Romeo and Juliet: A Timeless Tragedy :: essays research papers

Romeo and Juliet: A Timeless Tragedy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Shakespeare wrote his ever famous play, Romeo and Juliet, in 1595. Like many of Shakespeare’s plays, the story of Romeo and Juliet is timeless and has proven to remain perhaps the most popular story of tragic love. In 1968, 373 years after the play was originally written, a new movie was released and hailed as a new and futuristic Romeo and Juliet. This film is directed by Franco Zeffirelli and stars Leonard Whiting as Romeo and Olivia Hussey as Juliet. Then, in 1996, a mere 401 years after Shakespeare’s original production, Baz Luhrmann directed a new Romeo and Juliet that features Leonardo Dicaprio as Romeo and Claire Danes as Juliet. This film is extremely futuristic compared to any other version that has been produced. The two films differ from Shakespeare’s original play in some respects, but most viewers would agree that these films both follow Shakespeare’s story with adaptations to the time at which they were produced.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Franco Zeffirelli’s version of the play follows Shakespeare’s version very closely. The buildings and costumes reveal that the setting in this film is old Verona during Shakespeare’s time. The plot is nearly exact when compared to the original play. Most viewers would agree that Zeffirelli’s movie would not surprise that audience of William Shakespeare. Aside from the this production being a movie on a screen instead of an actual, first hand play, the language, plot, setting, and costumes are very similar to what an audience 400 years ago might expect. Although both films have been named futuristic, more so is the version by Baz Luhrmann. Luhrmann took Romeo and Juliet in a different direction. The story takes place in the future where buildings, costumes, and weapons are all suggestive of the future, but the language and basic plot structure is extremely similar to Shakespeare’s original Romeo and Juliet. The movie opens with a prologue in the form of evening news on television, and it tells that this will be a story of “star cross’d lovers'; who will die for their love of each other. Each difference takes an element of the original play and adapts it to the new setting. Shakespeare’s play had servants of both the Capulet family and the Montague family starting a fight in a public square. Luhrmann introduced these characters as the “Capulet Boys'; and the “Montague Boys';. The fight breaks out in a gas station and continues throughout a busy street.

JFK ASSASINATION THEORY Essays -- essays papers

JFK ASSASINATION THEORY November 22, 1963, was one of the darkest days in the history of the United States of America. It was a day of complete turmoil. People all over the country dropped everything that they were doing. Children were permitted to go home from school and people huddled around their televisions in shock as they watched the day's events. On this day, John F. Kennedy was brutally assassinated in Dallas, Texas. John F. Kennedy was probably the most beloved and popular president to ever sit in the Oval Office. He was the icon of our country. His youth and charisma personified the American citizen. His beautiful wife and his two young children optimized the perfect family. His war hero and his highly educated manor earned the respect and reverence of American society. He was truly the "common man's" president. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. The Kennedy name had already been known throughout the country and many of his relatives were involved in politics. He was destined to make political noise in our country. His family was also extremely wealthy. His father was a financier and a businessperson who was rumored to have made a great deal of money from bootlegging during the Prohibition era. John F. Kennedy lived lavishly throughout his life. He attended an expensive college prep school in Connecticut during his high school years. He then went on to study semesters at Princeton and Harvard. As he grew older and more involved in politics, his campaigns were known for his large staff and private jet trips. His wealth also helped fund a televised debate which helped him to secure the presidential campaign against Richard Nixon. John F. Kennedy definitely did not allow his wealth to turn him into a spoiled pretty boy. He participated in football, swimming, and sailing while attending Harvard. He also served in the Navy during World War II. As a matter of fact, JFK worked out for five months to strengthen his lower back, which was injured in a football game, just so he could be accepted into the service. While commanding the torpedo boat PT- 109, he was responsible for saving the lives of his crew members. This turned into one of the most famous war stories in history and was later turned into a movie. His bravery during this famous event won him the Navy and Marine... ...nd he fought for what he believed in. But, the uncommon man; the politicians, the big businessmen, the criminals; they hated him. They did not respect the fact that he spoke his mind and fought for his beliefs. As stated above, he made a lot of enemies during his term and in the end I think they got their revenge. Kennedy's assassination was definitely a conspiracy. I believe it was one that involved many, many different people throughout the world. I also believe that the US government helped cover up what really happened and knows who is truly behind this sick plot. Maybe one day we'll find out who really is responsible for his death; maybe not. Until then, John F. Kennedy's body rests in Arlington National Cemetery alongside his loving wife. People go there to this day and break down in tears. It is truly a sad place to be. It is sad to see how much he meant to his people. It is sad to see that a man that was loved by so many, was also hated by some. WORKS CITED 1.Johnson,Glen. "Camelot Revisited." Associated Press, 1995. 2. http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/home.htm 3. Http://til.ai.org/jfk.htm 4. Http://jfkennedy.8m.com 5. Http://www.historychannel.com JFK ASSASINATION THEORY Essays -- essays papers JFK ASSASINATION THEORY November 22, 1963, was one of the darkest days in the history of the United States of America. It was a day of complete turmoil. People all over the country dropped everything that they were doing. Children were permitted to go home from school and people huddled around their televisions in shock as they watched the day's events. On this day, John F. Kennedy was brutally assassinated in Dallas, Texas. John F. Kennedy was probably the most beloved and popular president to ever sit in the Oval Office. He was the icon of our country. His youth and charisma personified the American citizen. His beautiful wife and his two young children optimized the perfect family. His war hero and his highly educated manor earned the respect and reverence of American society. He was truly the "common man's" president. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. The Kennedy name had already been known throughout the country and many of his relatives were involved in politics. He was destined to make political noise in our country. His family was also extremely wealthy. His father was a financier and a businessperson who was rumored to have made a great deal of money from bootlegging during the Prohibition era. John F. Kennedy lived lavishly throughout his life. He attended an expensive college prep school in Connecticut during his high school years. He then went on to study semesters at Princeton and Harvard. As he grew older and more involved in politics, his campaigns were known for his large staff and private jet trips. His wealth also helped fund a televised debate which helped him to secure the presidential campaign against Richard Nixon. John F. Kennedy definitely did not allow his wealth to turn him into a spoiled pretty boy. He participated in football, swimming, and sailing while attending Harvard. He also served in the Navy during World War II. As a matter of fact, JFK worked out for five months to strengthen his lower back, which was injured in a football game, just so he could be accepted into the service. While commanding the torpedo boat PT- 109, he was responsible for saving the lives of his crew members. This turned into one of the most famous war stories in history and was later turned into a movie. His bravery during this famous event won him the Navy and Marine... ...nd he fought for what he believed in. But, the uncommon man; the politicians, the big businessmen, the criminals; they hated him. They did not respect the fact that he spoke his mind and fought for his beliefs. As stated above, he made a lot of enemies during his term and in the end I think they got their revenge. Kennedy's assassination was definitely a conspiracy. I believe it was one that involved many, many different people throughout the world. I also believe that the US government helped cover up what really happened and knows who is truly behind this sick plot. Maybe one day we'll find out who really is responsible for his death; maybe not. Until then, John F. Kennedy's body rests in Arlington National Cemetery alongside his loving wife. People go there to this day and break down in tears. It is truly a sad place to be. It is sad to see how much he meant to his people. It is sad to see that a man that was loved by so many, was also hated by some. WORKS CITED 1.Johnson,Glen. "Camelot Revisited." Associated Press, 1995. 2. http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/home.htm 3. Http://til.ai.org/jfk.htm 4. Http://jfkennedy.8m.com 5. Http://www.historychannel.com

Great Gatsby and Araby Essay

In â€Å"Araby,† an allegorical short story from his compilation, Dubliners, author James Joyce depicts his homeland of Ireland as a paralyzing and morally filthy environment. The young protagonist is an unknowing victim of society’s preoccupation with materialism, and in his rush to grow up accepts its distorted views of wealth and love as truth. Conversely, Jay Gatsby, from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, tries to win back the heart of Daisy Buchanan through his obsessive attempts to repeat the past. In each work, the male lead resorts to monetary extremes to capture the attention of his female counterpart under the false notion that love can be purchased. While the boy hopes that a gift will win the affection of his friend’s sister, Gatsby desperately strives to woo Daisy with his bootlegging spoils. Some are able to escape the influence society exerts, while others remain fixated on vanity. Each author manipulates color and shade to epitomize t he materialism of adulthood and the confusion of love of wealth with genuine love. The protagonist of â€Å"Araby† fantasizes about growing up enough to attain the love of his friend’s sister. Because the young boy believes he is in love, he elevates himself above his peers. He isolates himself in his dark attic and watches his companions â€Å"playing below in the street,† their cries â€Å"weakened and indistinct † (Joyce 24). Although he tries to ignore them, the voices of his childhood freedom still reach the boy no matter how much he tries to separate himself. The boy discounts â€Å"some distant lamp or lighted window gleam[ing] below† on his peers, abandoning the light of childhood while he exercises a feeling of superiority (Joyce 23). By distancing himself from his coequals, he embarks on a vainglorious quest to prematurely reach adulthood, thereby reducing the value of childhood innocence. His quest, however, succeeds only in pressing him further into the darkness of adult ideals. Adults face greater challenges and have more responsibility than children do; it is easier for them to forsake their morals than to leave materialistic values behin d. Because they ignore their values, adults are of a far lesser innocence than the children they are meant to teach and thus exert a negative influence on their unknowing pupils. The boy learns from his surroundings that purchasing love is the only acceptable path to attaining happiness and growth. Mangan’s sister â€Å"turns the silver bracelet round and round her wrist,† drawing the boy into the superficiality of adulthood (Joyce 24). However, because he sees the girl as â€Å"defined by light,† he mistakenly confuses the ideas of wealth and happiness (Joyce 22). The combination of materialism and happiness makes it difficult to determine the meaning of either. Rather than developing a relationship based on mutual interest, the boy tries to buy the girl’s love. When he is unable to purchase a gift for her, he finds himself in a â€Å"completely dark† environment (Joyce 26). The boy immediately epiphanizes that he is â€Å"a creature driven and derided by vanity,† signifying that light can emerge out of darkness (Joyce 26). His cognizance no longer allows surrounding influences of materialism to grip him; he realizes love is not a commodity. Mistakes are necessary for moral growth, therefore the young boy needed to suffer vanity and the consequences of his own greed to realize that wealth alone cannot fulfill happiness. His challenges become the outlet through which he ascertains the shallowness of the adult world, ultimately subjugating his influences. By vanquishing them, the boy discerns the genuine love depicted by light. Fitzgerald juxtaposes the obsessively nostalgic Jay Gatsby with Joyce’s young boy who hastily looks forward to adulthood. Despite Gatsby’s seniority, he and the boy both believe they can purchase their beloveds’ affection. Gatsby views wealth as the equivalent of self-worth; his doomed sense of hope justifies his illusion. He optimistically watches the green light at the end of the Buchanan’s dock, â€Å"minute and far away,† with his â€Å"arms stretched out toward the dark water† (Fitzgerald 26). Gatsby reaches for Daisy with profound determination, but bases his resolve on the crooked belief that his grandiose home and expensive clothes will win her love. His materialistic concerns create an impassable gap, placing true love out of reach. Lights on the other side of the water appear greener and grander, causing Gatsby to ignorantly believe that is where happiness originates. The intrinsic confusion of wealth and happiness deprives Gatsby of a truly fulfilled life. Thinking his new affluence will please Daisy, Gatsby draws her attention to his new Rolls Royce. However, the association of Gatsby’s yellow car with â€Å"restlessness†¦with power†¦and finally with death† (Parkinson 41) foreshadows destruction. Even after Daisy accidentally kills Myrtle Wilson with the yellow car, Gatsby still fails to see the uncontrollable dangers of greed . Wealth only consumes those who attain it, spitting failure into their faces when it ceases to satiate their avarice . Gatsby’s picturesque opulence deteriorates to frustration because money cannot make him happy. Rather than accepting this conclusion, he dons an elegant wardrobe â€Å"which echoes Daisy’s attributes of white, gold, and silver† (Parkinson 47). Gatsby believes his â€Å"white flannel suit†¦and gold colored necktie† will attract Daisy under the guise of suave elegance (Fitzgerald 89). The double entendre, however, is that the gold necktie resting around his throat parallels wealth’s threat to choke off his credibility, sanity, and ultimately, life-force. Although Gatsby actively perpetuates his superficial ambition, Daisy simply allows life to unfold around her. Fitzgerald parallels Daisy’s floral namesake with her white exterior and tainted yellow interior. Wealth rots her to her core, though she maintains a pretense of purity, always â€Å"dressed in white† (Fitzgerald 127). Daisy enjoys her trivial existence only because she has the means to do so. Without wealth to distract her from her meaningless life, she would feel empty and worthless. Contentment based solely on the availability of money inevitably crumbles and fades away, landing in the colorless, desolate Valley of Ashes. With an ever-looming presence, the sign of Doctor T. J. Eckleberg looks over this valley of lost dreams through faded yellow glasses. No matter how willful the dreamer, visionaries with greedy ambitions must endure cruel judgment. These individuals poison their own lives and become soulless shells, unable to muster the same determination again. The green light he strives for becomes â€Å"distant and unattainable† even though Gatsby never truly gives up on winning back Daisy (Parkinson 46). The spoils of his wealth decay to worthlessness and loneliness; in failing to realize his mistakes, he leaves behind a sparsely attended funeral and an unprincipled legacy. Despite all that he fought for, Gatsby forsakes true happiness for the false love he derives from exploiting wealth.

A Green Environment for Now and the Future Essay

In the past, the major need of people in this world was arable land. Man did not have to think about animate things. However, now the adverse effects on forests through over-population and the development of various chemical elements in the atmosphere have led to irregular rainfall and global warming. This global warming has brought changes in climate, including making perennial snow mountains melt, thereby adversely affecting not only human beings but also other living species. This dangerous situation is being taken very seriously by the world. In the past the perennial snow mountains of Tibet had very thick snow. Older people say that these mountains were covered with thick snow when they were young and that the snows are getting sparser which may be an indication of the end of the world. It is a fact that climate change is a slow process taking thousands of years to realize its effect. Living beings and plant life on this planet also undergo change accordingly. Man’s physical structure too changes from generation to generation along with the change in climatic conditions. Because of the growth in the population, a large number of trees are cut for fuel, and to reclaim land for agricultural cultivation. In the case of Tibet, too, the Chinese have now destroyed its ancient trees in a similar way to shaving a man’s hair off. This is not simply the destruction of trees but it also means harming what belongs to the Tibetans. Similarly, the continuing decline in forests in many parts of the world, including America, is adversely affecting the already changing global climate, thus upsetting the lives, not only of mankind, but also of all living beings. Similarly, the harmful effect on the atmosphere brought about by chemical emissions in industrialized countries is a very dangerous sign. Although this is a new thing for us Tibetans, the world is paying a lot of attention to this problem. It is the responsibility of us, who speak of the welfare of all sentient beings, to contribute towards this. Since I too have a responsibility in this matter, (i.e. to work for the protection of the environment and to see that the present and future  generations of mankind can make use of refreshing shade and fruits of trees), I bought these seeds of fruit-bearing† trees with part of my Nobel Peace Prize money to be distributed now, to people representing different regions (all the continents of the world are represented here) during this Kalachakra gathering. These seeds have been kept near the Kalachakra mandala for purification and blessings. Since these include seeds of apricot, walnut, papaya, guava, etc., suitable for planting under varying geographical conditions, experts in respective places ‘should be consulted on their planting and care and, thus, you all should see my sincere aspiration is fulfilled.

How does Bennett reveal to us the character of Lesley; and how do we respond to her?

The character Lesley has been cleverly crafted by Bennett so that the audience can find humour in her inability to read people and situations, yet still pity her desperation for her big chance. By writing the play in monologue form the audience has access to Lesley's intimate feelings as the camera acts in a similar way to that of a confessional. This ensures that the audience can form their own opinion of Lesley. Bennett's Her big chance started in his series of six monologues called ‘Talking Heads'. The monologue form suits Lesley's character because if there were other visible characters, Lesley would find herself being terribly humiliated whereas as it is Lesley can manipulate what the audience are subjected to, through the monologue form. This subsequently means Lesley is not a very reliable narrator; the audience has to infer negative aspects of her character by reading between the lines. Likewise, a monologue only showcases one point of view so the playwright has to use great skill to incorporate other character's feelings through the main character, in this case, Lesley. In Lesley's monologue, the added opinions of others give the audience a better overview of Lesley's character. When Lesley â€Å"said to Scott, ‘I know why, they knew I had ideas about the part† and â€Å"he said, ‘They knew you had a 38-inch bust† the viewers are able to see that Lesley has no talent and is only good for the ‘fun loving' parts. Lesley then goes on to say Scott's ‘mother's confined to a wheelchair, he's got a lot on his plate', this proves Lesley's failure to interpret other's opinions of her, leaving her isolated as a result. On the other hand, Lesley could be more capable than the audience give her credit for and therefore she was just be dismissing Scott's blunt comment to save her from the harsh reality. All of Bennett's characters from ‘Talking Heads' are isolated and alone due to their particularity. Lesley has many idiosyncrasies which cause people to distance themselves from her. She is always trying to upgrade her small extra parts – ‘where you may have seen me, Simon, is in Tess. Roman Polanski. I played Chloe'. No one would have known who she was talking about because ‘Chloe was the one on the back of a farm cart wearing a shawl.' Basically she was only an extra but Lesley insists on describing her part by name as if everyone remembers that part because she, herself, gave such a memorable performance. Although she has never had a serious part, Lesley still persists in calling herself ‘professional to' her ‘fingertips' and fails to realise that the parts she does play are not so different from her, ‘fun-loving girls who take life as it comes' even if that means sleeping around to get a part. Invariably, Lesley takes pride in telling pe ople how to do their job, thinking that her contribution is important. Her inputs are always annoying little comments which doubt the capability of whom she is talking to like, â€Å"if it's a migraine rather than a headache Travis probably wouldn't be able to speak,' and Gunther said, ‘Whatever you say.† Not only does she interfere with the director's work but she then tells the audience that ‘it's wonderful, that moment, when you feel a director first begin to trust you and you really start to build.' Here she misreads the situation as Gunther probably didn't want her to talk because she is no good at acting and she only needed to look good anyway. Another thing Lesley hadn't realised was that with all her interfering over the making of the movie Gunther had probably figured by now out how to get what he wanted out of Lesley. An alternative example of this is going back to Lesley's audition where she couldn't help but make a suggestion, â€Å"reading generally indicates a studious temperament and I'm a very convincing reader†¦ because it's something I frequently do in real life.' I could tell he was impressed.† She then carries on just because Simon was acting impressed out politeness. Even when he was showing her out she didn't get the picture and suggested putting â€Å"Travis in a bikini and give her a briefcase.† Not only are these terrible ideas but she could have easily blown her audition if they based it on talent. The audience are able to see how others view her when Lesley had another thought and had to pop back. â€Å"He was on the phone. ‘You won't believe this,' he was saying.† Lesley saw this comment as a positive one as though her audition was incredible; the audience however are able to infer that Simon saw her audition as beyond belief and shocking. Lesley's constant use of jargon like ‘lower echelons', ‘p.o.v water-skis' and ‘we wrapped at about six (that's film parlance for packed up)' is arrogant and patronising it also implies Lesley is trying too hard to fit into a higher class of society as only people who aren't content with themselves feel the need to demean others. Additionally, Lesley uses â€Å"Ciao† and â€Å"that's interesting† excessively, it's as though she is trying to be more cultured or more ‘interesting', when in fact in just makes her seem unintelligent due to her lack of varied vocabulary. Bennett's humour is usually at the expense of others, similarly at Lesley's ignorance. At one point in the play Nigel mentions that the director Gunther is pleased with their progress because they are finally ‘cooking with gas', Lesley misreads this and says ‘does that mean its good†¦ because I prefer electricity.' This is a classic ‘bimbo' moment, created by Bennett, which the audience can use help them discover the true character of Lesley. Being vulnerable and naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve quite often leads Lesley to waking up in many strange rooms. It is pitiful that Lesley is so desperate and has no belief in herself that she feels she has to sleep with whoever it takes to get a part. This originates from her isolation, she possibly feels lonely and consequently the only way she feels wanted is if she constantly has one night stands. At the end of the play Lesley is back where she started, in her small desolate flat. This reveals to the audience despite having just performed in a movie she has gotten nowhere as a result. In a way, Lesley can also see this unkind truth as she ends by saying that she would like to ‘acquire another skill' like ‘selling valuable oil paintings' or ‘canoeing.' As she feels that the more you have to give the better you are as an actress. This in her case is true because she doesn't have much talent to give and is also a bad actress; it is also similar to her habit of sleeping with people. She gives them what they want and sometimes she'll get a part. She rounds off by saying ‘acting is really just giving.' This line sums up her career, which is quite a sad thought, but she only ever gets used and nothing really comes out of it, because she is left in her tiny flat again on her own. On the surface Bennett develops Lesley's character so the audience can only abhorred her and her traits, but underlying the viewers could quite possibly feel sympathetic towards her as despite all she went through she still didn't get her big chance.

Disintermediation and Reintermediation of the Travel Agents Essay

1. INTRODUCTION Nowadays, the travel distribution channel is very complex and characterized by the presence of many different kind of intermediaries which operate in a very competitive market. Since the beginning of the travel industry, intermediaries have always played an important role for the development of tourism products and services. Indeed, intermediaries have the ability to organize and aggregate a large amount of data into one price. Moreover, they have a fundamental role for counseling and delivering a personalized service according to the specific need of customers (Kracht and Wang, 2009). Before the advent and further development of communication technology, the market was dominated by the large suppliers such as airlines, hotel chains and resorts. Travel agents were the conventional intermediaries which were independent from each other and represented a portion of the dominant players in a non-competitive market (Gharavi and Sor, 2005). Later on, with the high spread of ICT and the need of cutting costs the position of the travel agents has been threatened. New kind of middlemen emerged adding additional layers of intermediation, disintermediating certain players by bypassing the traditional intermediaries (Buhalis and Law, 2008). Technology has also allowed suppliers to directly communicate with consumers who have seen their choices enormously increased. This has increased the competition and the complexity of the market and has raised an important issue for the presence in the market of traditional travel agents. The aim of this paper is to investigate how disintermediation and re-intermediation have affected the way travel agents operate and whether there is still a place and a prospective of growth for travel agents in the market. 2. DISINTERMEDIATION AND RE-INTERMEDIATION OF THE TRAVEL AGENTS In the last twenty years several changes occurred in the tourism distributional channel. Every component of the chain value has been affected and particularly travel agents. Traditional travel agencies are being threatened not only by integrated tour operators, which control their own distribution channels, but also by the expansion of alternative distribution channels such as the Internet, Teletext, call centers, and even travel TV channels. This process is called disintermediation (Kracht and Wang, 2009). According to Bennett and Buhalis (2003) disintermediation is the process of eliminating intermediaries within the distribution channel driven by electronic means that enable consumers to access and transact directly with suppliers and destinations†. Before 1993, the traditional tourism system consisted of consumers, traditional retail travel agents, corporate travel agents, tour operators, GDS’s and suppliers. The 1993 was the year of the first commercial usage of int ernet. After that year many changes occurred and many more players enter into the market thanks to the reduction of barrier entry costs. However, the starting point of disintermediation was in the 1960s, when the American airline lunch the first GDS allowing consumers to buy tickets directly from the airline company (Kracht and Wang, 2009). Travel agents’ main source of revenue at the time was commissions paid to them by the airlines on tickets sold by them on the airlines’ behalf. Pressures to reduce costs in an increasingly competitive industry caused airline companies to look for ways to reduce their payments to travel agents. Initially, airline companies progressively reduced the amount of commission paid to travel agents while, at the same time, they opened up new channels and expanded existing channels to reach travelers directly. Airline companies encouraged travelers to book direct channel by various means with a very successful results. For instance, easyJet, a successful British low-cost carrier, in 2002 was already selling 90% of its seats through its own site (The Economist, 2002). After the public debut of the web, suppliers began establishing web sites to connect directly with customers, thereby beginning the disintermediation of traditional retail travel agents(McCubbrey, 1999; cited by Krac ht and Wang, 2009). For example, Hotels  also created their own websites to reach their customer. Establishing a direct relationship with clients allows suppliers to put in place various price polices and loyalty schemes. Suppliers believe they no longer need an intermediary to sell their products. They discover the internet to be a powerful and cheap distribution channel, and not just an online brochure (The Economist, 2002). Indeed, using information technology to develop supply chain relationships can reduce costs and bring higher quality of travel products into the market. Internet, perhaps, has been the most powerful means of disintermediation and it has radically changed the travel industry, adding more layers of intermediation and more players (Kracht, 2009) The travel industry, in fact, is undoubtedly one of the most interesting sector in terms of the possibilities offered by the internet. Internet travel reservations have increased dramatically in the last years with more and more users confi dent with the technology, and it represents the fastest growing segment of electronic commerce (Bernstein and Awe,1999; cited by Anckar, 2003). The success of internet in this respect, is perhaps due to the nature of the tourism product, which is a little more than an information product, easy to convey through the web (UNCTAD, 2000; cited by Anckar, 2003). However, as stated by Palmer and McCole (1999; cited by Bennett and Lai, 2005) â€Å"the internet does not change the principal role of intermediaries who exist to simplify buyers’ choice processes†. Indeed, even though internet allowed suppliers and consumers to communicate directly bypassing the travel agents, there were some important issues related to the internet. According to Bloch et al. (1996, cited by Wynne 2000), when potential tourists try to book directly with suppliers on the internet, they face a wide range of problems. For example, they require to know in which website to look. It takes at lot of time considering different options and prices. Often, it is not possible to book online. Thereby, the necessity of one stop-shopping, aggregation of information and comparison of price led to the formation of new e-mediaries or cybermediaries. Disintermediation indeed, push back to re-intermediation with new players coming into the markets and existing ones which re-intermediate themselves by reinventing their business. Re-intermediation has been defined by Bennet and Buhahs (2003) as â€Å"the utilization of ICT and internet tools for the development of either new intermediaries or new methods for existing intermediaries that  enable them to re-engineer the tourism distribution channel†. Re-intermediation is evident through the development of new electronic intermediaries such as Expedia, Yahoo Travel, lastminute.com and Travelocity which are based only online. Based on the premise that intermediaries exist because they provide value added services, these e-mediaries have the potential to pass economies of scale directly to the consumer, offering reduced fares as well as the convenience of making reservations 24/7 (Lai, 2005). As a result of both disintermediation and re-intermediation travel agents have been reduced in numbers and have to face a very competitive market. In fact, from one side they are threaten by the disintermediation put in place by the suppliers, and from one other by online reservation and therefore, by the e-mediaries or cybermediaries. The latter, in particular, with no established high-street presence, threaten established retailers by changing the distribution channel for consumer products. Reservations made online are probably the most important danger that traditional intermediaries like travel agents have to face. Figures show an increase of online bookings over the years both in Europe and United States but also in other markets (http://www.emarketer.com). According to Cheung and Lam (2009), to secure their position in the marketplace, and avoid disintermediation, travel agents must be able to acquire the new technology and be able to compete into the new channels as electronic -able intermediaries, without losing their advantage in the conventional market. To minimize the risk of disintermediation, travel agents need to reduce their dependence into simple transaction and increase revenues by focusing on more complex activities, like counseling and personalization of the service. 3. TRAVEL AGENCIES RESPONSES TO A CHALLENGING MARKET Despite the severe competition, and the possibility for booking online, many customers still prefer to purchase from travel agents. TTI chairman, Tony Allen stated that there would always be people who â€Å"didn’t trust the internet† and wanted face-to-face advice (Taylor, The Guardian, 2003). Indeed, travel agents have still many cards to play and can benefit from several advantages in the marketplace: * They are situated wherecustomers come, in shopping centers and in high streets; * Aggregation of the offer from various suppliers into one package; * They can offer a personalized service; * Human relationship; * Travel agents can offer an advisory service, and assist the customers in making a decision before processing with transactions; * Less time spent by the customers to buy a travel product. It can also be argued, that not all the effects of the disintermediation and re-intermediation have had a negative effect on travel agents. Gharavi and Sor (2005) have suggested, in fact, that because of internet and other forms of disintermediation, the bonds between the small travel agents and the dominant large suppliers like the airline companies, hotel chains and resorts owners, was finally broken. As a result of that, many independent travel agents, which continue to based their business on conventional methods such as commissions from suppliers, were pushed out of the market. However, many others entrepreneurs were stimulated to reinvent their business. Travel agents were allowed to deal with a variety of suppliers and organize into cooperative. Moreover, others entrepreneurs developed fran chises or merged, in order to have more bargaining power against competitors. Therefore they fight back the disintermediation and re-intermediate themselves. Organizing into franchising or into other forms of collaboration has allow several advantages to travel agents. First of all, it leads to gain more bargaining power which make more convenient for travel agents to dealing with suppliers. Second of all, it helps travel agents to focus only on the front office activities, while the centre office is in charge of the administrative procedures and of the marketing activities, such as brand building and advertising. Another reason, why this kind of collaborations are successful is that they can allow a better training of human resources and lead to better prospects for income. A great example of travel agency organized into franchising is definitely Harvey World Travel with over 170 stores in Australia and more than 70 in the UK which offer to its branches a very sophisticate software to create a very personalized package for customers (Harris and Duckworth, 2005). In order to fight disintermediation many travel agents differentiate themsel ves and/or focus on niche markets. They try to offer something different that clients could not find online. EuroTravel is a great and successful example of how a small independent travel agent can compete in the market. This company was able to leverage technology effectively in order to specialize and fight back against disintermediation. It specializes in sales to only the European destination, but has used the internet as its primary communication channel in order to acquire customers from a broader geographic area. This strategy seems to have paid off. In fact, in 2004, sales were  £ 6.5 m and in 2008 they reached more the  £8.5 m (Haris and Duckworth, 2005). Similarly, Thomas Cook is another successful experience. By being the first travel agent in the UK, Thomas Cook can count on a very long history and tradition. Over the years it has experienced many changes in order to adapt to a competitive market. In 2007, it merged with the competitor MyTravel, and nowadays Thomas Cook is the UK’s largest retai l travel network. It aims to dominate both, conventional and innovative channel (Williamson A., 2001). Thomas Cook has indeed, a very strong position online and continues to open new branches every year. Therefore, Thomas Cook demonstrates not only how a travel agent can fight disintermediation, but also how to grow and prosper in the marketplace. CONCLUSION Upon the introduction of Internet technology, travel industry has been strongly affected by electronic commerce that contributed the most to the disintermediation of the channel. This is true in particular for travel agents. It is clear that disintermediation and re-intermediation exist in the travel sector. In the intermediate phase, traditional travel agencies dominate the market. However, as new EC-only travel agencies emerge in the market and build up their competitive abilities, traditional travel agencies lost over 50% market shares (Cheung and Lam, 2009). As a result of that many travel agencies merged or organized themselves into some form of collaboration such as franchising. In order to survive in this competitive travel market, agents need to reposition themselves as travel consultants, but also must be more technologically oriented. They must focus on consulting and niche markets. As suggested by the Economist (2002), travel  agents future will be based on helping custo mers to buy what they want, rather than selling what is left unsold by suppliers. They now must look out for consumers’ best interest by using IT resources to help them find the best product. Indeed, it is necessary an integration of conventional business with the new opportunities offered by the web, in order to add value for the client. That is probably one of the most difficult challenge that travel agents have to face. ICT must seen as an opportunity more than as a threat which allows travel agent to reach more customers, get more information and therefore, adding more value for the latter. The ability to use new technology will also make possible for travel agents to compete with the e-mediaries. Porter (1999, cited by Anckar, 2003) claimed that the internet is going to be the death of a lot of intermediaries. However, if this prevision may be true for certain intermediaries, at the moment and perhaps in the long run, it appears not to be valid for travel agents. REFERENCES Anckar, B. (2003) â€Å"Consumer Intentions in Terms of Electronic Travel Distribution†. E-service Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 68-86 Anckar, B. (2006) Reassessment of the Efficacy of Self-booking in Travel. 39th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Available at: http://www.virtual-community.org/images/e/ef/250760132b.pdf Bennet, M. and Kevin Lai C. W. (2005) The impact of the internet on travel agencies in Taiwan. Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2005, pp. 8-23. Bennett, M. and Buhalis, D. 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Rosenbluth International. http://www.Rosenbluth.com/ Rowley, J. (2002) Synergy and strategy in e-business. Marketing intelligence & planning. Available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregisters Taylor R. (2003) Writing on the wall for travel agents, The Guardian (12 April 2003). Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2003/apr/12/travelnews.guardiansaturdaytravelsection1?INTCMP=SRC The Economist (2002) â€Å"Fit for DIY; Travel Agents,† (1 June 2000). Available at: http://www.economist.com/node/1159511?story_id=E1_TTVJVTT Travel Industry Association of America. www.tia.org Williamson A. (2001) The Golden Age of Travel (Thomas Cook), ISBN: 1900341336 Wynne, C. (2000) the impact of internet on the distribution value channel. International Marketng Review, Vol. 18, N. 4, pp. 420- 431. Available at: http://www.emerald-library.com ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Global Reservation System used as a single point of access for reserving airline seats, hotel rooms, rental cars, and other travel related items by travel agents, online reservation sites, and large corporations (www.businessdictionary.com) [ 2 ]. Travel Technology initiative: www.tti.org

Increasing profitiability in a company using the 6 steps of decision Case Study

Increasing profitiability in a company using the 6 steps of decision making - Case Study Example There are several strategies that can be implemented in order to compete with the lower prices and varied selection that these competitors provide. These include lowering our prices to match those of our competitors and if possible, even go lower than them. We can also consider the option of also stocking other clothes in addition to womens clothes, like our competitors. We can also use the fact that we are smaller as compared to our competitors to our advantage by offering our customers personalized service, making sure that our staff are proficient in their departments, and offering unique and latest trends of women’s clothing. Another way we can become more competitive is by providing incentives to customers, and also creating value for our products. We need to carefully analyze these alternatives in order to decide which ones are more practical in our case for implementation. Although adjusting our prices lower to match those of our competitors is the first action that comes to mind, it would be detrimental to do so. Larger stores have the advantage of buying products in bulk and thus at a lesser price as compared to us. Because they have a wider selection of products, the cost of running their stores is also widely spread. They are thus able to sell their products at even lower prices. Being smaller chain stores, we would incur big losses if we were to reduce our prices to match those of our competitors. There is therefore no way we can compete on price. Another solution would be to add variety to our store by stocking other clothes other than just women’s clothing. Like our competitors, we could also include men’s and childrens clothing and also other items such as shoes and accessories. Due to our smaller size, we would have to invest in expanding our stores in order to venture into other products. This is currently not possible and as such, this alternative is not practical. However, we