Peter Voulkos Essays - Abstract Art, Avant-garde Art, Peter Voulkos

Peter Voulkos The exhibition of recent stoneware vessels by Peter Voulkos at Frank Lloyd Gallery featured the sort of work on which the artist established reputation in the 1950s. The work was greeted with stunned amazement. However now it is too, but it's amazement of a different order -- the kind that comes from being in the presence of effortless artistic mastery. These astonishing vessels are truly amazing. Every ceramic artist knows that what goes into a kiln looks very different from what comes out, and although what comes out can be controlled to varying degrees, it's never certain. Uncertainty feels actively courted in Voulkos' vessels, and this embrace of chance gives them a surprisingly contradictory sense of ease. Critical to the emergence of a significant art scene in Los Angeles in the second half of the 1950s, the 75-year-old artist has lived in Northern California since 1959 and this was his only second solo show in an L.A gallery in 30 years. "These days, L.A. is recognized as a center for the production of contemporary art. But in the 1950s, the scene was slim -- few galleries and fewer museums. Despite the obscurity, a handful of solitary and determined artists broke ground here, stretching the inflexible definitions of what constitutes painting, sculpture and other media. Among these avant-gardists was Peter Voulkos." In 1954, Voulkos was hired as chairman of the fledgling ceramics department at the L.A. County Art Institute, now Otis College of Art and Design, and during the five years that followed, he led what came to be known as the "Clay Revolution." Students like John Mason, Paul Soldner, Ken Price and Billy Al Bengston, all of whom went on to become respected artists, were among his foot soldiers in the battle to free clay from its handicraft associations. By the late 1950s, Voulkos had established an international reputation for his muscular fired-clay sculptures, which melded Zen attitudes toward chance with the emotional fervor of Abstract Expressionist painting. Some 20 works -- including five "Stacks" (4-foot-tall sculptures) as well as giant slashed-and-gouged plates and works on paper -- recently went on view at the Frank Lloyd Gallery. This non single show is his first at a Los Angeles gallery in 13 years, although a survey of his work was seen at the Newport Harbor Art Museum (presently carries a different name) in 1995. Voulkos, 75, has lived in Oakland since 1959, "having left after a fallout with the then-director of the Art Institute, Millard Sheets, who is best known for mosaic murals on local bank facades." Although Voulkos has been absent from L.A. for 40 years, he remains something of an icon for artists here. Price, known for his candy-colored ovoid clay sculptures, puts it simply: "In one way or another, he influenced everyone who makes art out of clay, since he was the main force in liberating the material. He broke down all the rules -- form follows function, truth in materials -- because he wanted to make art that had something to do with his own time and place. He had virtuoso technique, so he was able to do it fairly directly, and he worked in a really forceful way. In the opinion of many artists he is the most important person in clay of the 20th century, not for what he did himself, but for the ground that he broke." In his interview with US art critics Voulkos said: "I never intended on being revolutionary, there was a certain energy around L.A. at that time, and I liked the whole milieu." "Wielding clay is magic," he says. "The minute you touch it, it moves, so you've got to move with it. It's like a ritual. I always work standing up, so I can move my body around. I don't sit and make dainty little things." As a child, Voulkos did not imagine a future as an internationally influential artist. The third of five children born to Greek immigrant parents in Bozeman, Mont., he could not afford a college education and anticipated a career constructing floor molds for engine castings at a foundry in Portland, Ore., where he went to work in 1942, after high school. But in 1943, he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps and was stationed in the central Pacific as an airplane armorer and gunner. After the war, the G.I. Bill offered him a college education, so he studied painting at Montana State College, now Montana State University, and took ceramics courses during his junior year, graduating in 1951.

Texas Employment Laws and Compliance Essays

Texas Employment Laws and Compliance Essays Texas Employment Laws and Compliance Essay Texas Employment Laws and Compliance Essay For general understanding of these laws I must explain that you as an employer will be required to follow both Federal and State laws or whichever law is more stringent. From the conversation I have identified six laws which you will need to pay special attention to during the hiring and employment process. These laws include the Minimum Wage Law, Equal Employment Opportunity Law, Child Labor Law, Employee Polygraph Protection Act, National Labor Relations Act, and the Texas Pay Day Law. Each of the above laws will give you a general understanding of what Is expected of you as an employer. These laws are current through the 2014 calendar year and can be found on the Texas Workforce Commission (2014) and the Federal Labor Relations Board website. Each of these laws also has to be posted on-site and should be in a conspicuous place such as an employee Need to Know board or equivalent posting area. Equal Employment Opportunity The Equal Employment Opportunity Law prohibits all forms of discrimination against employers during the hiring process. According to the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website (2014), they are responsible for enforcing federal laws that make It Illegal to discriminate against a Job applicant or an employee because of the persons race, color, religion, sex (Including pregnancy), cantonal rolling, age (40 or older), disability or genetic Information (EEOC, 2014). The Equal Employment Opportunity Law generally comes Into practice when a business employs over 15 people. The laws apply to all types of work situations, including firing, hiring, benefits, harassment, wages, salary, promotions, and training. Failure to comply with the provisions could result in an investigation to ascertain whether the employee was involved in a discriminatory process. If a discriminatory action has occurred than the EEOC will try to settle the dispute. If a decision cannot be reached Han the EEOC could file a lawsuit to protect the rights of the accused and the interests of the public. Minimum Wage Texas and Federal law state that all employees receive, at minimum, and salary of $7. 25. With specified restrictions, employers may count tips and the value of meals and lodging toward a persons minimum salary. If you plan on running the business out of a residential address, than people who live on the premises of the business than you will not be liable for payment while employee Is on-call. The Texas minimum Wage Act does not prohibit any individual from collectively bargaining with easiness paying the employee the unpaid wages plus legal fees. Child Labor Laws Child labor laws could potentially pose a risk to your business. That is why it is imperative to know and understand what is expected of you as an employer. According to the Texas Workforce Commission (2014), no child under the age of eighteen may operate a motorized vehicle. If you choose to hire individuals between the ages of 14-15 than listed below are the provisions of the Texas Workforce Commission and the Federal Statutes which describe the working hours of those employees. State Law ? a person commits an offense if that person permits a child 14 or 15 years of age who is employed by that person to work: (1) more than 8 hours in one day or more than 48 hours in one week; (2) between the hours of 10 p. M. And 5 a. M. On a day that is followed by a school day or between the hours of midnight and 5 a. M. N a day that is not followed by a school day if the child is enrolled in school; (3) Between the hours of midnight and 5 a. M. On any day during the time school is recessed for the summer if the child is not enrolled in summer school. Federal Law ? The ELSE further regulates hours of employment for children: (1) may not work during school hours (2) May not work more than eight hours on a non-school day or 40 hours during a non-school week. (3) May not work more than three hours on a school day or 18 hours during a school week. (4) Children may work only between 7 a. . And 7 p m. During the school year. However, between June 1 and Labor Day, they may work between the hours of 7 a. M. And 9 p. M. Failure to comply with this federal and state law could result in each or all of the allowing (1) Class B or A Misdemeanors (2) Texas can assess a fine up to $10,000 for each violation (3) Federal Law can impose a fine up to $11,000 for each violation (4) Criminal prosecution and fines National Labor Relations Act The National Labor Relations Act is a law which guarantees private sector employees the right to form into trade unions. This law also gives each employee the right to engage into collective bargaining for better work place environments and also allows for groups to seek better salaries and benefits. This statute also includes a provision or those employees who choose to take collective action against an employer in the form off strike. Failure to comply with this law could result in an employer hiring back a terminated employee. The company could also be forced to pay lost wages and benefits to those affected. Employee Polygraph Protection Act The Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPA) of 1988 is a federal law which prohibits employers from using a polygraph on their employees. This forbids an employer from using a lie detector test during employment and also stops an employer from using it urine pre employment interviews. This ruling does not cover federal, state, or government employees. Failure to comply with the above law could result in a monetary fine or penalty up to $10,000 dollars per violation. If an employer violates the law, he or she may be liable to the prospective employee and could potentially pay for legal representation, lost wages, and benefits. It is also likely that an employer could be forced to reinstate or hire an employee if they have broken the EPA law. Since you are looking to establish a business in the state of Texas, you will be squired to follow the Texas Pay Day Law (TAP). This law pertains to all private employees who are not independent contractors or government employees. The TAP does not have a business size limitation, nature of business, or size of the company. This law is for all those companies that have entered into an employment relationship. This law only applies to the employer and the employee relationship and protects employees from wages being withheld unlawfully. Wages include all types of compensation including benefits, vacation time, sick leave, parental leave, severance, and holidays. This law also states the frequency at which employees must be paid and terms of separation pay are outlined. Also noted in this state statute are the terms of payment whether it is by check or direct deposit. Failure to comply with this law could result in an employer being forced by the State of Texas to assess a penalty against the employer equal to the wages claimed or $1000, whichever is less. This also covers a business if an employee files a fraudulent wage claim in bad faith. In conclusion if you have any questions in regards to the above content please feel ere to contact myself or Tract and we will be happy to work with you and answer any questions you might have.

Rodney Dangerfields Best One-Liners

Rodney Dangerfields Best One-Liners Rodney Dangerfield had captured the minds of his audience with his ribald, in-your-face humor. Dangerfield expired on October 6, 2004, and his death created a void. It is almost difficult to smile at jokes, but his quotes remind us that laughter is the essence of life. So lets go on with the memory of the legendary comedian while we read  Rodney Dangerfield  quotes. General Humor People say fish is good for a diet. But fish should never be cooked in butter. Fish should be cooked in its natural oils - Texaco, Mobil, Exxon... Acting deals with very delicate emotions. It is not putting up a mask. Each time an actor acts he does not hide; he exposes himself. Men who do things without being told draw the most wages. I bought a new Japanese car. I turned on the radio... I dont understand a word theyre saying. I bought a perfect second car... a tow truck. I have three kids, one of each. I have nothing but troubles with my car. Every Sunday I take my family out for a push. Boy  what a hotel that was. Why, they stole my towel! I was so depressed that I decided to jump from the tenth floor. They sent up a priest. He said, On your mark... What a dog I got, he found out we look alike, so he killed himself. Childhood Oh, when I was a kid in show business I was poor. I used to go to orgies to eat the grapes. When I was a kid my parents moved a lot, but I always found them. I came from a real tough neighborhood. I bought a waterbed and found a guy at the bottom of it. I came from a real tough neighborhood. In the local  restaurant,  I sat down and had  broken  leg of lamb. I came from a real tough neighborhood.  Why,  every time I shut the window, I hurt somebodys fingers. I was so ugly my mother used to feed me with a  sling shot. I had plenty of pimples as a kid. One day I fell asleep in the library. When I woke up, a blind man was reading my face. In the school I went to, they asked a kid to prove the law of gravity and he threw the teacher out of the window. I came from a real tough neighborhood. On my street, the kids take hubcaps†¦ from moving cars. I came from a real tough neighborhood. Once, a guy pulled a knife on me. I knew he wasnt a professional; the knife had butter on it. Family My cousin is gay; in school while other kids were dissecting frogs, he was opening flies. My cousin is gay; he went to London only to find out that Big Ben was a clock. My cousin is gay; I always tell him that in our family tree, hes in the fruit section. I looked up my family tree and found three dogs using it. My kid wants to be a prison warden when he grows up so he can put thumb tacks on the electric chairs. One time my whole family played hide and seek. They found my mother in Pittsburgh! With my old  man  I got no respect. I asked him, How can I get my kite in the air? He told me to run off a cliff. My old man, I told him Im tired of running around in circles. So he nailed my other foot to the floor. When I was born, the doctor came out to the waiting room and said to my father, Im very  sorry. We did everything we could. But he pulled through. I come from a stupid family. During the Civil War  my great uncle fought for the West. I could tell that my parents hated me. My bath toys were a toaster and a radio. I come from a stupid family. My father worked in a bank. They caught him stealing pens. I looked up my family tree and found out I was the sap. When my old man wanted sex, my mother would show him a picture of me. Im so ugly - my father carries around a picture of the kid who came with his wallet. Boy,  is my wife stupid! It takes her an hour and a half to watch 60 minutes. My daughters no bargain either. In public  school  she was voted most likely to conceive. Age Last year my birthday cake looked like a prairie fire. At twenty, a man is full of fight and hope. He wants to reform the world. When he is seventy, he still wants to reform the world, but he knows he cant. I told my psychiatrist that everyone hates me. He said I was being ridiculous†¦ everyone hasnt met me yet. Funny Incidents For two hours, some guy followed me around with a pooper scooper. The other night a mugger took off his mask and made me wear it. Last week I was walking by a cemetery, two guys came after me with shovels. It was all about money. A travel agent told I could spend seven nights in Hawaii†¦ no days, just nights. Last week, my tie caught on fire; some guy tried to put it out with an  axe. Doctors I met the surgeon general - he offered me a cigarette. I went to the doctor because Id swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills. My doctor told me to have a few drinks and get some rest. My doctor told me to watch my drinking. Now I drink in front of a mirror. And I drink too much, way too much; my doctor drew blood -  he ran a tab! I went to see my doctor. Doctor, every morning when I get up and look in the mirror... I feel like throwing up. Whats wrong with me? He said, I dont know but your eyesight is perfect. Last week I told my psychiatrist, I keep thinking about suicide. He told me from now on I have to pay in advance. Sex Im at the age where I want two girls. In case I fall asleep, they will have someone to talk to. My sex life is terrible; my wife put a mirror over the dogs bed.  Actually  she did put a mirror over our bed. She says she likes to watch herself laugh. The big difference between sex for money and sex for free is that sex for money usually costs a lot less. A girl phoned me the other day and said, Come on over, theres nobody home. I went over. Nobody was home. During sex, my girlfriend always wants to talk to me. Just the other night she called me from a hotel. I once went out with this wild girl. She made French toast and got her tongue caught in the toaster. My wife only has sex with me for a purpose. Last night it was to time an egg. With girls, I dont think right. I had a date with one girl, she had mirrors all over her bedroom. She told me to come over and bring a bottle. I got Windex. Im taking Viagra and drinking prune juice - I dont know if Im coming or going. I got myself good this morning too. I did my pushups in the nude; I didnt see the mouse trap. I know the best way to get girls. I hang out at prisons and wait for parolees. I asked my wife if she enjoys a cigarette after sex and she said, No, one drag is enough. I saved a girl from being attacked last night. I controlled myself. Im a bad lover. I once caught a peeping tom booing me. Self My problem is that I appeal to everyone that can do me absolutely no good. One year they asked me to be poster boy - for birth control. You wanna  have  laughs? Do what I do. When I go through a tollbooth, I keep going. I tell the guy, The car behind me is paying for two. I found there was only one way to look thin:  hang out with fat people. My psychiatrist told me I was crazy and I said I want a second opinion. He said,  okay, youre ugly too. Im so ugly... I worked in a pet shop, and people kept asking how big Id get. I was such an ugly kid†¦ when I played in the sandbox, the cat kept covering me up. I get no respect. The way my luck is running, if I was a politician, I would be honest. I went to a freak show and they let me in for nothing. I had a good time last week. I did a show; the whole audience was midgets. I got a standing ovation - I didnt even know it! Oh, last week was a rough week. I noticed my gums were shrinking. I was brushing my teeth with Preparation H. I drink too much. The last time I gave a urine sample it had an olive in it. This morning, when I put on my underwear, I could hear the Fruit-of-the-Loom guys laughing at me. His Wife My wife has to be the worst cook. Her specialty is indigestion. One day as I came home early from work... I saw a guy jogging naked. I said to the guy, Hey buddy, why are you doing that? He said, Because you came home early. My wife made me join a bridge club. I jump off next Tuesday. I havent spoken to my wife in years. I didnt want to interrupt her. Once, somebody stole our car. I asked my wife if she saw who it was. She said, No, but I did get the license number. With my  wife,  I  dont get no  respect. I made a toast on her birthday to the best woman a man ever had. The waiter joined me. My wife had her drivers test the other day. She got 8 out of 10. The other 2 guys jumped clear. I asked him, Who said you could fool around with my wife? He said, Everybody. Ill tell you one thing, I know how to satisfy my wife in bed.  Yeah, I leave. I told my wife the truth. I told her I was seeing a psychiatrist. Then she told me the truth: that she was seeing a psychiatrist, two plumbers, and a bartender. My wifes not too smart. I told her  our kids were spoiled. She said, All kids smell that way. My wife has to be the worst cook. Ive got the only dog who begs for Alka-Seltzer. Theres only one thing wrong with my wifes face - it shows. †¦went to a bar for a few drinks. The bartender asked what I wanted. Surprise me, I said. So he showed me a naked picture of my wife. My wife has to be the worst cook. I dont believe meatloaf should glow in the dark. My wife has to be the worst cook. In my house, we pray after we eat. I have good looking kids. Thank goodness my wife cheats on me. I went to look for a used car and found my wifes dress in the back seat. I remember one guy gave her a good piece of his mind. Yeah, it was right after she took a good piece of his leg. My marriage is on the rocks again.  Yeah, my wife just broke up with her  boyfriend. My wifes a great driver; she once hit a deer. It was in a zoo. There is a pair of shoes on the dashboard. They belong to the last guy she hit. My wife was afraid of the dark†¦ then she saw me naked and now shes afraid of the light. Why,  her cooking is so bad that the flies pitched in to fix the screen door. I leave dental floss in the kitchen and watch the roaches hang themselves.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Crucible by Arthur Miller - Essay Example the crimes he did not commit the author started thinking about the concepts of â€Å"victims† and â€Å"villains† and of the controversy of the absolute truth. It turns out that it is rather easy to pass from one category into another because determining truth and lie still requires enormous efforts even in court. Social moral and religion create enormous pressure on each and every human and fragile psyche sometimes cannot withstand that. In reality most of people are accusatory and would rather point to someone else`s vice than admit one`s guilt. For some people their reputation turns out to be much more important than ultimate truth. Under pressure of the society and in fear of punishment people are prone to change their beliefs and opinions and reveal their faint-heartedness. But it is well-known that people are prone to show their real nature only in critical situation. So extreme circumstances in which the characters of Miller`s play find themselves reveal their tr ue nature: some turn out to be villains and some victims of social moral, some are prone to bend under the pressure of probable punishment and some only find inner power in difficult situation, some act out of altruism and some care about their own life and happiness. Three characters of the play, Reverend Hale, Reverend Parris, and John Proctor, find themselves in extreme situation and each of them transforms his views throughout the play to show eventually his true self. Despite the fact that in 17th century people live under close observation of church, they still act as ordinary people-make mistakes, lie, make sins. In his play â€Å"The Crucible† there is a number of characters who switch the roles of â€Å"victims† to â€Å"villains† depending on their words and actions. It is sometimes very difficult to blame people strictly taking into account fragile In his play Miller suggests that it is impossible to remain in one role of either â€Å"a victim† or â€Å"a villain† for long because

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Assignment - Essay Example This allows each department to focus on one task, allowing the company to work faster. Some of the key departments in a company may be the finance department or the sales department. 3) Chain of command is how management delegates authority to individuals throughout a workplace (Chain of Command). Instead of one manager delegating tasks, department managers can give instructions as they see fit. A normal chain of command would have the president at the top, followed by the vice-president, and so on. 4) Span of control is the number of employees that a manager has under his or her control at one time. Department managers would have a span of control over the employees who they are responsible for. 5) Centralization is the process where key decisions are taken only by top management. On the other hand, decentralization places trust in employees lower down the food chain and allows them to make decisions for

Travel Behavior And Travel Motivation

Travel Behavior And Travel Motivation Krobeber develops a related decision making model. Within this model, he claims that the tourist behaviour is determined by three elements: travel perception, travel attitude and travel motivation. He further suggests that there are two level influences. The first level influence of Krobeber (1996, cited from Zhong, Zhang, Yang and Guo 2007) can be affected from internal factors such as personal psychological factor and the second level influence comes from external social factors such as family background or group influence. Travel motivation The main contributions regarding motivation is the Maslows hierarchy of needs model (Maslow 1970), the escape or seek model (Iso-Ahola 1982; Ross and Iso-Ahola 1991) and the push and pull method (Crompton 1979). Mill and Morrison (1985) argues that travel motivations fit into Maslows hierarchical needs namely, physiological, safety, belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization. Also they identified two other needs: aesthetics and knowledge. The human needs physiological, safety/security and belonging/love were categorized as tension-reducing, while the self-esteem, self-actualization, acquiring knowledge and aesthetic as inductive arousal-seeking motives (Figure 2.1) Figure 2.1 Travel/tourism motivations Source: (Awaritefe 2004, p. 306) Motivation is one of variables that can explain tourist behavior; it is regarded as one of the most important variables (Baloglu and Uysal 1996). There are many of researches assure that travel decision making is best explained and predicted by the push and pull approach include Backman, Backman, Uysal and Sunshine 1995; Baloglu and Uysal 1996; Ercan, Uysal and Yoshioka 2003. Crompton (1979) explains that motivation is a necessary and important force behind all behavior. People travel because they are pushed and pulled to do so by motivational factors (Baloglu and Uysal 1996). Push motivation is related to the decision, whether to go, and pull motivation addresses the question of where to go (Klenosky 2002). Crompton (1979) used unstructured in-depth interviews and explored push motivation and pull motivation, he summarizes that push is socio-psychological motives that activate people to travel and pull is cultural motives that attract people to a particular destination. Traditionally, the push motivations have been thought useful for explaining the desire for travel while the pull motivations have been thought useful for explaining the actual destination choice (Crompton 1979). According to Ross and Iso-Ahola (1991), push motivation can be considered as psychological factor and pull motivation is physical factor. These two factors can influence travel decisions and leisure engagements. Jang and Cai (2002) point that push refers to the internal facto rs that drive individuals to travel and pull is concerned about the external factors that determine where, when, and how they travel. Kim (2008) addresses that the push factor can be considered as to travel by intangible factors such as escape, relax, exploration) and pull factor is to decide destinations by tangible factors such as attractions, facilities. Motivation as one of the most important theories, it is recognized the key of the success of travel market. Iso-Ahola (1982) observes that people take part in various leisure and travel activities due to their own need. Tourist motivation is associated with individuals desires for achieving various purposes through travel (Kim and Beck 2009). Furthermore, studies of tourist motivation can assist destination managers to understand how well the destination characteristics fit the needs of the travelers (Goeldner Ritchie, 2006) and design tourism products and services containing tourist needs. Destination choice and selection 2.3.1 Influential factors to make tourism decision Once the decision made to start tourism, the decision maker is in front of many questions, such like where to travel, whom to travel with and how to travel. In general, this is a process to collect, organize and assess the information (Liu, 2008). 2.3.1.1 Environmental perception Environment perception refers to the tourism information rooted in mind, the old information and collected information. In general, this is the whole impression for the travelling. The potential tourists would be influenced by the environment perception. Though there might be some very significant tourist destinations, the tourists will not go the famous places that have no impression in their mind and perception. That is what we called environmental perception. Environmental perception mainly include first, the popularity of tourist, which is the first impression of the tourism destination, the tourist will neglect other same destinations; second is tourism distance, the influential factor to the decision is the imaginary distance, not the real distance of the destination. The imaginary distance is made of unreal distance, and time cost, money cost, and energy. 2.3.1.2 Principle of maximum benefit Principle of maximum benefit refers to the tourists will get the best enjoyment within certain budget during the tourism. Tourists will think it over before making a decision to travel. The main principles of maximum benefit are: The minimum time on tourism, it means that the decision to travel will be made according to time spending on it, if the time spending is less than a level, then the decision will be made. Tourists are in favor of less time spending on the travelling. Second is the popularity of tourism destination. The tourism destinations with higher popularity are more attractive, and tourists have gained more information though tourism. Meanwhile, the tourism destination, which has different culture, will arouse the interest for tourism. Beside the two factors, there are other influential factors: best tourism destination, proper price and comfortable accommodation. 2.3.1.3 Tourism preference Tourism preference refers to the humans impression based on their characters over the reality. The tourism preference of tourists is influenced by humans personal impression. The tourism preference is decided by personal impression of tourists. Regarding tourism preference, there are three factors to research, including age, occupation and education. 2.3.2 Content of tourism decision Before starting the tourism, the tourists are supposed to make a lot of decisions; any of them will take personal factors and will into consideration besides external factors. For example, they will ask for some suggestions and think about the tourism route and travelling partner. These questions mainly include information channel, decision maker, travelling partners and tourism pattern. 2.3.2.1 Information channel Information channel is the way to obtain and collect the information. With various channel, it is able to obtain the product information, or other users experience of using the products. As the society turns into a information-based ear, the information channel is various, which including networking channel, newspaper, books and magazine, television, internet and tourism institutions and so on. 2.3.2.2 Decision consultant Decision consultant is someone who the tourist will ask for suggestions before starting tourism. Potential tourists will take suggestions into consideration, and then is more likely to ask for others consultation about where to go and how to go. 2.3.2.3 Tourism partners People would like to find partners when go shopping, the same like tourists, many people like to start tourism with partners. According to experts of consumer behavior, they have made further analysis on the relationship between person and his partners in shopping. According to analysis, the shopping partners are intended to provide the suggestions based on their experience on the products and marketing, while the relationship between them is not intimate, such like neighbor, colleague and schoolmates. However, the suggestions might be focusing on the persons characters and personal demand, while relationship between them is intimate, such like family members. Choices from tourism partners are not only a reliable resource, but also the suggestions and advices. 2.3.2.4 Ways of tourism Ways of tourism is focusing on how to reach the destination. In general, there are two ways to travel, first is joining the travelling agency, and another is individual tourism. In this context, it will specify ways of tourism into several aspects, including joining travelling agency, individual tourism depending on maps, companys tourism, communitys tourism, institutions tourism and others. 2.4 The senior travel market 2.4.1 The seniors travel market in oversea For overseas countries, as they started the tourism analysis in an early time, traced from 1980, the understanding towards tourism of the old people is very fruitful (Liu, 2008). It reflects in these aspects: Research on tourism motivation Regarding the research of tourism for the old people, it mainly focuses on tourism motivation and perception. The research has applied many methods, including questionnaire, on-spot survey. The method mainly focuses on the incentive and influential factors. Besides these methods, many other scientific measures have been applied. For example, a survey on the old people in Israel has been made by Aliza Fleischer in 2002. According to the survey, it found that the main influential factors are income and health, also the tourism time is also changing according to age. For the people aged from 55 to 65, they have rising free time and income, which is decisive to the increasing tourism times. For the people aged above 65, as their income and health going down, the tourism time is reducing (Aliza, 2002). Jaesoo et al. (2003) have applied neural network of describing method to estimate the weight of influential factors towards the old peoples tourism. Meanwhile, it applied the non-neural network model to describe the relationship between tourists and tourism products. Anderson and Langmeyer(1982) analyzed the relationship between the old people and tourism. According to survey, tourists aged above 50 prefer tourism or visiting relatives to enjoy themselves. However, tourist aged below 50 prefer out-door activities or other entertainment facility to enjoy themselves Goossens (2000) proposed the model called enjoyment incentive, which is also called model of intention, stimulation and reaction. The model includes the factor of pulling and pushing. Regarding the factor of pushing, it refers to environment, social status, relax and friendship; in respect of the factor of pulling, it refers to the situation of tourism. It emphasized the relationship between pulling and pushing, it considered that these two factors are two sides of a coin, which is closely tied in tourists mind. Crompton and Mckay (1997) pointed out that there are 6 incentives to attend the activities, including experiencing culture, curiosity, return, and balance, social activity with friends, official activity and family activity (Crompton and Mckay, 1997). Research on tourism behavior of the old people Regarding the old people, the research on detailed behavior of tourism is comparatively fewer, mainly focusing on the difference of behavior compared with others. Blazey (1992) has made a research on the relationship of tourism before and after retired, plus the usage of tourism information of the old people. Lewiser Aiken (2001) has pointed out that friendship is a networking, a mental support and a resource of information and entertainment for the old people. Meanwhile, he pointed out that the old people are more reliable to get information from prints, such like newspaper and other magazines. Romsa and Blenman (1989) compared the difference of tourists aged below 50 and above 60 in German; the result is that the tourism time is more flexible for the people aged above 60. Research on tourism market of the old people The research market of the old people played a part in the whole research, mainly focusing on how to attract the old people in tourism market. Charles D ¼Ã… ½Schewe (1985) indicated that the reason to target the old people in tourism market, as they have large potential and sustainable purchasing power. Francis et al. (1988) regarding the rising number of the old people in USA, it trying to find a way to attract them for the tourism industry, and an information channel to help them set up the vacation plan. In general, regarding the tourism behavior of the old people, the features are: the main influential factors are income and health; also time, income, health age will influence the length and time of tourism; the tourism time will be reduce in accordance with the rising age; friendship is an important information resource for tourism; tourism time is flexible; purpose of tourism is for self-enjoyment. 2.4.2 The seniors travel market in China Since 1999, our society became an aged society, the old people was the main part of society, which is also played an important part in the tourism industry. The research of tourism behavior for the old people started from 1990, in this case, the research has been only in the primary step so far. The core of research was the tourism industry of the old people with many results. However, the research of tourism behaviors feature of the old people is very few (Liu, 2008). Research on the old peoples tourism Though the experts have involved in this issue for not a long time, there has some results. Wei (2001) thinks that the tourism incentive of the old people include health, culture, history and recollecting memory. The old people prefer cultural and historical cities, and would like to go travelling with families, friends or fellows. Liu (2005) thinks that the influential factors on the old peoples shopping include friend, culture, economy, mind and heart and commercial environment. According to a research made by Yu (2003), regarding the old people in Jiangxi, they have large demand on health recovery tourism due to the problems in health condition. Their information channel is mainly the traditional advertisement. Their way to go travelling is mainly following the travel agency. They prefer cultural and historical cities and spend less than average level. Wang (1999) argues that the old people are in a pure shopping stage which is very rational and have high requirement on quality of the products than others. Casual consumption and service consumption takes big proportion. According to an analysis regarding the old peoples tourism industry in Taiyuan made by Zhang (2006), the travelling rate is higher for male than female, especially among the people aged from 60-65. The tourism purposes are mainly for sightseeing, self-enjoyment and recollecting memories; the shopping level are middle level, and the tourism time are seldom in peak season. A survey regarding the tourisms of the old people in Shanghai, the rate of tourism is high with moderate time. The purposes of tourism are mainly sightseeing and for health recovery which is very traditional. They spend money very carefully and will choose to follow the travel agency. They prefer transportation of bus and train. The distance of tourism mainly focuses on short or medium long. They prefer natural environment (Hou, Yin and Chen, 2005). Also a survey regarding the old people in Fuzhou, the rate of tourism is divided into two extreme levels, high and low; the spending time of tourism is estimated to reach one week. The purposes of tourism are for sightseeing, health recovery or visiting relatives. They paid much attention on comfort, security and seldom ask for luxury accommodations. The transportation is mainly bus or train. They prefer travelling with partners and fewer will follow the travel agency. Security concern is the main obstacle for tourism (Tang, 2001). According to an analysis regarding the old people of Chongqing in tourism industry, sports tourism has the same purposes with common tourism; the purposes are for health condition, entertainment and health recovery. The information channel is mainly from company and relatives. They prefer individual travelling. The old people held a prudential attitude towards shopping. Male is the majority to attend sports tourism. The rate of tourism is low for people aged above 65 (Yang, 2003). The main research methods are questionnaire and interview. The research of the old peoples tourism behavior focuses on the incentive and preference, travelling method, transportation, information channel and spending cost. The features of the old peoples behavior are based on demography and influential factors of tourism behavior. Research on tourism industry of the old people In the domestic research, the feature of the old peoples tourism market, feasibility and expansion strategy plays a big part. According to Li (2005), regarding the old people, there are 6 features in tourism industry, such like enjoyment and prefer travelling at off-season. Li (2001) has made an analysis on the old peoples feasibility in tourism industry, which including factors of purchasing power, incentive, purpose, time and health condition. Xu and Chen (2001) proposed that it needs to focus on these factors to explore the tourism market of the old people, including research, products strategy, channel strategy and other promotions. The research on the old people in tourism industry is mature, which has reached an agreement on features on the old people in tourism industry, feasibility, and development research and mature strategy. These results are significant to the following research. However, these researches are limited due to lack of on-spot examination (Liu, 2008). In summary, features of the old people in tourism industry are as follows: the purposes are for self-enjoyment, sightseeing and health recovery; natural scenery and historical sites are attractive; travel time is seldom in peak season; health condition is better than before, and is able to attend some not-so-tough tourism; relatives and friends are the main information channel; joining travelling agency is the main way to tourism; prefer the tourism with family, friends and fellows; holding a prudential attitude towards travelling; taking bus and train as the main transportation with high requirements on travelling safety. 2.4.3 Researched the Nanjing seniors travel market Consumers demand will trigger him to shopping and decide his shoppings way. After entering into the old age, a person has changed psychically with rich experiences in life and consumption. Their consumption behavior is different with other ages, which is very specific and characteristic. This special consumption characteristic could be found in tourism motivation, time, manner and destination preference and other relative aspects. Research on behavior of the aged in tourism will contribute to better understanding to their demand and will help the expansion of tourism industry for the aged (Wei, no date supplied). Wei (no date supplied) has researched the Nanjing seniors travel market and analysis several behaviors below: 2.4.3.1 Tourism motivation Nostalgia For the aged, they have a very memorable time in the past. Though after years, they are willing to go back to the place where they have lived, or talk with the old friends to remind the old time. Loneliness Generally the aged have more free time, and most of their sons and daughters live without them. Their sons and daughters are busy at work, has little time to take care parents. What they can do is to visit parents home on weekend and have some small talk. However, for those who work in other cities, they cannot be with their parents. In this case, many old people feel lost and lonely. Therefore, tourism is able to satisfy their life and attract their attention. Increasing knowledge For many old people, they only heard the names of some famous tourism destination, but due to various reasons, there is no chance to go there. Many old people want to go travelling while the health condition and economy allow, they want to feel and know the prospect of the outside world. Health and entertainment The life of old people is focusing on family and health from previous work. They choose to work out through tourism and entertainment, to go to the natures, for more fresh air, or to live in suburb place. Many obedient children will arrange family tourism; some will drive their car and bring parents together to go on a short tourism to peripheral area. In the tourism, the old people will have a lot of fun. Tourism time Due to health limitation, the old people are not willing to go travelling in winter or summer. They prefer spring or autumn, mainly in May, June, September, November (Wang, 2003). Because this period has proper temperature and humidity, it is good for travel, especially for the aged. Due to limited budget and other reasons, generally the old people are not willing to take a long trip, they prefer short or not-long trip. They want to spend a certain time, such like one week. Tourism manner In general, the old people need stability and security in the tourism, and ask for relax, freedom, comfort, and leisure. Most old people will choose to follow travelling agency. For the old people ¼Ã…’their energy is weaker than other young tourists. Also, they want to enjoy their no matter vacation or rest, they want to fully satisfy their demand for fun, and do not want to pay much attention for accommodations. They prefer joining travel agency for the convenience. Tourism destination According to survey, the purpose of tourism of the old people is mainly for the natural prospect. The tourism with purpose of health is more than pure tourism. It signified that due to the health condition, the old people have more demand in healthy tourism. The tourism destination is closely tied with the age of tourism. The elder tourists prefer cultural destination. For the old tourist, they prefer famous mountain scenery and places of interest, especially natural scenery and revolution scenic spot (Qiu, 2006). As people have different taste to their choice, the old people have their own choice in tourism. However, no matter where to go, they will take security and convenience into consideration. In general, they prefer some places with good environment, or famous cultural cities, religion places, and places with folk custom. Also they like the destinations with slow living rhythm, longstanding culture and high status in history. Tourism expense The old tourists are mainly frugal and holding an economical attitude, requiring comfort and security. They ask little about luxury life. Their consumption awareness mainly is practical and economical. Though the consumption price is rising, too higher price will stop their consumption. Meanwhile, the fee is mostly paid by the old peoples children; and they do not want their children to pay a big bill. They prefer economical tourism. According to survey, there are 17% old people are in well-off economy condition with rising demand for tourism, however, another 70% old people who has requirement for tourism but they need the economical one (Liu, 2007). As the old people get retired, they have plenty of time. Generally speaking, the old people are a group who spend longest time in tourism, with an average day of 10.3, which keeps rising (Hu, 2002). As the old people have more time to travel, they will spend more in entertainment and accommodation. Especially they have significant potential in shopping. 2.5 Hypotheses According to Valerie (1997), setting up and testing a hypothesis is an essential part of statistical inference. In order to create a test of a hypothesis, the starting point is to present a theory that is either believed to be true or is intended to be used as the basis for an argument. The aim of using a hypothesis here is to investigate the real perceived impact of the tourism industry in Huairou. Generally speaking, a hypothesis is a type of prediction which will not always turn out to be accurate, depending on the facts of the particular case. So, all of the predictions must be tested and proven (or disproved) using data analysis and/or further investigation. The hypotheses are based on a review of the prior literature, and the hypotheses have two parts.

Operation Managenent Essay

After completing this chapter, you should be able to: 1. Define the term operations management. 2. Identify the three major functional areas of organizations and describe how they interrelate. 3. Identify similarities and differences between production and service operations. 4. Describe the operations function and the nature of the operations manager’s job. 5. Summarize the two major aspects of process management. 6. Explain the key aspects of operations management decision making. Briefly describe the historical evolution of operations management. . Characterize current trends in business that impact operations management. Chapter 2 – Competitiveness, Strategy, and Productivity After completing this chapter, you should be able to: 1. 2. 3. 4. List the three primary ways that business organizations compete. Explain five reasons for the poor competitiveness of some companies. Define the term strategy and explain why strategy is important. Discuss and compare organization strategy and operations strategy, and explain why it is important to link the two. 5. Describe and give examples of time-based strategies. 6. Define the term productivity and explain why it is important to organizations and to countries. 7. Provide some of the reasons for poor productivity and some ways of improving it. Chapter 3 – Forecasting: 1. List the elements of a good forecast. 2. Outline the steps in the forecasting process. 3. Evaluate at least three qualitative forecasting techniques and the advantages and disadvantages of each. 4. Compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative approaches to forecasting. 5. Describe averaging techniques, trend and seasonal techniques, and regression analysis, and solve typical problems. Explain three measures of forecast accuracy. 7. Compare two ways of evaluating and controlling forecasts. 8. Assess the major factors and trade-offs to consider when choosing a forecasting technique. Chapter 4 – Product and Service Design: 1. Explain the strategic importance of product and service design. 2. Identify some key reasons for design or redesign. 3. Recognize the key questions of product and service design. 4. List some of the main sources of design ideas. 5. Discuss the importance of legal, ethical, and sustainability considerations in product and service design. 6. Explain the purpose and goal of life cycle assessment. 7. Explain the phrase â€Å"the 3 Rs. † 8. Briefly describe the phases in product design and development. 9. Name several key issues in manufacturing design. 10. Recognize several key issues in service design. 11. Name the phases in service design. 12. List the characteristics of well-designed service systems. 13. Assess some of the challenges of service design. Chapter 5 – Strategic Capacity Planning for Products and Services: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Summarize the importance of capacity planning. Discuss ways of defining and measuring capacity. Describe the determinants of effective capacity. Discuss the major considerations related to developing capacity alternatives. Briefly describe approaches that are useful for evaluating capacity alternatives. Chapter 6 – Process Selection and Facility Layout: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Explain the strategic importance of process selection. Describe the influence that process selection has on an organization. Compare the basic processing types. Explain the need for management of technology. List some reasons for redesign of layouts. Describe the basic layout types, and the main advantages and disadvantages of each. Chapter 7- Work Design and Measurement: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Explain the importance of work design. Compare and contrast the two basic approaches to job design. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of specialization. Explain the term knowledge-based pay. Explain the purpose of methods analysis and describe how methods studies are performed. 6. Compare four commonly used techniques for motion study. 7. Discuss the impact of working conditions on job design. 8. Define a standard time. 9. Describe and compare time study methods and perform calculations. 10. Describe work sampling and perform calculations. Compare stopwatch time study and work sampling. 12. Contrast time and output pay systems. Chapter 8 – Location Planning and Analysis: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Identify some of the main reasons organizations need to make location decisions. Explain why location decisions are important. Discuss the options that are available for location decisions. Give examples of the major factors that affect location decisions. Outline the decision process for making these kinds of decisions. Chapter 9 – Management of Quality: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Define the term quality as it relates to products and as it relates to services. Explain why quality is important and the consequences of poor quality. Identify the determinants of quality. Distinguish the costs associated with quality. Compare the quality awards. Discuss the philosophies of quality gurus. Describe TQM. Give an overview of process improvement. Describe and use various quality tools. Chapter 10 – Quality Control: 1. List and briefly explain the elements of the control process. 2. Explain how control charts are used to monitor a process, and the concepts that underlie their use. Chapter 11 – Aggregate Planning and Master Scheduling: 1. Explain what aggregate planning is and how it is useful. 2. Identify the variables decision makers have to work with in aggregate planning and some of the possible strategies they can use. 3. Describe some of the graphical and quantitative techniques planners use. 4. Describe the master scheduling process and explain its importance. Chapter 12 – MRP and ERP: 1. Describe the conditions under which MRP is most appropriate. 2. Describe the inputs, outputs, and nature of MRP processing. 3. Explain how requirements in a master production schedule are translated into material requirements for lower-level items. Discuss the benefits and requirements of MRP. 5. Explain how an MRP system is useful in capacity requirements planning. 6. Outline the potential benefits and some of the difficulties users have encountered with MRP. 7. Describe MRP II and its benefits. 8. Describe ERP, what it provides, and its hidden costs. Chapter 13 – Inventory Management: 1. Define the term inventory, list the major reasons for holding inventories, and list the main requirements for effective inventory management. 2. Discuss the nature and importance of service inventories. 3. Explain periodic and perpetual review systems. 4. Explain the objectives of inventory management. 5. Describe the A-B-C approach and explain how it is useful. 6. Describe the basic EOQ model and its assumptions. 7. Describe reorder point models. 8. Describe situations in which the singleperiod model would be appropriate. Chapter 14 – JIT and Lean Operations: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Explain what is meant by the term lean operations system. List each of the goals of a lean system and explain its importance. List and briefly describe the building blocks of lean. Identify the benefits of a lean system. Outline the considerations important in converting a traditional mode of operations to a lean system. 6. Point out some of the obstacles that might be encountered when converting to a lean system. 7. Describe value stream mapping. Chapter 15 – Supply Chain Management 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Discuss the key issues of supply chain management. Name the recent trends in supply chain management. Summarize the motivations and risks of outsourcing as a strategy. State some of the complexities that are involved with global supply chains. List some of the strategic, tactical, and operational responsibilities of supply chain management. Give examples of some advantages of e-business. Explain the importance of supplier partnerships. List the requirements of an effective supply chain. Name some of the challenges in creating an effective supply chain. Chapter 16 – Scheduling 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Explain what scheduling involves and the importance of good scheduling. Describe scheduling needs in high-volume and intermediate-volume systems. Describe scheduling needs in job shops. Use and interpret Gantt charts, and use the assignment method for loading. Give examples of commonly used priority rules. Summarize some of the unique problems encountered in service systems, and describe some of the approaches used for scheduling service systems. Chapter 17 – Project Management: 1. Discuss the behavioral aspects of projects in terms of project personnel and the project manager. 2. Explain the nature and importance of a work breakdown structure in project management. 3. Give a general description of PERT/CPM techniques. 4. Construct simple network diagrams. 5. List the kinds of information that a PERT or CPM analysis can provide. 6. Describe activity â€Å"crashing† and solve typical problems. Management of Waiting Lines After ompleting this chapter, you should be familiar with waiting line terminology, be able to solve typical problems using the models presented in this chapter, and answer these questions: 1. Describe what imbalance does the existence of a waiting line reveal? 2. Explain what causes waiting lines to form, and why is it impossible to eliminate them completely? 3. Describe what metrics are used to help managers analyze waiting lines? 4. Explain what are some psychological approaches to managing waiting lines, and why might a manager want to use them? 5. Explain what very important lesson does the constant service time model provide for managers?