Levels Of Stress And Coping Strategies Among Arts Streams,...

Investigating the Levels of Stress and Coping Strategies Among Arts Stream, Male and Female University Students of Peradeniya Buddhiprabha. D. D. Pathirana, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Department of Philosophy Psychology, University of Peradeniya Author Note Correspondence concerning this paper should be directed to Dr. Buddhiprabha D.D.Pathirana, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, at buddhiprabha2001@yahoo.com or buddhiprabha@pdn.ac.lk Investigating the Levels of Stress and Coping Strategies Among Arts Stream, Male and Female University Students of Peradeniya Abstract Individuals will experience stress in accordance with their subjective appraisals of the stressor. University students often complain about the stress they experience and endure during their academic life. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the nature and intensity of the events which created stress, and levels of stress experienced by the male and female arts stream students in the University of Peradeniya. Participants were 162 (97 female and 65 male) undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts. Levels of stress were measured by administering the Impact of Event Scale (IES), which measures subjective distress related to stressful life events. For the study Sinhalese version of the original IES developed by Mardi Horowitz (Horowitz, 1979), was used. The independent sample t-test conducted to compare the type of the stressful events listed (Related to studies Vs not),

A Discourse of Three Drunkards Free Essays

Emma Luster HIS 282 November 6, 2011 A Discourse by Three Drunkards on Government Nakae Chomin wrote A Discourse by Three Drunkards on Government in 1887. It is a work of debate literature that presents us with multi-dimensional characters with very specific and indefinable beliefs about how Japan should be run. Nakae Chomin studied in France for some time and this certainly must have influenced his thoughts and writings. We will write a custom essay sample on A Discourse of Three Drunkards or any similar topic only for you Order Now In our textbook, Modern East Asia, we learned about many different movements and developments that were going on at the time that this book was written. In terms of political developments, there were a lot of changes going on in Japan. Japanese officials sent forces into Taiwan, which eventually lead to the Chinese suffering a defeat and the samurai still feeling betrayed by the Meiji leaders, which in turn lead to an uprising in Hizen and other areas of Japan. This was the start of the end for the Samurai (Schirokauer, 163). However, despite this rebellion, other leaders praised those in charge of the uprising for their spirit and enthusiasm. There was a great amount of discontent and opposition to the Meiji government at this time and antigovernment groups began to pop up everywhere. It is also notable that political parties began to emerge at this time. Not only were there political developments, but there were also many changes in terms of intellectual progress. Many people in Japan were greatly influenced by Western ideals, specifically in the areas of science and technology (Schirokauer, 168). The Europeans Enlightenment also influenced Japanese intellectuals. To me, it seems as though the intellectual movements were for the most part stimulated by ideas that did not come directly from Japan. With all of these changes, the foreign relations that Japan had with other countries began to change. Relations with Western and European countries grew exponentially for the better. However, relations with other Asian nations were not quit as successful; especially after the rebellions and revolutions. As we learn from the debate, China and Russia are the two countries that stick out as countries that could cause problems for Japan. I think that the author wrote this book at the time that he did because he knew that Japan was stuck and people needed help as to what should happen next. By writing this type of book it gives readers multiple opinions without forcing them to choose one like most authors. He thought that the crisis was that conflicting opinions were not being compromised and no one really wanted to be the one to lead Japan successfully into the future for fear of failure. His concern was the Japan would fall apart and that there would be nothing anyone can do. One of the three characters in the book, Champion, had a very unique view of how Japan should be that was extremely different from that of the Gentleman. The Champion thought that Japan should step it up and become more forceful in its handling of foreign disputes. He thought that if Japan was going to be attacked by another nation, Japan should not be passive and should in fact answer with strength and force. He brings up a good point when he says that Japan could not respond to foreign attacks by trying to verbalize and reason through the problem. Champion is a skeptic when it comes to relations with other nations and thinks that other countries are solely looking out for their own best interests which to me seems to make sense, and that is why Champion believes that Japan needs to take a stand and project its own desires and interests. Another point that I find to be particularly powerful is that Champion tells the Gentleman that just because Japan is adopting Westerns values, it does not mean that these other nations such as France or the United States will aid Japan in a time of need. According to the Champion, war is inevitable and it should not be feared because it will leave Japanese citizens with a sense of pride and pleasure that they have accomplished something that is of great importance. In short, Champion thinks that weakness and passiveness is the problem and that Japan needs to not rely on other countries as much, and should take caution to create a system where Japan can stand on its own. To me, I think that Champion does seem to be realistic in his arguments because he knows that discussion and reasoning will not be effective once a violent attack has already been launched. However, I think that the degree to which militaristic views were pushed is slightly extreme and that Champion should realize that there is some validity to not being so outwardly aggressive. Next, we have the Gentleman, whose argument is the opposite of Champion’s. The Gentleman believes that as the Western world develops, Japan will quickly be left behind in the dark. To prevent this, he argues, Japan should try to keep up with the times and stay as modernized and Westernized as possible to reduce the risk of being left behind. This means that Japan should try to adopt a political system such as democracy, which in turn, attempts to promote pacifism over violence at all costs. Namely, that conflict with the larger and stronger European nations is avoided. These powers are of concern to the Gentleman and he stresses the point that trying to stand against these powers on war would be a foolish decision because if Japan is victimized, they will not be in the wrong for also engaging in violence. In the government, the Gentleman believes that the power should lie in the hands of the people, eliminating the tension that citizens had with the government in previous years. If the citizens felt like they are more involved, perhaps they would have more of a sense of national pride in their homeland. The Gentleman specifically mentions China and Russia as rivals that should be watched closely. In my opinion, I feel as though the Gentleman is too optimistic in his thinking that pacifism is a realistic approach to solving world problems, especially after the development of stronger and more powerful weapons. Despite the fact that he promotes pacifism, I also feel as though the Gentleman’s promotion of his tactics, as well as his hope and desire for an instant change is far too aggressive for something that would be so radically different for the Japanese. His ideas are good in theory, and if they would really work I think it would be the best situation. Lastly, we encounter the mediator of the two other men, Master Nankai. Master Nankai has a clear passion for talking about politics and believes that it is of high importance. Master Nankai takes bits and pieces from both arguments and it seems as though he promotes the best of both worlds. He is clearly a supporter of democracy, but he also realizes that it has its drawbacks. He believes that Japanese officials should not seek out violence but if needed, they should be able to protect their country to the best of their abilities. It is also said that European nations such as, France, Germany, and Russia set the standard for what Japan should strive for. However, as much as it seems as though Master Nankai supported these ideas, he also makes strong statements that he cannot accept either set of beliefs as they stand. Nankai wants the men to try and revise their ideas, and give them time to be tested in the real world before one can be accepted as the whole truth. To him, Master Nankai thinks that a constitutionalism system should be put in place where the emperor still has power but the peace and happiness of the Japanese citizens is still promoted. Now we come to the hard part, deciding where my beliefs lay and which of any of these main characters do I support? I would have to say that I cannot say that I could pick one of the main characters arguments. Both are far too idealistic and would not work in the real world. To me, the perfect situation would be a combination of both Champion and Gentleman’s beliefs. If the Japanese could learn from other countries, and strive for more independence in the world, that can only be beneficial. However, it is important that the Japanese culture is maintained and that precautions are taken so that it can protect itself if need be. In conclusion, we can learn a lot about Meiji Japan from this book that at first did not seem to be strictly informational. The book as a whole focuses on the international relations of Japan with other world powers as well as the future of Meiji Japan. I think it is clear that Japan is at a major crossroad right now where things could take a drastic turn for the worse if the right decision is not made. How to cite A Discourse of Three Drunkards, Essay examples

Travel Agency for Quality and Environmental - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theTravel Agency for Quality and Environmental Investment. Answer: Introduction The tourism and hospitality industry is an essential sector that attracts tourists to the destination of their choice. Development in this industry results in attraction of more guests and tourists to the destination. Travel agents have a key role to play in the tourism industry. This assignment highlights three articles related to travel agency and the key challenges and issues faced by them are shed light upon. Based on the challenges faced, few recommendations are also suggested. Key challenges faced According to (Zare Chukwunonso, 2015), the travel agents play a key role in the tourism and hospitality industry. In the traditional system, the travel agents have a key role to play in ensuring urgent bookings and providing an assured travel and stay package to the tourists, who book their packages through the travel agents. However, with the introduction of Internet and the Information Communication and Technology (ICT), the business of the travel agents has fallen remarkably (Zare Chukwunonso, 2015). The travel agents find hard to find clients, since most of the customers prefer the online booking, to the travel agents. The recent developments in the ICT brought in a revolution in the tourism industry. This has created opportunity for the customers, to contact directly with the suppliers, thus eliminating the requirement of the travel agents (Zare Chukwunonso, 2015). The online reservation systems have made it easier for the customers to chose the best suitable rooms in the cho sen hotels thus, making it transparent and mitigating the needs of the travel agents. Lack of human resources, as well as the lack of innovative ideas among the travel agents, resulted in decline in the market of the travel agents (Zare Chukwunonso, 2015). Lack of openness to changes is also a major issue faced by the travel agents (Zare Chukwunonso, 2015). Moreover, another issue that is faced by the travel agents is that the companies are refraining from paying to the travel agents, in order to lower the investments. Thus, the online reservation portals replaced the travel agents. The author (Zare Chukwunonso, 2015), also opined, that the travel agents of Malaysia are unable to upgrade their online infrastructure, and thus are losing their business. As mentioned by (Elhaj Barakeh, 2015), the traditional travel agents merely manage the information regarding a tourist destination and provide a complete solution to all the queries of the tourists. Moreover, the travel agencies are often biased. They are often in favour of the hotels that offer them the maximum commission (Elhaj Barakeh, 2015). Thus, the solution given by the travel agents or the hotels recommended by them are often not reliable. Often, the frequent travellers are more knowledgeable than the travel agents, thus reducing their utility as well as reliability. A number of specialised website has emerged to serve the customers and guests. The travel agents have emerged primarily as an advisor and a middle-man between the customers and the hotels and suppliers (Elhaj Barakeh, 2015). However, with the use of the Internet and the online reservation systems, these would offer the guests with discounted travel packages, thus replacing the travel agents. The computer illit eracy of the travel agents and the lack of upgraded infrastructure also resulted in the decline of the position of the travel agents (Elhaj Barakeh, 2015). As highlighted by (Bagur, Perramon Amat 2013), the business competitiveness and the quality management is affected by the travel agents. The environmental management and the economic benefits of the hospitality industry also share a special relation with each other. This article highlights the fact that maintenance of quality and commitment towards work can provide competitive advantage to the travel agencies, and other small businesses (Bagur, Perramon Amat 2013). Travel and tourism is a highly competitive sector. It is important that the travel agents maintain reliability and commitment, in order to remain in competition. Moreover, the lack of reliability and trustworthiness will result in the dominance of the online booking portal, thus giving the travel agents a backseat (Bagur, Perramon Amat 2013). It has also been observed that the travel agents give more priority to the quality management, in order to gain competitive advantage, over the environment management practices. Th us, along with the quality management, the environment management practices. This will help the travel agents, gain priority over the Internet as well as the online reservation portal. The travel agents play a key role in enhancing the competitive advantage of the companies, they work for and thus, it is essential that they give adequate importance to the environment management practices as well as the quality management practices. Recommendations As recommended by (Zare Chukwunonso, 2015), the travel agents should upgrade themselves and become more aware of the information technology. The lack of knowledge about the information technology and the use of the online reservation systems by the customers is a major disadvantage for the travel agents. It is recommended that the travel agents should be flexible and open to changes (Zare Chukwunonso, 2015). The online travel agency services could be launched, such that the travel agents could use Internet and help the customers get their bookings done in a price lower than booking directly from the online reservation systems (Zare Chukwunonso, 2015). The online travel agency, rather than the online reseravation systems could facilitate quick handling of the changes or immediate refunds. The human contact of the travel agents could be used via the Internet, to revive the lost market of the travel agents. As mentioned by (Elhaj Barakeh, 2015), it is recommended that the travel agencies should upgrade themselves and restore to e-commerce travel agencies. This is beneficial for the travel agents such that they do not lose their importance. In order to remain important in the highly competitive market, it is important that the travel agents restore to the online portals (Elhaj Barakeh, 2015). Innovation is also an important strategy that could be used by the travel agents. As recommended by (Bagur, Perramon Amat 2013), customer loyalty programs have to be introduced, such that new customers are attracted to the travel agents. If the benefits, commitment as well as the reliability are higher in the travel agents, than the online booking system, then customers will be attracted to take the services of the travel agents, thus helping them to gain back their lost market (Bagur, Perramon Amat 2013). It is also recommended that the travel agents give adequate priority to the environment management, along with priority management. Moreover, innovation in the marketing of the products has to be carried out, such that the travel agents are successful in gaining competitive advantage and win back the confidence of the guests and travellers. Conclusion Thus, it could be concluded that the travel agents have been losing their position in the market, on the advent of the Internet and online portals. However, following the recommendations, they might be successful in regaining the position and achieve competitive advantage. The recommendations include the use of the Internet by the travel agents, giving customer loyalty benefits to the customers. Innovative marketing strategies have to be incorporated as well, such that the customers prefer the travel agents over the online reservation services. The travel agents are an integral part of the tourism and hospitality sector. The challenges mentioned above have to be overcome successfully by the travel agencies. Hence, it is important that they remain important, along with the extensive use of ICT and Internet. References Bagur, L., Perramon, J., Amat, O. (2013). Impact of quality and environmental investment on business competitiveness and profitability: The case of travel agencies. Elhaj, M. R., Barakeh, M. Z. (2015). The Impact of E-commerce on Travel Agencies Profitability in Respect of Size: Evidence from the US. Zare, S., Chukwunonso, F. (2015). How Travel Agencies Can Differentiate Themselves to Compete With Online Travel Agencies in the Malaysian Context.E-review of Tourism Research,12.