his eyes on me, I assume checking my body’s silhouette for bulges of pilfered food. 1. 47† he said, simply, still not taking his eyes off of me, his nose curling at the smell he assumed must be wafting off of me. Counting the change onto the counter, I saw my hands with the fingernails lightly ingrained with dirt and the grime of the street. Reaching forward to hand him the change, I saw him recoil slightly and I instead placed the change on the counter where it was carefull y counted. Expecting the â€Å"have a nice day† I had come to rely on as part of the retail experience, I was surprised when after processing my order, I received no more than a nod. Later that afternoon, I found myself sitting on a park bench beside a young homeless man, trying to find his life story in the sometimes incoherent ramblings. John was an Iraq War veteran who after returning from his stint in the Army, found himself increasingly anxious and unable to forget the bloodshed. Now a methamphetamine addict, he is thin to the point of starvation. Under his beard, I could see sores where the meth was surfacing and his front teeth were rotted to nothing. John is just one of many veterans who make up the homeless population. With approximately 11% of the total homeless population veterans, comprising 40% of the total male population of homeless persons (National Coalition for the Homeless, â€Å"Who is Homeless,† 2005), John is the embodiment of the what happens to veterans when resources become limited and their problems too big to be handled effectively by the system. â€Å"A lot of the guys you see out here who are veterans were in ‘nam, they’ve been back and forth between the veterans hospital, group homes, and the street. When I first came back, I went back to working in my uncle’s garage fixing engines and changing oil. I hadn’t really had many plans before I signed up following 9/11. When I came back, my mom and girlfriend were pushing me to go back to school. Use the G. I. bill, you know. But I just couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t sleep at night. When I did sleep, I had bad nightmares, bodies piled to the ceiling, blood everywhere. I started drinking, so I could sleep but it just made things worse. I slept but when I was awake nobody wanted to be around me. I went to the V. A. and they diagnosed me with post traumatic stress, gave me a couple prescriptions and a list of counselors and sent me on my way. For a little while the pills helped, but I was still drinking and had started to smoke meth. It kept me awake a lot but I thought I was getting things done. But then I lost my job, my girlfriend left me and I was stuck living in my parents’ basement. I started snorting meth and then shooting up,† with this, John pulls up his sleeves to show me the track marks running along his forearms. â€Å"Eventually, even my parents had enough. I wrecked their car, stole $4,000 worth of jewelry and computer equipment that I pawned for half that to buy more meth and booze. This is where I ended up. I told John about my earlier experience pandering and asked him if he ever felt bad for asking strangers for money. To this he shrugged and smiled, showing blackened gums above where his two front teeth once were, â€Å"You must be new. When I first started asking, sure I felt bad. I never thought I’d be asking for handouts. I wasn’t raised that way. Shit, if my dad saw me o n a street corner begging he’d probably kick my ass. But you gotta do what you gotta do. I mean, come on, who is going to hire me? I stink, I’m paranoid, I have a meth addiction and no teeth. If I want to eat or get more drugs, I have to beg or steal. I’d rather beg than steal any day. I still have some scruples,† he laughingly explained. Had he ever tried rehab or contacting on the programs that helps the homeless? â€Å"Sure. I’ve gone down to the shelter and filled out the paperwork but they don’t have a whole lot of money either so I couldn’t stay forever and the rehab program they tried to get me into was full. I tell myself everyday that this will be the last. Once I’ve shot up the last of my bag, I just won’t buy anymore but it never works out that way. I start jonesing and the nightmares come back. I sat over in there one night,† he said, pointing to a pavilion on the other side of the park, â€Å"and cried because I thought I was back in Iraq. I could hear the mortars exploding around my head and the screams of children in my ears. My friend found me after a couple of hours and offered me his needle and it all melted away. Of course, I found out a couple months later that he had hepatitis and had passed it onto me but he was just trying to help, I guess I can’t blame him too much. I’ll die sooner than later anyway. † When I asked him what he meant, he shrugged again. â€Å"Look at how I live. I’m lucky to eat every other day. I’ve shot up so much meth that it’s coming out my pores and am lucky to find a vein anymore. I’ve been beaten up, pushed in front of cars, spit on. I had pneumonia last winter, almost died from that. And I want to die. I should have died in Iraq, I think of that every day. If I knew then what my life would become, I would have shot myself when I still had a gun. The day I don’t wake up, will be the best day of my life. † Shaken, I thanked John for talking to me and tried to make sense of what he had told me. Before talking, he had taken a quick dose of meth to loosen his tongue but what he let loose was more than just his own story. Between John’s veteran status, gender, drug addiction, and mental illness he is unfortunately a prime example of homelessness in America. Approximately 22% of the homeless population suffers from one form of mental illness or another (â€Å"Why Are People Homeless,† 2006). Though it has been said that the increase in mentally ill homeless people is due to the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill, this is false. Most of this was done between the 1950s and 1960s but homeless rates did not begin to reach their current rates until the 1980s. According to a 2003 report from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, many of the mentally ill homeless could and can live within the community and receive treatment from outpatient facilities. Many however, are unable to receive treatment or housing because of the lack of availability (â€Å"Why Are People Homeless,† 2006). As John noted, with waiting lists and the unpredictability of street life, finding ones next meal is hard enough. Finding help with housing and medicine is even more of a challenge. Having been shaken by my experiences at pandering, moving through regular daily activities like making a small purchase at a convenience store, and John’s own tales I knew I was neither prepared nor willing to spend my night as a homeless person. Before going home, I ventured to the bus station, where I had originally planned to spend the night. Walking towards the entrance, I saw a man holding a cardboard sign. Thinking he was the man from earlier, I hurried forward to try and see how he had fared after his run in with the teenagers. I was wrong. Though similar in dress and situation, this was a new man. Much older, appearing to be in his sixties or seventies. I braced myself for a request for spare change, forgetting my own appearance, but he ignored me. I knelt down to ask him some questions, figuring that this would be my last chance as I was now determined after my brief experience before returning to my normal life. No one, I now knew would knowingly choose homelessness. Asking his name, he eyed me warily, â€Å"you ain’t a cop are you? † Deciding to blow my cover, such as it was, I explained that I was a college student trying to understand what it means to be homeless. â€Å"Why would you do that? You think this is a game? Just go home, at least you have one. I been sleeping on park benches and in bus stations for 5 years, count your blessings. † With this he turned away from me, his eyes fixed on a couple walking along the sidewalk. Speechless, I left him to his pandering. Regardless of my experiments, I had still only had an outsider’s experience of his daily life. I could, as he put so bluntly, go home. I had a home. Even as I begged on the street, I knew that I had a bank account across town with more money in it than this man would see in a week. I would finish my education and get a job, buy a home and build a family. For this man, that kind of life must seem a dream. I now knew, however, that the future I have so long imagined and planned for can just as easily be taken from me. It can start with something as seemingly changeable as losing a job and spiral into a hopelessness that left some dead, others wishing for death. For John the tipping point had been a combination of factors: mainly his drug use and trying to cope with post-traumatic stress. The causes, I now realized were encompassing of us all in one form or another. I now was able to understand through my experience that just like the woman from that morning find myself living in a car one day and begging on a street corner for real next time.

Applying Psychology to Homelessnes Essay

Housing is a basic human want and plays an important role in ensuring the well-being children and adults. Stable housing is a necessary need for positive child and youth development in society. Although proper housing is essential for human biological and social development, statistics have shown a rising cases of homeless families with children in recent years because of inadequate affordable houses (The United States Conference of Mayors, 2006). Homelessness is a complicated socioeconomic issue with several economic and social factors underlying it. The socioeconomic factors include; poverty, inadequate affordable housing, some biological and mental ill health, community disintegration and family breakdown. These are the factors which in combinations, would contribute to the frequency, and type of homelessness (The United States Conference of Mayors, 2006). Homeless means to live without proper shelter; many people experience partial homelessness by living in uncertain, temporary, and sub-standard shelters. Homelessness has become national disaster in some countries. Some of the biological causes of homelessness are mental ill health (The United States Conference of Mayors, 2006). Due to the hard circumstances that befall homeless people throughout their lives, statistics have shown that there are higher rates of mental illness affecting this population. During the year 2008 survey conducted by the U.S Conferences of Mayors, showed mental illness the third largest cause of homelessness in the United States (The United States Conference of Mayors, 2006). Mental illnesses can be biological and medical conditions which affect the normal activity of the human brain and mind. It often affects one’s moods, emotions as well as the thought processes. The functionality of the mind is diminished hence reducing their ability of the affected individuals to take care of themselves or their living environment hence may not care even if they are living in the streets (Nielsen, 2011). Mental illness also affects an individual’s ability to make and maintain friendship and relationships and therefore, issues involving mental illness can push those closer to the affected individual away. In such case the people closer may remain homeless by keeping away or they may dispose the affected individual to be homeless in the streets (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). The other biological factor leading to homelessness is depression. Depressive disorders have been proved to be the most common factor causing homelessness with nearly 25% of homeless individuals suffering from depression. It controls individual’s outlook on life and their ability to judge circumstances. It results to low self-esteem, a loss of interest in actions that were once important as well as incapacitating effect on people’s ability to relate to others (Nielsen, 2011). Depression can be trigger homelessness because one feels isolated and lonely being homeless (Ravenhill, 2008). The feelings of isolation and loneliness have adverse effects on the relationship and could trigger rooflessness, for example, parental neglect (Ravenhill, 2008) Identify and describe at least 2 social factors that may be related to becoming or being homeless. Talk about how these factors may play a role in homelessness and support your statements with research evidence, where necessary Social factor that can cause homelessness is economic insecurity in a community or family. According to statistical findings, in the year 2005, almost 60% of individuals earning an income of less than 30% of the HUD were paying more than half of their salary on housing and accommodation, and almost the same percentage of people were also living in poor and inadequate housing (Ravenhill, 2008). Inadequate affordable housing for rental and the high economic recession have contributed to the increasing number of homeless adults and children. Economic recession have led to the high number of unemployed and has also increased laying off of employees hence people cannot afford decent housing due to lack of the rental allowance. Violence at home is another social factor that has led to homelessness in the United States of America. Violence often predicts whether children and adults would experience homelessness or not. Research has shown that most homeless mothers with children have at one point in their families experienced domestic violence. Domestic violence may make somebody run away from home to safety and in the process the affected find themselves homeless in the streets. This social factor has mostly affected women and children. Women and children in homeless shelters and those affected by domestic violence shelters are affected by same experiences like exposure to traumatic lives. Intimate family violence often triggers housing instability and in the process, one partner may run away from home. The domestic violence can be brutal beating or sexual abuse to a partner or a child (Ravenhill, 2008). In solving the problem of homelessness, the government should increase housing subsidies and provide permanent accommodation for those people living in domestic violence affected families, and unaccompanied youths. Research has shown that families who get housing subsidies are likely to have permanent housing stability than those who do not receive housing subsidy (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008). Reference Nielsen, S. (2011). Psychiatric disorders and mortality among people in homeless shelters in Denmark: a nationwide register-based cohort study. The Lancet, 377, 2205-2214. Ravenhill, M. (2008). The culture of homelessness. Abingdon, Oxon: Ashgate Publishing Group. The United States Conference of Mayors. (2006). A status report on hunger and homelessness in America’s cities. Retrieved April 27, 2014 from http://www.usmayors.org/publicationsNational Coalition for the Homeless. (2008). How many people experience homelessness? Retrieved April 27, 2014 from http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/families Source document

Part Two Chapter III

III Gavin cooked for Kay at his house that evening, opening tins and crushing garlic with a sense of ill-usage. After a row, you had to say certain things to secure a truce: those were the rules, everyone knew that. Gavin had telephoned Kay from his car on the way back from Barry's burial and told her that he wished she had been there, that the whole day had been horrible and that he hoped he could see her that night. He considered these humble admissions no more or less than the price he had to pay for an evening of undemanding companionship. But Kay seemed to consider them more in the light of a down payment on a renegotiated contract. You missed me. You needed me when you were upset. You're sorry we didn't go as a couple. Well, let's not make that mistake again. There had been a certain complacency about the way she had treated him since; a briskness, a sense of renewed expectation. He was making spaghetti Bolognese tonight; he had deliberately omitted to buy a pudding or to lay the table in advance; he was at pains to show her that he had not made much of an effort. Kay seemed oblivious, even determined to take this casual attitude as a compliment. She sat at his small kitchen table, talking to him over the pitter-patter of rain on the skylight, her eyes wandering over the fixtures and fittings. She had not often been here. ‘I suppose Lisa chose this yellow, did she?' She was doing it again: breaking taboos, as though they had recently passed to a deeper level of intimacy. Gavin preferred not to talk about Lisa if he could avoid it; surely she knew that by now? He shook oregano onto the mince in his frying pan and said, ‘No, this was all the previous owner. I haven't got round to changing it yet.' ‘Oh,' she said, sipping wine. ‘Well, it's quite nice. A bit bland.' This rankled with Gavin, as, in his opinion, the interior of the Smithy was superior in every way to that of Ten Hope Street. He watched the pasta bubbling, keeping his back to her. ‘Guess what?' she said. ‘I met Samantha Mollison this afternoon.' Gavin wheeled around; how did Kay even know what Samantha Mollison looked like? ‘Just outside the deli in the Square; I was on my way in to get this,' said Kay, clinking the wine bottle beside her with a flick of her nail. ‘She asked me whether I was Gavin's girlfriend.' Kay said it archly, but actually she had been heartened by Samantha's choice of words, relieved to think that this was how Gavin described her to his friends. ‘And what did you say?' ‘I said – I said yes.' Her expression was crestfallen. Gavin had not meant to ask the question quite so aggressively. He would have given a lot to prevent Kay and Samantha ever meeting. ‘Anyway,' Kay proceeded with a slight edge to her voice, ‘she's asked us for dinner next Friday. Week today.' ‘Oh, bloody hell,' said Gavin crossly. A lot of Kay's cheerfulness deserted her. ‘What's the problem?' ‘Nothing. It's – nothing,' he said, prodding the bubbling spaghetti. ‘It's just that I see enough of Miles during work hours, to be honest.' It was what he had dreaded all along: that she would worm her way in and they would become Gavin-and-Kay, with a shared social circle, so that it would become progressively more difficult to excise her from his life. How had he let this happen? Why had he allowed her to move down here? Fury at himself mutated easily into anger with her. Why couldn't she realize how little he wanted her, and take herself off without forcing him to do the dirty? He drained the spaghetti in the sink, swearing under his breath as he speckled himself with boiling water. ‘You'd better call Miles and Samantha and tell them â€Å"no†, then,' said Kay. Her voice had hardened. As was Gavin's deeply ingrained habit, he sought to deflect an imminent conflict and hoped that the future would look after itself. ‘No, no,' he said, dabbing at his wet shirt with a tea towel. ‘We'll go. It's fine. We'll go.' But in his undisguised lack of enthusiasm, he sought to put down a marker to which he could refer, retrospectively. You knew I didn't want to go. No, I didn't enjoy it. No, I don't want it to happen again. They ate for several minutes in silence. Gavin was afraid that there would be another row, and that Kay would force him to discuss underlying issues again. He cast around for something to say, and so started telling her about Mary Fairbrother and the life insurance company. ‘They're being real bastards,' he said. ‘He was heavily insured, but their lawyers are looking for a way not to pay out. They're trying to make out he didn't make a full disclosure.' ‘In what way?' ‘Well, an uncle died of an aneurysm, too. Mary swears Barry told the insurance agent that when he signed the policy, but it's nowhere in the notes. Presumably the bloke didn't realize it can be a genetic thing. I don't know that Barry did, come to †¦' Gavin's voice broke. Horrified and embarrassed, he bowed his flushing face over his plate. There was a hard chunk of grief in his throat and he couldn't shift it. Kay's chair legs scraped on the floor; he hoped that she was off to the bathroom, but then felt her arms around his shoulders, drawing him to her. Without thinking, he put a single arm around her, too. It was so good to be held. If only their relationship could be distilled into simple, wordless gestures of comfort. Why had humans ever learned to talk? He had dribbled snot onto the back of her top. ‘Sorry,' he said thickly, wiping it away with his napkin. He withdrew from her and blew his nose. She dragged her chair to sit beside him and put a hand on his arm. He liked her so much better when she was silent, and her face was soft and concerned, as it was now. ‘I still can't †¦ he was a good bloke,' he said. ‘Barry. He was a good bloke.' ‘Yes, everyone says that about him,' said Kay. She had never been allowed to meet this famous Barry Fairbrother, but she was intrigued by the show of emotion from Gavin, and by the person who had caused it. ‘Was he funny?' she asked, because she could imagine Gavin in thrall to a comedian, to a rowdy ringleader, propping up the bar. ‘Yeah, I s'pose. Well, not particularly. Normal. He liked a laugh †¦ but he was just such a †¦ such a nice bloke. He liked people, you know?' She waited, but Gavin did not seem able to elucidate further on the niceness of Barry. ‘And the kids †¦ and Mary †¦ poor Mary †¦ God, you've got no idea.' Kay continued to pat his arm gently, but her sympathy had chilled a little. No idea, she thought, what it was to be alone? No idea how hard it was to be left in sole charge of a family? Where was his pity for her, Kay? ‘They were really happy,' said Gavin, in a cracked voice. ‘She's in pieces.' Wordlessly, Kay stroked his arm, reflecting that she had never been able to afford to go to pieces. ‘I'm all right,' he said, wiping his nose on his napkin and picking up his fork. By the smallest of twitches, he indicated that she should remove her hand.

Deming points Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Deming points - Essay Example Additionally, this physics doctorate holder also devised the phrases of assignable-cause followed by variation in chance-cause (Deming 80). Shewhart is also credited with coming up with the concept of statistical control that is a fundamental technique in designed experiments. Furthermore, he used mathematical statistical theories in order to comprehend data drawn from physical processes instead of producing a normal distribution curve. Therefore, there are several Deming points that assist in the management philosophy. However, in this case it is essential to study one and understand how it brought benefits to one of the group members (Deming 79). Therefore, in this instance, I think the promotion of education has brought numerous benefits especially when compared to the experience at Indiana State University. For example, it has enabled workers in gaining additional skills and expertise of handling matters. These include the arising challenges of modernity in the management world that are controlled by technology. Another importance of promotion of education is the ability to gain in terms of analytical thinking and memory of pertinent issues in the management field. After the interview concerning the 14 points of Deming, the following points were highlighted as the direct benefits in solving situations (Deming 81). For example, the use of purpose to guide most objectives has been beneficial in terms ensuring the objectives of management are met. Similarly, the constant review of processes helps in the improvement of different areas of management. This is in terms of understanding of employees and motivating them to perform in their respective duties. Alternatively, the working of various departments as a team helps in the completion of tasks in good time. On the other hand, politicians are conducting promotions on the basis of merit which

Children Face Asthma Risk If Mothers Exposed to Pollutants Essay

Children Face Asthma Risk If Mothers Exposed to Pollutants - Essay Example The article is based on research from Denmark which states that children exposed to chlorinated chemicals before their mothers gave birth to them are more likely to have asthma before they are 20 years old. Five other PCB compounds apparently have a weak relationship with asthma. The article describes how these pollutants are usually found in fish and other marine species and in pesticides. The author also points out that some PCBs were widely used in the 1960s and 1970s but now are banned. They have a tendency to linger in human cells, however, and this means that babies can be affected through their mothers. They can suffer wheezing and asthma because of these chemicals.After reading this article I realized that environmental pollution can have very long term effects. If people are using harmful products today, then it is possible that they will also harm the children of the future. This is an invisible danger which is hidden within the world around us and inside human bodies. What we need to do is read more articles about the environment and spread this kind of information across the world. If we ignore this problem, then our children and our children’s children will suffer in the future. It is our responsibility to think about the results of our actions. It is also our responsibility to take action when evidence like this is found. It is the time that we banned more of these products in order to protect the environment and the future of all the species on the planet.

Cirque du Soleil Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Cirque du Soleil - Case Study Example (Cascio, W. (1998) Modes of communications are extremely open and the authorities that certain hierarchical titles could impose are practically imaginary. And a Cirque du Soleil core value is respect for cultural diversity. Inspite of the incessant growth that the company has experienced, it has always known how to ensure solidity among employees and maintain a strong sense of belonging. Cirque had tried decentralizing management into three regional divisions The management at Cirque Du Soleil aims at providing "presenting a unique blend of creation and the performing arts, of architecture and the arts in general." the company had only one goal with respect to the customer: "When a customer enters the big top, he will have an experience he will never forget." the management by creating an employee newsletter, la boule, composed of employee submissions that were uncensored. The company's basic objective is to provide an affordable form of entertainment to the audience. Basically, by reinventing the concept of circus. By employing new and innovative individuals with unique skills in the business , companies can expect profits to rise . Payne, T. (2000) The casting director for Cirque, said it was a constant challenge to find the right artists Cantin tried to select artists to fit into the currently conceived productions, she also looked for their potential contributions to future productions at Cirque. Recruiting sources are methods used by organizations to transmit information about open positions to potential applicants (Breaugh 1992). Traditionally trained artists learned, often for the first time, to perform in an intensely multicultural background (A.R. (2002). When hiring artists from different countries, Cantin took into consideration what their no artistic needs were. During auditions, Cantin tried to measure two key dimensions besides pure talent: "Can they continue to develop" and "Can they be generous in the show" The paradox of hiring people, who were really good at what they did, for what they did have to be aligned with the primary work of the organization. Management Level: This can actually get pretty complex and in order to carry this out the Staff at human resource department need to carry out staffing activities. This can be done through the training of employees, recruitment of new employees, rotation of the current employees, lying of f of any staff that can be deemed extra. The bottom line is to get the right staff, with the right skills at the right place.' Management is about coping with complexity' (Gabarro, 1992) Thus, it can be concluded that the Strategic staffing process are easy to use and implement and

International Relations Course Informal Personal Intro Essay

International Relations Course Informal Personal Intro - Essay Example Therefore, the values gathered from this cause can be used in my life to foster peace in our country through interrelations, despite of their race, creed or nationality. In this case, by understanding these values, I will be able to interact with people of different background; despite the differences caused by diversity in our daily lives, and I can also avoid conflicts and resolve them whenever they arise. I have high expectations of acquiring a chance for developing diverse virtuals that will facilitate the process of becoming someone who can make a positive contribution in the world. Moreover, through this course I expect to gather skills for interrelation that will enable forming networks of mutual responsibility and a platform for sharing potential with other people around the world. I also expect to meet a highly dedicated instructor in this course, who can offer a chance to share my commitment as a student throughout the course. Moreover, I hope the course will facilitate the process of building my capabilities and character of virtuous and responsible individual, who can contribute in making the world a better place for others and me. I also expect the instructor to be honest, fair, to have critical rigor and to be a source of inspiration to the students. Furthermore, I hope that we will utilize the time offered during this course to learn and for the fair purpose that is benef icial to all students. Â   Studying this course will enable gathering of knowledge and insights that can facilitate building of intercultural competencies, and sustainable disposition. Therefore, this will enable others and me to relate and build a form of interdependence, whereby facilitating globalization. The course will also make a vital contribution in development of new perception towards political reality. Therefore, this will enable building of critical and reflexive knowledge, practical values, relations that will facilitate good coexistence. Knowledge

Nursing Practice Act Requirements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nursing Practice Act Requirements - Essay Example On joining the profession, Nurses should perform their duties with due diligence and care. Every action of a nurse should point to the well being of a patient. For instance, a nurse may deceive patients about improvement of their health to avoid unnecessary fear.A code of ethics guides the nurses to act professionally, honestly, and with integrity. This calls for a nurse to be knowledgeable of their work, compassionate, flexible, patient centred, have people skills, and think critically. Unlike in the nursing profession where every nurse owes a duty of care to patients entrusted to them, celebrities do not owe a duty of care to their fans. They give their views in songs, poems, and speeches and expect their fans to make good judgements and pick what concerns them. Most of celebrity’s profession have no code of ethics and thus they operate on good morals.In conclusion, even after due care is taken in selecting persons to join nursing profession where proper education is given, some nurses still practise in the dark side. According to Attewill and Snow as quoted in Medsurg journal, there is need to acknowledge that incompetent nurses continue to practise, avoidance, and intentional acts against patient still take place, which calls for the need for further study (Wolf, 2012). the entry into nursing is the first filter of characters that join this profession. After entry by academic qualification, assessing personal characteristics of applicants to eliminate unsuitable applicants is necessary.

Back Injury of South African Female Gymnasts Research Paper

Back Injury of South African Female Gymnasts - Research Paper Example This study has employed a prospective testing program which was followed by a retrospective descriptive questionnaire-based study design. It was structured in this manner in order to establish an injury profile in both of the current and previous seasons and another one for the training program. There were 20 registered gymnastics clubs located in Gauteng. Seven of the twenty clubs were the only ones who offer a high quality of programs in terms of performance. It is only within these seven clubs that the respondents of this study have been chosen. However, only three of the seven clubs have allowed and agreed to partake in this research since the remaining four clubs do not have their current elite gymnasts. Respondents of the study were selected based on their age and training hours. Female artistic gymnasts who were born between 1990 and 2000 are the main participants. These gymnasts should be spending, at least 15 hours of training each week for a minimum of three years. Other respondents include the retired gymnasts who have already competed in the elite level while they were still active in the sports. They have been included in order to obtain information regarding the reasons behind their retirement and radiological data which were also compared to the data gathered from the current active gymnasts. The total number of the retired gymnasts is ten and each has filled a questionnaire. It was also made sure by the researcher that the data used in this study was provided with consent by the gymnasts who were participating in the study. Before conducting the initial study, the questionnaires were sent to gymnastics experts who include ten gymnasts who are not participating in this study and another two gymnastics coaches. The questionnaires were also checked and validated by a biokineticist and sports physician who works closely with gymnasts. This checking and verification of questionnaires was made in line with the content and construct validity as stated by Sim and Wright (2000). In the pilot study, which was conducted at the onset of the competition and was three months before the main study, the questionnaires were given to the participants. After a week, the completed questionnaires were sent back to the same respondents for the purpose of checking the reliability of the answers. When it comes to the X-ray test, it was taken by three radiographers who follow similar procedures for each of the view such as antero-posterior view, oblique view, and lateral view. Gathered data were analyzed through the use of a computerized statistical program which is the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 12. Descriptive analysis was obtained through means and standard deviations while tests of significance were achieved with inferential statistics. The level of significance used in the inferential statistics was set at 5%. Results of the study have identified that injuries, which commonly result to radiological changes, were generally caused by the training and the competition proper itself. Prevalence of injuries is very common in the ankle which has recorded 16.7% of the entire population of the participants. It was followed by the injuries occurring in the elbow. It can also be

Planning and Goal Setting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Planning and Goal Setting - Essay Example For instance, he may ask that interviews be carried out around campus in a bid to gather certain information. For instance if the principal has heard of several complaints on numerous occasions, in order to have an idea of how many people are discontented, he may ask for data concerning this to be collected so as to enable him to act if need be. This is done mostly while analyzing data collected, mostly through questionnaires. If there was a certain question concerning this, then the campus leader will look at the responses and this will help in determining personnel needs. This article seeks to focus on a fundamental issue- the shortage of teachers and how to get more young people interested in the profession. Although this issue has been raised over a number of years, proper plans have not been put in place. This article outlines plans that have been proposed and implemented over years. For instance; CAPE. Identify the principal competencies and supporting standards involved or implicated in the reading, (e.g., Competency 5 and Competency 6, , including the following standard: Analyze the implications of various factors (e.g., staffing patterns, class scheduling formats, school organizational structures, student discipline practices) for teaching and learning, (Competency 5); Implement effective, appropriate, and legal strategies for the recruitment, screening, selection, assignment, induction, development, evaluation, promotion, discipline and dismissal of campus staff, (Competency 6). Implement old plans instead of making new plans. There are already plans on how to deal with the shortage of teachers; however these plans are usually scrapped for new ones without full implementation. Planning without implementation is an act in futility. The acute shortage of teachers is caused by the modern view of a teacher. A job deemed to be almost ‘menial’.

Public private partnerships in healthcare sector in middle income Literature review

Public private partnerships in healthcare sector in middle income countries - Literature review Example As well, theoretical as well as empirical studies point to the potential contribution of private sector to reforms aimed at improving the quality and accessibility of health systems. The focus of the study is the increased focus of public-private partnerships (PPP) as a way of increasing capital finance as well as improving the efficiency and quality of service provision in low and middle-income countries. The partnership involves the public sector entering into long-term contract with private sector in order to enable the public sector access private capital for building and renovating health facilities and agreeing to deliver services over the contract period. Such contracts are designed and agreed upon some pre-determined specifications of the required outputs and define the financial, working and clinical standards, which the private sector has to meet. In low and middle-income nations, governments remain the ultimate funder of health care by making periodic payments to private s ector in return for services delivered (Hellowell, 2012 p.71). Public-private partnership is an institutional arrangement built on foundation of fresh public management that claims objectives such as improved efficiency, quality as well as competition of public sector services. In striving to achieve these objectives, PPP aims at achieving value for money while reducing the demands on the state budget by involving the private sector in provision of traditional infrastructure services like health care. Adoption of PPP policy within industrialized nations is often viewed as a tool for further development of public services, while its application in developing nations is a way for reducing poverty and improving the service offered to citizens in such nations. Early 1990s PPPs policy was widely adopted in industrialized nations like USA, UK and Australia; nevertheless, this policy has been diffused in developing nations (Appuhami, Perera & Perera, 2011, p.431). The approach of PPP is at tractive to developing countries that often experience macro-economic problems like poor infrastructure that burden the government budgets and excessive government budget. State-based healthcare service provision and private sector health services have existed together in various low and middle-income nations for decades with many nations having a huge portion of healthcare spending paid by the state. Private providers are heterogonous made up of formal business entities like independent hospitals, informal entities that include unlicensed providers as well as non-profit and non-governmental organizations (Basu, Andrews, Kishore, Panjabi & Stuckler, 2012, p.3). Various studies have disaggregated consumption of health care by income levels and appeared to show that the private sector mainly provide health services to more affluent populations. In the emerging economies, some nations are taking bold steps with the PPP’s by indulging the private sector in both infrastructures re newal and delivery of clinical services in the integrated partnership. Health care is a labour-intensive industry where clinical and ancillary services absorb most the expenditure allotted to many health systems; therefore integrating clinical services with provision of capital infrastructure in PPP offer unique opportunity for

Traditional Banking Essay Example for Free

Traditional Banking Essay The article â€Å"The decline of traditional banking: implications for financial stability and regulatory policy† by Franklin R. Edwards and Frederic S. Mishkin presents a very detailed and well researched exploration of the current movement of banks away from traditional banking. The authors describe their objectives as including an examination of the reasons behind the decline of traditional banking, and an identification of the effects that these would have on the stability and regulation of banks. The article meets these goals well, as it begins by demonstrating the complexity of the current banking situation and how/why balance sheets reflect information that go far beyond mere lending. The non-traditional methods of banking as well as the financial institutions that have evolved and crowded the banking market are also explored in detail. Finally, the authors expound on the ways that banks might improve their status in the financial market and maintain stable regulatory policies within such a highly competitive and unstable environment. Therefore, while in some areas the explanations were a bit awkward, overall the authors manage to unite the causes, effects, and possible remedies of the current problems being faced by banks, and this is done in a manner that demonstrates a deep understanding of the situation. The introductory pages of the article do give a very detailed picture of why the authors found it necessary to explore the decline of traditional banking. Traditional banking, they explain, dealt mainly with the issuing of long term loans financed by short-term deposits (Edwards Miskhin, 27). They provide evidence in the form of graphs and statistics, showing both the size of the decline in earnings from such traditional (financial) borrowing, as well as the share of non-financial borrowing granted banks and their competitors. The fact that both commercial and thrift banks’ non-financial borrowing declined by an average of 7% over a thirty-five year period demonstrates that significant decline has indeed taken place in their share of that market. The authors also give concrete evidence concerning the decline in these institutions’ returns on such holdings as assets and equity. Finally the authors demonstrate the trend in banks’ share in the market concerned with non-interest income. This increasing trend represents precisely the move away from tradition they have identified. The placement of these facts and charts was effective as a method of vindicating the authors’ decision to explore reasons for the decline in traditional banking. Edwards and Mishkin   go on to explore such areas as the decline in banks’ advantage as far as liabilities are concerned. This is demonstrated in terms of declining cost advantages, which as shown to have become a reality when other institutions found a way to capitalize on the banks’ financial privileges. They explained the fact that ceilings and other restrictions (at one time favorable to the banks) had been placed upon their ability to offer interest on certain types of deposits (such as checkable deposits). These regulations restricted their ability to be competitive at a crucial time in the market and therefore opened the doors for other lending institutions (exempt from such restrictions) to attract customers by offering higher interest. This serves as a cogent explanation of why banks have declined in this traditional area. Yet, the authors represent the complexity of the market by exploring a few other reasons why such decline has taken place. The existence of the new paper market (securities) has also been cited as a reason that adds to the complexity of the problem that banks now face (Edwards Miskhin, 31). The previously mentioned decline in banks’ lending to commercial entities is now explained by the fact that these businesses have been given the option of borrowing directly from the public through the issuance of securities. The authors also cite the rise of mutual funds and junk bonds on the money market as having an indirect effect on the market position of banks. They write, â€Å"The growth of assets in money market mutual funds to more than $500 billion created a ready market for commercial paper because money market mutual funds must hold liquid, high-quality, short-term assets† (31). This serves the explanatory purposes of the authors by demonstrating the sheer size and number of the alternatives to banks that exist on the financial market. The authors, Edwards and Mishkin, also explore some of the reasons why such alternative institutions have become such a threat to banks. Besides their ability to offer attractive alternatives to customers, these financial institutions have also demonstrated an ability to secure their assets. They explain these institutions’ methods of originating loans and then creating more loans from these. They write: â€Å"Advances in information and data processing technology have enabled non-bank competitors to originate loans, transform these into marketable securities, and sell them to obtain more funding with which to make more loans† (Edwards Miskhin, 32). The rise of financially capable technology has made easy these maneuvers by such non-bank facilities, and this has led to the current position of decline in banks’ traditional activities. The authors of the article also demonstrate the route that banks have had to take in order to combat the effects of being forced to share their market. They use graphs and data effectively to demonstrate the sharp climb in what had traditionally been considered risky types of loans. These graphs depict a rise in bank issuance of real estate loans, and further details the authors provide demonstrate that banks have had to stoop to lending to â€Å"less credit-worthy borrowers† in order to increase their financial viability in these tough times (Edwards Mishkin, 27 33). They also depict the methods chosen by banks to increase their activities that take place off the balance sheet. Banks have expanded into the market for financial derivatives, in which they serve as â€Å"off-exchange or over the counter (OTC) derivatives dealers† (34). In order to increase the authority of the article, the writers then provide in several charts concrete evidence of the different kinds of derivative deals in which actual banks have recently participated or mediated. Further evidence concerning the proportion of income banks have derived from these off-balance transactions serve to depict the extent to which they have effaced or replaced traditional banking. Edwards and Mishkin’s exploration of the nature of the risk faced by these banks in involving themselves in OTC activities demonstrates the extent to which these institutions have been forced by a declining traditional market to engage in alternate financial activities. Since their derivative activities have mainly been in the area of swapping interest rates, the risk involved in this can be seen to be high—though tempered by the fact that they â€Å"do not involve payment of principal amounts† (Edwards Miskhin, 38). Furthermore, the authors’ detailed explanation of swaps and the risks they carry aid the overall understanding of the type of risks banks have been forced to take in order to retain their profits. This leads to a better understanding of the extent to which traditional banking has been transformed. Finally, the authors Edwards and Mishkin go on to outline the regulations that have been put in place and the implications that they are likely to have for bank policies. The need for regulation is expressed in the evidence they produce from the GAO (U.S. Government Accounting Office). It explains that the discounts and insurance provided by Federal Reserve Bank accords to banks a level of security that might induce them to take higher risks that they would (or should) otherwise have taken. Regulations have therefore been made that allow only banks with good management and high capital to engage in some of the riskier types of non-traditional banking activities. Such activities include securities underwriting and trading, and dealing in the derivatives market. The inclusion of these explanations in the article demonstrates the thoroughness of the authors in identifying other reasons (beyond mere competition) why some banks have been or may be forced out of the financial business. The details of policy implications for banks given by the authors are shown to include regulations that strengthen banks’ ability to compete. These measures have also been shown to include the seeking of methods that prevent the fall of capital below certain levels (Edwards Mishkin, 40). In presenting the pros and cons of these ideas, the authors demonstrate and impart a thorough understanding of the intricacies of banking and further communicate the complexities of the business. The writers, through their efforts, also demonstrate the gravity of the situation that banks now face in their need to write policy giving them the ability to expand beyond their traditional financial market. Despite the overall clarity and detail of the ideas presented in support of the authors’ claims, a level of awkwardness does enter into a few paragraphs of this article. The awkwardness within this article mainly exists in the introductory pages, where Edwards and Mishkin enumerate (rather than explore) the reasons for and the extent of the decline in traditional banking. The confusing nature of the financial situation being faced by banks is translated to the work, as the writers continually meet their given reasons with qualifications to the effect that demonstrate the inadequacy of each explanation. They, for example, identify their measure of banks’ profitability over a period of time as â€Å"crude† and explain that other measures do not â€Å"adjust for the expenses associated with generating noninterest income† (Edwards Miskhin, 29-30). One gets the feeling that the writers might have taken the trouble to do the extra calculations in order to provide a more comprehensive view of the situation. However, they do provide much more detailed explorations in the ensuing paragraphs. This article by Edwards and Mushkin presents a very interesting and informative view of the current situation facing banks in today’s financial market. The traditional role usually occupied by banks as lenders has been undermined by the influx of non-traditional lending institutions. These institutions have taken the opportunity to provide lower-interest loans and higher-interest deposits to customers, thereby forcing banks to flee to riskier methods of gaining revenue. Policies that regulate banks’ behavior have become necessary as a result of this trend toward riskier business, and this has sparked ideas concerning policy making and the risks and benefits they would impart to all stakeholders. Work Cited Edwards, Franklin R and Frederic S. Mishkin. â€Å"The decline of traditional banking: implications   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   for financial stability and regulatory policy.† FRBNY Economic Policy Review. July (1995): 27-45.

Main problem of House of Lords

Main problem of House of Lords The cure for admiring the House of Lords was to go and look at it[1] recalled Walter Bagehot in 1867. The problems associated with the upper house have undergone three periods of reform since that time, with regard to both its powers and its composition. The two are, of course, interconnected but composition is perhaps the more fundamental of the two, since the composition of the Lords, and therefore its perceived degree of democratic legitimacy, largely determines the power it should legitimately wield. One therefore needs to examine the problems created by the current composition of the Lords, and to evaluate whether there exists a more preferable alternative to the status quo. Yet in order to do that, it is necessary to determine what role the House of Lords should fulfil in the political process. The role of the second chamber in a bicameral legislature varies from country to country, but in the UK the House of Lords should seek to fulfil three separate constitutional functions. Firstly, it should act as a delaying device on government legislation. This is not to say it should always seek to amend, or even reject, proposals that arrive from the lower house, but rather it should simply offer an opportunity of time for the public to become aware of the proposals and their consequences, as well as permitting various interest groups the time to reflect and to mobilise their lobbies in response to any objections they might seek to raise. Lastly, as Archer argues succinctly, such a delaying function as fulfilled by the Lords protects the law from an ephemeral rush to judgement in response to a particular dramatic event[2]. The second role that the House of Lords should undertake is to scrutinise government legislative proposals in more detail than is currently achieved by the House of Commons or its standing committees. Evidence suggests that such standing committees are sparsely attended and frequently omit large sections of a given bill from detailed examination[3], and therefore the Lords fulfil a vital role in ensuring that the legislative program is thoroughly examined. As a result of the Life Peerages Act of 1957, it is now not unreasonable to argue that the Lords is more abundantly equipped with technical expertise than the lower chamber and, as such, bills may be improved by revision. This is particularly necessary where proposals have been subjected in the Commons to amendments drafted in haste by government ministers, in response to criticisms and compromises from both MPs and outside interest groups. This charge of rapidly imposing an ill-thought-out legislative agenda is one that is frequen tly levelled at the New Labour government, whose ambitions have led to an unprecedented number of new bills being forced through Parliament across different parliamentary sessions. Finally, the upper chamber must seek to protect those constitutional principles which are fundamental to our democracy. The Parliament Act of 1911 removed the absolute veto over legislation which the Lords had previously enjoyed, entirely deprived the Lords of its powers over any bill certified by the Speaker as a money bill and introduced the idea of a suspensory veto whereby any law passed in three (later two post 1949) successive sessions would receive Royal Assent regardless of Lords objections. Yet the Lords continue to retain certain absolute powers. Perhaps most importantly, it remains able to reject any bills proposing to extend the life of Parliament beyond the statutory five years. In addition to this fundamental right, the House of Lords consent is required by a government seeking the dismissal of a High Court judge, Appeal Court judge or a judge of the new Supreme Court. The upper chamber thus offers some protection against a government seeking to subvert either the elect oral or the judicial process. This function of constitutional protection, although limited, is nevertheless of great importance, since Britain lacks a codified constitution guaranteeing regular elections and the independence of the judiciary. Without the House of Lords therefore, there would be a dangerous gap in the political system; it is the only body which can prevent a transient majority in the House of Commons from extending its own life or dismissing a judge whom the government finds inconvenient. In order to fulfil these roles effectively, Alexandra Kelso[4] argues that any upper chamber in a liberal democracy must be considered legitimate. In order to be legitimate, she argues that the chamber must have input legitimacy, and output legitimacy. The former stems from the control exercised by the public in determining [the chambers] nature and composition, while the latter concerns the degree to which the institution performs its particular functions within the broader political system and meets the needs of the public (ie, those requirements detailed in the three roles listed previously). Clearly, the House of Lords in its present state, having undergone the reforms of 1999, suffers from input illegitimacy. Despite the removal of the vast majority of hereditary peers, that 92 still retain their seats in the upper chamber must strike any impartial observer as an anomaly; no modern day parliamentary system can claim democratic legitimacy at a time when members of the legislature owe their positions to an accident of birth. There are arguments proposed in their defence which insist that by virtue of their entrenched positions, they are less likely to be affected by short-term political decisions and as such can propose solutions which are of benefit to the country in the long term. Yet such problems are already resolved by the Life Peerages Act of 1957, which allowed government to nominate life peers who would be as equally unaffected by such short-term thinking. Hereditary peers were evidently aware of their limited legitimacy in objecting to legislation emanating from a democratically elected chamber, for the frequency of rebellion against the commons prior to 1999 was relatively low. However, since their removal, the propensity of the upper chamber to reject both bills and amendments has markedly increased, as the newly reformed house clearly now sees itself as more democratically legitimate. According to the Constitution Unit at University College, Lond on, the Lords rejected clauses put forward by the commons a total of more than 350 times in between 1999 and 2007[5]. Furthermore, a vote to oppose government legislation cannot be carried by one party alone anymore in the way that it could when the Conservatives enjoyed a majority in the Lords; the upper houses verdicts nowadays, therefore, carry more weight. Around 40% of the defeats that the government has suffered since 1999 have been accepted by the government[6]. Further input illegitimacy could also be argued to be evident in the right of Church of England officials to sit in the Lords. The objection is straightforward: why should the claim of the church to representation be greater than that of any other interest group? In an increasingly secular age, it is persuasive to argue that no religious group should be entitled to such representation. Alternatively, were one to reject such secular reasoning, then one must accept that provision should also be made for the representation of other churches and religions. How, then, to solve the problem of input illegitimacy? The Royal Commission on Reform for the House of Lords was required, by its terms of reference, to have regard to the need to maintain the position of the House of Commons as the pre-eminent chamber of Parliament'[7]. This essay wholeheartedly agrees with this principle, but in so doing seeks to argue that as a direct result of this term of reference, the upper chamber cannot include any representatives that are directly elected. This does not necessarily compromise Kelsos input legitimacy requirement however, providing that one were to accept that representatives are still democratically legitimate even if not elected directly. If the upper house were to be 100% appointed by party leaders and the crossbench peers by the Independent Appointments Commission, the make-up of which lies in the hands of democratically elected leaders in the House of Commons, then input legitimacy could be maintained. The principle that no party should gain an overall majority should also be retained. Furthermore, peers that were appointed for the express purpose of fulfilling a government role, such as Lord Adonis or Lord Sugar, should relinquish their seats in the upper house when their services are no longer required in the role for which they were appointed. Should they feel that they are able to offer further service to Parliament, they could request their names be put forward for a more permanent position by the party leaders, or else hope to be nominated by the Appointments Commission. It is of course tempting to argue for an elected element to the upper chamber, but one quickly falls into the traps illustrated by Bogdanor[8]: briefly, a fully or majority elected chamber risks being more legitimate than the House of Commons, both as a result of the electoral system used, the terms of representation and timing of an election; furthermore, such a chamber would also suffer from the lack of technical expertise that so helps the current House of Lords hold the Commons and government legislation to account; a minority elected chamber risks subsiding into a two-tier chamber, whereby it might be felt that democratically elected representatives have a higher degree of legitimacy than their appointed counterparts. This essay maintains therefore that the only attractive option for House of Lords reform is to maintain a 100% appointed chamber, while removing any remaining hereditary peers, as well as those representing the Church of England, from the chamber. Having made a proposition as to the most preferable composition of the Lords, and argued that it confers to Kelsos definition of input legitimacy, one must proceed to output legitimacy, and examine the case for reform with regard to the powers of the upper house. In order to justify reform from the status quo, one must persuasively argue that an upper chamber formed along the lines outlined above either would not have sufficient power to fulfil the roles expected of it, or else so much power as to lead to a danger of the Lords becoming more powerful than the Commons. The reformed, more-legitimate Lords would be able to continue to delay legislation, although it is important that its powers remain limited to a suspensory veto. The directly elected house must never be perpetually constrained by one which is not directly elected. Secondly, a house which is 100% appointed, with a greater number of cross-bench peers, would be able to fulfil the second function, scrutiny of government legi slation, to a higher standard than before. Given that the suspensory veto would be maintained, this too is a positive step which would not grant the Lords undue power. Finally, providing that the current absolute rights of the Lords are maintained, the upper chamber would be able to continue to fulfil its final constitutional role. Output legitimacy is maintained. The composition of the upper house will always have a direct result on the legitimate use of its powers. The current House of Lords lacks input legitimacy as a result of the continued presence of both hereditary peers and representatives of the Church of England. Furthermore, the gift of a life peerage allows recipients to act largely with impunity, while the House is also in danger of becoming a graveyard of ex-government employees. The introduction of a term limit could solve the first problem, while forcing government ministers in the Lords to stand down following completion of their role could solve the second. By only slightly amending the Lords composition, then, one can confer input legitimacy House of Lords, which would in turn make the use of the powers of the House, already sufficient for the completion of its constitutional duties, both more effective and more legitimate. Lords Save Us, The Economist, 2002 P Archer, The House of Lords, Past, Present Future, Political Quarterly 1999 P Dorey, 1949, 1969, 1999: The Labour Party and the House of Lords Reform, Parliamentary Affairs 2006 A Kelso, Reforming the House of Lords, Parliamentary Affairs 2006 House of Lords: post-reform, Constitution Unit, University College London, 2007 V Bogdanor, The New British Constitution, 2009 A House for the Future: Report from the Royal Commission on Reform of the House of Lords, HMSO, 2000 V Bogdanor, Reform of the House of Lords: A Sceptical View, Political Quarterly 1999.

Recession in the Hotel Industry

Recession in the Hotel Industry A marketing environment comprises of macro and micro elements. Marketers should consider both internal and external environments to understand the whole of the market in which they want to sell their products or services (Masterson and Pickton, 2004). Normally, in a time of recession, customers do not spend too much money on overseas holidays (Mintel, 2009), because they see them as a luxuries. One could expect, therefore, customers would prefer take short city breaks or a domestic holiday. Businessman also may choose budget priced accommodation for their business trips. Moreover, consumer-spending power has diminished, as they have had to draw-in their purse strings, although levels of personal disposable income have been maintained to a degree because of historically low interest rates. Mintel(2010) estimates that personal disposable income stagnated between 2004 and 2009. The hotel industry has been notably affected by the recession. Environment analysis using such models as, PRESTCOM, Porters Five Forces, SWOT Analysis and Segmentation can be used to examine the effect of the recession upon the hotel industry and for this reason models will be used in this report. 2.1.1 POLITICAL Up to 1978, the hotel industry developed rapidly but after that date, the economy increasingly became market-oriented. This improvement created a much better environment for the industry in which to develop (Hornsby, 1990). According to Kotler (1996), the political environment strongly affects the hospitality industry. The political environment is comprised of laws, government agencies and pressure groups that influence and limit the activities of various organisations and individuals in society. Furthermore, the EU has proposed plans to sponsor holidays for individuals who do not have enough money to travel. According to Travel Weekly (2010), these plans assist many customers with financial problems to have a holiday. For example, young persons aged from 18 to 25, disabled people and pensioners, etc. The idea to help these people travel was put forward by Antonio Tajani, the EU Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, who declared that a holiday is a human right. Therefore, this proposal could actually stimulate consumption and offer individuals more opportunities to have holidays. Perhaps this might be good news for the hotel industry during the recession. 2.1.2 REGULATORY An environment that is regulated protects companies from each other. While most businesses praise the virtues of competition, they try to counteract it when it affects them. Another way is try to restrict a companys unfair dealings and illegal transactions. Furthermore, regulation also aims to protect consumers from unfair business practices. If unregulated, firms might provide unsafe, low quality products, poor services, be untruthful in their advertising or deceive through packaging and pricing. VisitBritain, the body, which aims to promote UK tourism, has launched a  £6.5 million advertising campaign outside the UK to promote the affordability of Britain as a destination. However, it calls for this investment to be matched by the UK government have so far been unsuccessful (Mintel, 2009). Moreover, hotel and restaurant taxes have become a popular source of revenue for local government. Hotel taxes are supposed to be used to support tourism; however, how this money is spent has been subject to liberal interpretation. Therefore, hotel managers should make sure that these taxes, which are designated to promote tourism, are used properly and effectively. 2.1.3 ECONOMIC FACTORS One factor that complicates the situation is the weakness of the pound against the Euro and Dollar. Sterling has lost value rapidly over the last year. In July 2008, one pound would still buy $2 but by November 2008, it was worth only $1.48, the lowest level for 6 years. Similarly, at one point the pound was almost equal in value to one Euro. While this is bad news for people buying goods or travelling outside the UK, it also means that UK goods and services become more attractively priced from the point of view of Euro Zone or USA travellers (OGrady, 2008) The economical environment is comprised of the following factors: Wage inflation: During a recession wages might increase. It is depends upon decisions to cut or increase wages that are made by employers. Therefore, hotel managers should pay more attention to income distribution as well as average earnings. Price inflation: In a recession, if the economy declines then commodity prices will rise. This factor will influence the decisions customers make whether to travel or not. Gross domestic product per capita (GDP): The most important economic factors are customers purchasing powers and spending patterns. GDP can indicate the magnitude of these factors, because total purchasing power depends on current incomes, prices, savings and credit. Hotel managers, therefore, must be aware of major trends in income and changing consumer-spending patterns. Exchange rates: The UK economy has weakened, the value of the pound against the Euro has decreased and therefore, customers might choose domestic tourism for their holidays. Even during a recession, customers still holiday but prefer to take short breaks to reward themselves. Mintels Annual Survey of Spending Priorities in 2009 showed that holidays remain the leading concern for consumers, despite the recession. Furthermore, all other leading consumer priorities showed little change compared to pre-recessionary times. Specifically, hotels in the UK appear relatively cheap since the fall in the value of sterling and hence more attractive to inbound travellers and tourists. At the same time, this means it is less attractive for UK holidaymakers to travel to the Euro Zone or USA and more attractive to stay at home. 2.1.4 SOCIAL FACTORS The age profile of the UK population is increasing. Furthermore, Mintels (2009) exclusive consumer research reveals that older adult usage of budget hotels is slightly below the national average; however, it is somewhat more than for young people. However, even during the recession, some people remain unaffected and they still stay in luxury hotels, such as, the Ritz or the Hilton. They do not care about the cost because they lead a luxurious lifestyle. Although these people have not changed their pattern of consumption, however, most customers will be affected by the recession and they might prefer to choose budget and not mid-range hotels when they travel. 2.1.5 TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS Technology has a significantly affected the hotel industry in many ways, for example, Travelodge launched a free iPhone application that allows users to locate their five nearest Travelodges by GPS. They can see the availability, prices and book rooms. Moreover, customers can reserve their accommodation or check-in by via internet. In addition, they can obtain information via new platforms, such as, Facebook or Twitter. These and other technological advances help companies to become more effective in the marketplace, however, internet penetration levels and demographic breakdowns might make operators use of this distribution channel ever more viable. If firms adopt useful technological advances, they will gain a competitive edge. 2.1.6 COMPETITION FACTORS Since hotels are a service industry, human resources have become an indispensable element of the market. If the turnover ratio of employees is low, the centripetal of employees will be strong. As a result, the company will have the advantage of competition. The main substitutes who could replace the customers decision in the UK hotel market are those from other countries. Foreign customers may plan to visit the UK from places where they live, such as, France and Spain. However, Country House or Bed Breakfast hotels and so on which could also threaten substitutes in the UK domestic hotel industry. Hotels find themselves with different problems compared to their entrants. These problems include a high barrier of exit and entry costs with the investment. Thus, the large capital investment required to build a hotel represents a sunk cost. Hotels may not meet all their debt payments, taxes and other fixed costs but they can produce enough profit to cover their costs. Even they are perhaps prepared to operate at a loss rather than close their doors completely. However, when there is an oversupply of hotels but the total number of rooms remains the same, the result will be a price war within the industry. 2.1.7 ORGANISATIONAL FACTORS A Hotel manger should decide how to engage with the process of hostelry management using his/her capability and skills and be able to adjust and develop it to adapt to customer needs and preferences. For example, if a hotel could provide a high quality service or promote a particular customer-desirable activity then client return ratio will be increased. However, the problem that faces the hotel industry is recruiting qualified staff that can satisfy the standard of service required by customers. Most service employees lack the knowledge and skills to provide a service that meets international standards. This may be because employees have not received adequate training in the skills that are required. For instance, Whitbread has decided to open 1,700 Premier Inn rooms across the UK during 2009 and 2010. Whitbread is planning to increase their market share of the UK hotel industry. It will attempt to achieve this by building up its market position and providing customers with cost-effective packages (Mintel, 2009). It also plans to develop their booking platform, enhance their sales and put into place the next phase of its revenue management system. 2.1.8 MARKET FACTORS In the market sector, the most important thing is the customer; firms should affirm the clients they want to reach and their market segmentation. At the end of 2007, the UK hospitality as well as the hotel industry worldwide had been hardly affected by the recession and many commentators predicted that this would last until at least 2010. In the course of a few months, by early 2009, consumers had radically changed their attitudes and consumption. The optimism that had been expressed earlier could not be sustained (Mintel, 2009). The number of business travellers choosing budget hotels for their commercial trips is increasing. Moreover, the start of this trend corresponds to the beginning of the recession in 2008. Many companies have reduced their budget for commercial travel in response to recessionary conditions; therefore, commercial travellers now use budget hotels rather than mid-market ones. Green holidays and the effect of frequent air travel upon the environment are being raised as concerns (Bainbridge, 2009). Customers who want to reduce the effects of their pollution upon the environment choose to holiday within the UK (Bainbridge, 2009). However, these concerns are not entirely beneficial for the UK hospitality industry because overseas tourists share these beliefs, so this could reduce inbound tourism into the UK. Saving the environment, however, is currently a relatively low priority for most consumers but studies indicate that green issues will gradually become more important in the future (Key Note, 2009). A previous study has claimed that more customers prefer to holiday in the UK because of green considerations and as an alternative to flying abroad. Therefore, in 2008, travellers might choose the ferry to holiday as a greener alternative (Key Note, 2009). Budget hotels have made important investments in order to close the gap with mid-market brands. The three top most improved brands in terms of advertising awareness are Premier Inn, Travelodge and Holiday Inn Express. 2.2 SWOT analysis 2.2.1 Strengths The UK, like many other countries, after rapid economic growth with an open policy has now become one of the worlds most attractive places for travellers. On a positive note, the hotel market in the UK is a strong and sophisticated one that offers a wide range of options, which could meet different types of customer needs. This includes internationally famous brands as well as smaller individual enterprises. Moreover, there is a powerful promotion and support system in place for tourists through organisations, such as, VisitBritain. Moreover, the range of hotels offering different prices could meet individual consumer needs. Luxury, middle range, budget and even the country house hotel could satisfy every consumer. In addition, the growth of the budget hotel sector opened up a wider range of clients to the hotel market. In the past ten years, due to the rise in the level of consumers disposable incomes, the short break leisure market has grown. This phenomenon has allowed customers to have more domestic holiday choice and encourage travel within the UK. This trend has proven very positive for the hotel industry. Another factor that has strengthened the hotel market is the online reservation system. Customers are able to search for information, accommodation and book rooms online. This system is not only convenient for customers it is also efficient. 2.2.2 Weaknesses Profitability is a major concern for hotels. They worry about losing money during the course of chain operations. In addition, there remains an absence of an efficient system to monitor hotel management, which includes employees and retired employees etc (Gavin, 1997). The existing weaknesses in the hospitality industry are described below. Recession has been the influential factor from 2004 to 2009. As noted by Keynote (2010), the number of visits peaked in 2007 but fell during 2008 by one million. In the face of room oversupply, occupancy rates averaged approximately sixty percent but this figure fell by eight percent during 2007 to 2008 (Keynote, 2010). In an attempt to counter this fall, prices were reduced but this may diminish profitability. Mid-market hotels are coming under pressure, being squeezed, between budget and luxury hotels. Competition in the mid- and budget hotel market is becoming more intensive and probably there will be a price war. The performance of the global economy has a direct influence on the cost of hotel equipment. These costs have been rising and consequentially the financial burden has become heavier. 2.2.3 Opportunities Many tourist and hotel officials now believe that the UK will become the worlds most attractive visitor destination by 2011. This is considered an encouraging sign and a great opportunity for those who want to expand their hotel business in the UK. Any expansion is anticipated to be within the mid- or low-grade hotel sector. The demand for high star rated luxury hotels among the various hotel management groups is not expected to rise (WTO, 1999). In late 2008, the pound fell against foreign currencies and was very nearly equal to one Euro. This means that UK services, including hotels and tourist attractions have become more attractive to overseas tourists as they get more value from their Euros or dollars. The development of a global online reservation system will not only make hotels easily reachable but also provide an opportunity to access a wider client base. According to Keynote (2008), the age profile of the UK population is increasing. Many consumers that belong to this enlarged senior sector of the population have disposable assets, which they use to enjoy their leisure. In addition, the number of retirees is rising, which will have a positive effect upon the hotel market. In the next decade, due to a number of organized activities, such as, the 2012 London Olympics, more attention will be paid to the UK by the international market and it is anticipated that this will promote a growth in demand from overseas visitors for accommodation. Few leisure facilities, for example, restaurants and bars can cope with any extra business and, therefore, they are unable to create potential sales from the local area and hotels. 2.2.4 Threats Since 2004, the long-stay leisure market, that is, stays involving five nights or more has been in decline. Moreover, the number of long-stay hotel rooms booked in 2008 decreased by more than a half compared to 2006, at eleven million (BMRC, 2009). The threat of terrorist activities could discourage overseas travellers to stay in the UK. The success of the budget hotel sector is a threat to mid- and upmarket hotel chains. During the recession, customers may choose low price accommodation for their tourism. For example, self-catering and other less expenditure styles of accommodation manifest a big threat at this time. Some budget airline companies that offer low-priced flights to travellers for short weekend breaks may compete with domestic travel in the UK. 2.3 Porter Five Forces The structure of the hotel industry strongly affects competition between its members, which in turn directs decisions about the choice of strategies that are used by them. Therefore, Porters Five Forces analysis will be used to investigate the industry. New Entrants Government policies against entrants Fixed cost is huge Hard to access further credit Investments cannot be recovered immediately Buyers Large hotel, power low; Small hotel, power high Customers as a group have more power Sign contract gain more bargaining power Suppliers Bargaining power depends on the size of the hotel Unique technology and resources Switching costs Competitors Competition within luxury, mid-market and budget hotels Customers change consumption to budget hotels. Little effect on luxury hotels Substitutes Camping, caravan clubs, BB and country houses etc Camping and Caravan clubs had their best ever year in 2008 An attractive option for the budget conscious consumer The analysis includes the threat of new entrants, competitive rivalry within the industry, the threat of substitutes and the bargaining powers of buyers and suppliers. 2.3.1 The threat of new entrants Suitable hotel sites are not easy to find and building costs are very high. Furthermore, investments cannot immediately be recovered, especially during the period of construction. This factor represents a strong barrier to entering this market. The UK has enjoyed some of its highest periods of growth in property prices in recent years. The construction industry has been badly affected by the latest recession. Developers are hardly able to gain credit to support large scale building schemes; therefore, many hotel projects have stalled (Blitz, 2009). Aside from new developments, hotel managers who are unable to access further credit are finding things more difficult. Larger operators and branded chains are able to look to the medium and long-term over which a boom for hotels and travel are predicted due to emerging markets but smaller operators have less access to the resources that they will need in order to survive the next couple of years (Blitz, 2009). As a result, the threat of new entrants into hospitality industry is limited. 2.3.2 The competitive rivalry within industry In economic downturns, competition occurs within upmarket, midmarket and budget hotels. Mid-market hotels usually cater for tourists who do not travel a lot; also, their rooms are priced much higher than in budget hotels. In general, when the economy is in recession, consumer-spending power is less, therefore, they might choose lower priced accommodation. At the same time, budget hotels continue with their strong development plans to offer extra rooms through the expansion of new property. The development of budget hotels has eroded the mid-hotels market sector. However, the upmarket hotels have been little affected. Their customers are less likely to change their consumption patterns. The lifestyles of these customers engender very high consumption. Their expenditure would not change because they are not price sensitive. That is to say, no matter how prices changes, they will continue consuming. 2.3.3 The threat of substitutes There are some substitutes in this market, such as, camping, caravan clubs and BB and country houses. Mintel (2009) predicted that these holidays are an attractive option for budget conscious consumers. These substitutes will benefit from an increase in the number of families who because of financial reasons elect to stay in UK in 2009 and 2010. The Camping and Caravan Club market had their best ever year in terms of recruitment during 2008 (Mintel, 2009). Camping holidays are predicted to do rather better over the next few years before the long-term trend towards decline is re-instated. However, growth in this area might not be good news for the hotel industry, as by definition a stay in a hotel does not count as such for this type of holiday. 2.3.4 The bargaining power of buyers The hotel industry is faced by fierce competition. Companies will possibly sign a long-term contract with consumers to retain their customer base. Therefore, customers possess a strong bargaining power. Behind large hotel groups, there are large amounts of capital to support them to buy land and build new hotels. Consequently, the bargaining power of consumers is quite low with respect to these large hotel groups. Conversely, for small hotels, the bargaining power of consumers is much greater, which means these establishments might find it harder to fulfil customers, expectations. However, customers will segregate into two sectors, namely, individual and group. Customers as individuals: This sector will divide into business travellers and individual tourists. Business travellers may have a long-term contract with a hotel, therefore the price for them could be pre-negotiated but for individual tourists, their bargaining powers are almost none. Customers as a group: Groups usually book rooms through travel agencies, involving a large number of rooms and the travel agent takes the profit. However, the price is still much cheaper than for the individual. That is to say, their bargaining power is more than the independent tourist is. 2.3.5 The bargaining power of suppliers There are two main bargaining powers in the industry, one is furniture and fittings and the other is food and cigarettes. They are outlined below. Furniture and Fittings: When hotels purchase furniture; they typically establish criteria that they use. The number of pieces of furniture purchased is usually in bulk rather than separate items. Thus, orders must be relevant to the number of rooms they operate. For this reason, furniture is supplied by specialist contract providers, which are dedicated departments of businesses that already cope with the domestic market as well. Food and Cigarettes: Many food and cigarette manufacturers have their own specialised sector that supply and deal with the demands of the hotel industry. However, bargaining power is dependent on the size of the hotel. If a company has very many hotels then its bargaining power with its suppliers is enhanced. Conversely, if the company has few hotels then its bargaining power will be limited. 2.4 STP processSegmentation, Targeting and Positioning 2.4.1 Segmentation According to Swarbrooke and Horner (1999), the tourist market is divided into demand characteristics within a number of the different segments, which are described below. Family market: The definition of family means two parents with one to three children. The preference of many families is to minimise the cost that is required to meet their desire to have a vacation. However, these needs will depend on those of their children. Hedonistic tourist: According to Kozak and Andreu (2006), the number of hedonistic tourists has increased in recent years. They prefer a place with sun, sand and sea, such as, Ibiza. In fact, they have a desire for physical pleasure and a social life. The backpacker market: Backpackers generally keep their expenditure to a minimum; they have the time and want adventure as part of their holiday. Moreover, this tourist usually travels independently rather than in a group. VFR (visiting friends and relatives): People do not stay in commercial accommodation and usually domestic travel is involved (Swarbrooke and Horner, 1999). This form of tourism could also relate to weddings and funerals. In particular, their budget is limited in a similar way to that of a normal holiday. Excursionists or day-trippers: In general, these travellers do not travel far and it involves domestic transport. They would do not usually stay overnight. Educational tourists: They usually travel to other countries, for example, for foreign culture, student exchanges or attending language classes. Religious tourist: This form of tourism can be seen as obligation or duty for those who have faith and belief but recently traditional religious tourism has become, in part, a sightseeing tour, which visits churches and cathedrals (Swarbrooke and Horner, 1999). However, they usually visit the place at a specific time, such as, the Haj. The snowbird market: The snowbird refers to a tourist that travels during the winter, in order to avoid the cold weather. Retired people normally take this type of vacation because they have the time to travel. Tourists with disabilities: According to Swarbrooke and Horner(1999), there are many kinds and degrees of disability, which include the following: Mobility problems: These individuals are confined to a wheelchair and may have difficulty in climbing stairs. Sight problems: These individuals have minor eye impairments and unclear vision. Hearing difficulties: These individual have injuries to their ears and their hearing is impaired. It is important that hotels have regard for these conditions and have someone available to assist them. The short break market: This means tourists use their two-day weekend to have a vacation. According to Mintel (2007), the short break market is continuing to grow despite an overall stagnation in the growth of domestic tourism. It is forecast that the volume of the short break market will increase to 9.5 million and its monetary value will be  £2.5 billion by 2011. Commercial travellers: They usually travel for business and generally involve domestic travel. 2.4.2 Targeting In order to relate to the research objectives of this report as described in earlier in this chapter, the researcher will inquire into the budget hotels to investigate their target market. Budget hotels focus upon three types of domestic tourists during economic downturns: commercial, family and short break. Budget hotel characteristics are relevant to these three types of tourists in terms of limited cost, clean and comfortable accommodation in which to live. In addition, the fact that there many chains are available in this sector means that travellers can be reassured regarding expectations and quality as they are buying into a brand name (Brotherton, 2004). 2.4.3 Positioning According to Baines, Fill and Page (2008), positioning is important for a business because it differentiates it from other competitors. As Mintel (2010) argues, the first physical attributes of budget hotels for customers is that they have quality standards, consistent service and are located in many places, which are convenient to access. According to (Brotherton, 2004), the second positioning elements for budget hotels as perceived by customers are value for money, cleanliness and have a great brand reputation. Marketing communication can be used to position brands as a strategy to attract customers (Shimp, 2003). Budget hotels position their brand, products and services via three basic consumer needs, such as, functional, symbolic and experiential (Keller, 1993). These are described below. Functional needs: Budget hotel marketers adopt new technology and season sales to appeal to consumers needs for convenience, value for money, physical comfort, etc. These wants can met consumers functional needs and brand satisfaction. Symbolic needs: Budget hotels appeal to symbolic needs with their desire or self-image to associate with the brand. For example, tidiness, cleanliness and efficiency, etc. Experiential needs: Budget hotels use quality standards for accommodation to address the experiential needs for consistency and hygiene. For a marketer, it is important to recognize that brands benefit by fulfilling these needs, even by a combination of any two. This project will investigate consumer attitudes toward the budget hotel market during a time of economic downturn and analysis how the recession affects consumers consumption patterns and budget hotel strategy.