Zanzibar Commission For Tourism Tourism Essay

Zanzibar Commission For Tourism Tourism Essay 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism Under that Act ZCT is responsible with many functions including licensing (operation) of all the tourist establishment in Zanzibar, Monitoring and supervision of the Zanzibar tourist, Assisting potential investors, etc (ZCT, 1992 ) 1.2 Mission Zanzibar Commission of Tourism (ZCT) on regarding the development tourism in Zanzibar has the mission to be the most interesting, miscellaneous island targeted in the Indian Ocean constituency that will be more interesting in the world. According to that mission ZCT combines various types of tourism such as: Culture Tradition, Performing Arts, History Archaeology, Beaches, Culinary (spices), Medical (herbs) ,etc (ZTPS, n/d) 1.3 Introduction and background of the problem In order to survive in todays business environment,in small companies, particulaly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in tourism industry utilize innovative techniques as a basis of competitive advantage. At the moment globalized world, SMEs have turn out to be more imperative for developed and developing countries since they produced high percentages of overall production, employment and revenue collection to the government. The most important and the greatest growing sectors of the overall economy, tourism in Zanzibar contains many SMEs that make an effort to be doing well in aggressive and quickly changing business situation. SMEs play a critical role not only in national trade but also in international trade. The previous information from different sources such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows SMEs in many countries account for a very substantial proportion on local and export market (Knight, 2001). Porter (1991) argues that in order for any industry to compete within the business environment, it has to adopt competitive advantage strategy, so the owners and stake holders should be able to identify their competitors. The competitive advantages for any organization are superior skills and resources. Therefore any source of advantage is like a drivers of cost or differentiation advantages. (Porter, 1985). Like any SMEs, in order for tourism SMEs to survive in competitive business environment, SMEs should be more entrepreneur and innovative,it means that should perform well in dynamic locations and not in regulated markets. SMEs could have low performance and unstable environments due to delay of product innovations, the working operation was not aggressives even throw the enterprenuership could be benefited in various ways but does not provide a sustainable competitive advantages. (Hult and Ketchen, 2001). Above all, the innovation, promotion, lowering of the price, differentiation, creativity, all these cannot be performed well without the adoption of ICT(Kotler and Armstrong ,2008). Indeed, the nature of any industry cannot compete with its competitor to bring the superior value to their customers without the appropriate adoption of ICT. ICT is regarded as the main force of sustainable competitive advantage and a strategic weapon especially in the tourism and hospitality industries (Poon, 1993). Generally, most of the tourism industry should be well equipped with ICT, which include radio, television, as well as newer digital technologies such as computers and the Internet, have been touted as potenti ally powerful enabling tools for tourism change and reform. These changes and reforms include services such as e-commerce, e-booking, e-reservation and not only that ICT facilitate the information processing system. In order to survive strong competition and current economic crisis in the region, SMEs involved in hotel industry have to improve the quality of its services. What is the role of tourism SMEs in the process in order to gain customers satisfaction through service quality and business improvement? It is generally accepted that ICT is a modern instrumental tool that enables the SMEs entrepreneurs to modify their tourism methods. It is used in order to increase the tourist interest. The extended use of ICTs drove the society into a new knowledge based form where information plays an important role for the SMEs as well as tourist satisfaction. In Zanzibar there is a significant research gap on small tourism business and failure to identify critical weakness of small and medium sized tourism enterprises. A number of studies on tourism have been conducted, however very little has been studied about tourism SMEs and particularly how these SMEs engaged in adopting ICTs for more productivity and overall total economic growth of the Zanzibar .The need to undertake a thorough tourism analysis in Zanzibar has been realized recently. For example, It is important to have a database on tourism development if, students, policy analysts, planners, decision makers and entrepreneurs to be up to date with drive of tourism industry .As a large number of tourism SMEs are involved in the delivery of tourism products and that they are also potential for future development of tourism is a need to carry out studies that might show how small and medium tourism business develop, function, conduct business and how they contribute to local and nati onal economic development. Zanzibar has many tourist attractions and contributes high percentage of economy of the country and that the tourism sector is dominated by SMEs. However there is a continued absence of studies on small tourism firms, therefore it is important to do research on tourism SMEs. 1.4 Statement of the problem There are different kinds of ICTs used in tourism activities such as e-reservation, tele- and video-conferencing and e-booking tools. The extent into how these products services are used by the SMEs involved in Zanzibar and their potential to improve the sector has not been explore enough. Challenges facing these SMEs in application of ICT are not known and areas for improvement have not been investigated. Given the mounting global demand on usage of ICTs in tourism, there is therefore a need to look at the impact of ICTs application on SMEs engaged in tourism sector in Zanzibar. This study is learning to address the issued. 1.5 Aim of the research To examine /explore the role and use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in enhancing the competitiveness advantages of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Zanzibar Tourism operation. 1.6 Research objectives The main objective of this study is significantly examined how ICT help to create competitive advantage in tourism sector in Zanzibar. Not only that but also to identify constraints facing SMEs using ICT. Specific objectives: To examine the awareness and the extent of ICT utilization in Zanzibar tourism SMEs sector To identify constraints and opportunities of ICT usage in tourism sector in Zanzibar To find out solution options to overcome the shortcoming of the ICT utilization in tourism SMEs in Zanzibar 1.7 Research questions For the purpose of meeting the above objectives, the study comes up with the following questions: How do Zanzibar tourism SMEs aware and utilize the ICT in their business? How do Zanzibar SMEs perceive profitability and performance of their business in relation to use of ICT in their business? What measures have been taken to solve the problems of lack of use of ICT? 1.8 Scope of the study This study was conducted to investigate how usage of ICT and its application in sectors, involved in tourism industry could help the way business is run and hence contribute increased efficiency and effectiveness. Due to the time constraint this study covered the part of Zanzibar Islands which is Stone town and the portion of North East Coast zones which includes Kiwengwa village, Matemwe village and Nungwi village because this area is more active in tourism activities in Zanzibar. 1.9 Significance of the study This study intends to disclose the influence of the ICT as a competitive advantage strategy that can be applied in SMEs in the tourism industry. The study is expected to be of much value to a number of peoples and organization as follows:- The results obtained from this study will provide some recommendation to the Governing Authority, which is expected to bring insights into Zanzibars SMEs on how ICTs usage can bring competitive advantages against their competitors so as to accelerate economic growth of Zanzibar. It will help the policy makers of the country to appreciate the implications on ICT in SMEs in tourism to increase the quality of services in hospitality industry. The research will provide sufficient information to be used as a reference on this area of the study and to fulfill the requirement for the Degree of Master of Business Administration in Information Technology Management in Coventry University. 1.10 Limitations of the study Some data are confidential so it was difficult to get the current data. Financial constraints, so it could be difficult for a researcher to cover all the Zanzibar regions due to financial constraints. 1.11 Summary of the chapter This chapter was introduced the introduction of the study, the introduction of Zanzibar Commission for Tourism (ZCT) was done under this chapter where all services offered were summarized and the mission statement of ZCT were also started. Also in this chapter the researcher discussed something about the aim of the research, research objectives, research question and statement of the problems. Not only that but also the researcher briefly discussed the significance of the study, scope of the study and limitation of the study. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This part provides definition of the important terms and concepts which are used in this study including ICT in tourism sectors, the conceptual frame work of this study, the performance of tourism in SMEs, and the opportunity and challenges of tourism in Zanzibar. 2.2 Definitions of the terms and concepts 2.2.1 Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) Morrison (1996) argues that it is difficult to define the term SMEs because there are no universal criteria that can be used to determine the size of the business, as a result, Olomi (2009) noted that although the SMEs all over the world contribute a major role in social development, its definition varies from one country to another and even from one institution to another in the same country. An enterprise may be perceived as small in terms of physical facilities, production/service capacity, market share, and number of employee. Olomi (2009) cited that ,the United States Agency for International Development-USAID (1993) ,suggested that SMEs can be defined by considering combination of both qualitative and quantitative criteria and should include one among the aspects such as number of employee, capital investment, share capital, number of share holders, number of stakeholders, total asset, turnover, market share, geographical market coverage, organizational complexity, composition of management and degree of formalization. In Tanzania, the SMEs Development Policy (2002) classifies SMEs under the consideration of employment size and capital investment of the organization. A micro-enterprise is one with fewer than five employees, a small enterprise with 5-49 employees, a medium enterprise with 50-99 employees and a large enterprise with more than 100 employees. In contrast with the Capital investments the definition was based at the range from less than Tshs 5 million to over Tshs 800 million. For the purpose of this research, the Tanzania SMEs Development Policy of (2002) definition will be adopted because it is based on the local environment of Tanzania, where SMEs are characterized by family ownership and local area of operation, which is not the case to other countries. This illustrated in the table below:- Table: 1 Category of SMEs in Tanzania Category Employees Capital investment in machinery Tshs Micro enterprise 1-4 Up to 5mil Small enterprise 5-49 Above 5mil to 200mil Medium enterprise 50-99 Above 200 to 800mil Large enterprise 100+ Above 800mil Source: SMEs development policy (2002) Accordind to Zanzibar Youth Employment Action Plan.(2007), Zanzibar has a large informal sector operation where more than 80 percent of the workforce is believed to be engaged in. Majority of the establishments in the informal sector are micro, own account or employing less than 5 people. This situation is linked to low skills base as a result of limited opportunities for skills training, working capital and inadequate support for off-farm activities in rural areas. From a gender perspective,women have low participation rates and fewer skills than men. Women account for only 19 percent of total employees compared to 81 percent for men in this sector. This sector is dominated by private individuals through 1,541 registered businesses in 2002. Out of this number, only 6% employs more than 10 people while 79% of the industry employs less than 20 people and only 3% of registered industry employs more than 100 people (SME Policy, 2006). The potential is still there for more employment opp ortunities especially to out of school youths and those from different vocational training centers. The Zanzibar SME policy (2006) is aiming at developing and creating conducive environment through participation of public and private sector for the purpose of increasing employment provision, income generation and poverty reduction. The policy and the MKUZA aim at increasing job opportunities through SMEs. SMEs are important to the national economic, but they are facing a number of problems, both administrative and financial and thus fail to contribute fully in employment creation. Apart from the SMEs sector, Zanzibar has a small manufacturing sector. Manufacturing sector in general is at infant stage and has not been fully exploited to its maximum potential to increase its contribution to the economy and welfare of the people. There is a wide potential for investors to come in, invest in big industries and thereby generates employment on the youth. The importance of manufacturing sector in terms of employment creation and development of linkages with the rest of economy is well understood. Employment opportunities that exist in manufacturing take into consideration its linkages with agriculture, tourism, and trade. Other opportunities that could be generated include those from agro-processing, production of souvenirs, transportation, and other new activities that will meet demands of tourism and trade. 2.2.2. Importance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) There are many benefits that obtained from SMEs in day to day operation forexample there will be about 1.7 millions business engaging, in micro enterprises operation which is about 3million persons that will be about 20% of Tanzanian labour force (URT,2003) The SMEs was be the labour intensive by creating the employment opportunity at different level of investment.The estimation will be shown as about 700,000 new entrants in every year as a labour force, not only that about 500,000 of it are school leavers with few skills, while the employment trend in public sector will show about 40,000 are the new entrants and about 660,000 remained to be unemployed (URT,2003) as cited in Temba(n/d) According to that the trend will be shown in Tanzania will be characterised by low rate of capital formation and normally the SMEs will tend to be more effective in the utilisation of employment situation in the country (URT,2003) as cited in Temba(n/d) The development of SMEs will promote the distribution of economic activities within the country and boster the technology in easierst way,this is because due to lower overheads and fixed costs in their normally operation, therefore the owners of SMEs must be tend to show the greater resilience in the face of recession by holding their business (URT,2003) 2.2.3 Information Communication Technology (ICT) The literature shows that there is no universally accepted definition of ICT, because the concepts, methods and applications involved in ICT are constantly evolving on an almost daily basis. Blurton (2002) as cited in Badnjevic and Padukova (2006) defines ICT as a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information. Kumar (2001) claimed that ICT is the study, design, development, implementation, support, or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware. ICT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information. 2.2.4 The adoption of ICT by SMEs: Obviously, ICTs are more than computer or internet even though they focuse on business technology.Therefore ICTs include the software and hardware telecommunicaton and information management techniques, also the ICT can be used to creates,receive, retrives and distribute/ transform information in a wide range. (Porter and Millar, 1985, Brady et al,2002) SMEs in tourism operation are important tools on contribution of the economy in the country in particulaly ICT has more effective use and better position of working performance and rapidly change the new technologies and creates the tourism organization in more competitive.(Hartigan, 2005) In recent years, SMEs have acquired direct access to digital technologies for individual task development.In previous this opportunity only for large companies to use computing and communication capabilities to coordinate their work. On the other hand, ICT reduced the expenditure on cost consumption and improve the performance in organization due to certain kinds of communications and coordination can occur. (Summut-Bonnii and McGee, 2002). (Ragaswamy and Lilien, 1997).On the business today their was certain changes that global interdependencies are becoming more critical thus, companies/organization realized they need to take advantage of ICT capabilities for improving their competitiveness and productivity. 2.2.5 ICT and SME competitiveness The presence of ICT and use it could lead to increase the competitiveness of SMEs due the faster and more conscientious communication channel, it means the use of ICT has increase the competitiveness of SMEs also enables the establishment of litheness associated with different trading partners due to more consistency of channel of communication. In addition the increases of the biggest enterprises it comes through introduced of ICT in many organizations and adapt quicker to changing operational conditions. For that reason the aggressive compensation of SMEs possibly will turn down. Normally well-built enterprises not relay comfortable information as SMEs; therefore the realistic decision is not costless if needed appropriate information. However SMEs contain the improvement of slighter interior harmonization expenditure as each and every one resolution is completed by a small number of assessment makers. (Raymond 1993, Mà ¼ller-Falcke 2001) The economies of extent can be condensed due to lowering the operational expenditure with the presences of ICT, particularly internet monitor the enterprises situation for appropriate information to obtain the exacting information concerning sellers, buyers and clients that was absent of accomplish. In addition delivery of goods, funds transmission and banking system facilities are reliable, this will enables SMEs to be expanded regionally and internationally. Finally most of the SMEs are located in outside the town areas due to competition of larger enterprises,transportation and communication costs that, ICT might increases the competition for enterprises and becomes more effectivelly and productivity or the enterprises to be close down. (Annual Forum at Misty Hills, Muldersdrift (2001)) 2.2.6 ICT as a business tools The use of Information, Communication and Technology is very important in current business operations. Entrepreneurs need to understand the market situation before doing any business and the preferred types of products at particular time. This knowledge can be sought through ICT system. The use of media is important in advertising and promoting business inside and outside the country. The available public and private media institutions can be utilized to publicize the available potential of products and services undertaken by youth and others.(Zanzibar youth Employment Action Plan, 2007). ICT is technologys version of economic growth, to satisfy the needs and wants of the community over time. Organizations are forced to adjust and take advantage of the opportunities provided by ICT in order to stay competitive. Businesses that do not take advantage of the ICT will run the risk of losing customers and their competitive advantage (Sharma, 2002). Some of the functions that technology has impacted are information search, advertising, consumer buying patterns and behaviors (Hanson, 2000). On a global scale, all industries have been affected by the emergence and implementation of technological advances. All above, ICT can be employed to give users quick access to ideas and experiences from a wide range of people, communities and cultures. The positive impacts of ICT can be seen in the following aspects: Economic impacts: ICT, in combination with globalization and the information uprising have reshaped the employees. By raising the momentum of international communication, ICT has enabled corporations to subcontract jobs, both in the industrialized as well as professional sector (Lippis, 2007). Social impacts: ICT has influenced societies on numerous levels. They have comprehensive the contact of public administration, leading to a centralization of district administration into city centre. They have lead to new forms of employment in innovation and production of ICT and a stipulate for highly accomplished specialists. On the other hand, ICT has enabled professionals in certain industries to be replaced by unqualified human resources, or even completed exclusively redundant. Lifting productivity: Investing in ICT can have a powerful effect on productivity in almost every industry, driving innovation, cutting costs, and opening up new opportunities. ICT can boost profits, help small firms overcome limitations of size, and enable even small enterprises to establish a global presence. Nevertheless, to take full advantage of the opportunities of ICT, we need to develop the skills of our workforce at every level, from front-line staff to senior management. In summing up, ICT has the potential to change the tourism SMEs in improving the productivity at a lower cost and to raise the quality of information. It contributes to make the tourism penetration around the globe. In todays world, people want to find the appropriate tourist destination, booking and buying airline ticket, check in and getting boarding pass when they are sited at their home or working place. All these can be done with the support of ICT. 2.2.7 Tourism Holloway (2004) defines Tourism as the business of providing for different types of visitors; overnight or longer stay and day visitors and includes accommodation, car parking, entertainment and attractions, food and drinks. According to Beech and Chadwick (2006), the widely accepted modern definition of tourism is that given by the World Tourism organization (WTO) which describes as the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes. In tourism sector, various travel operators, hotels, restaurants and travel agencies have been active in development of Internet and e-commerce. The Internet allows travellers to access and recommend the tourism information directly as well as , reviews the local tourism information, this was done previously through the physical offices of large travel agencies. Therefore most of Information Communication Technology (ICT) capture the compensation of direct discounted sales of airline tickets and travel packages, due to both online/offline agencies have shifted on selling leisure products involve high operating expenses. Given that Internet and others travel agencies allow the customer to make comparisons in a price of air tickets and other services of the online travellers (OECD, 2004) 2.2.8 The competitive advantage Porter (1985) views that a competitive advantage is an advantages over competitor gained by offering consumer greater value than competitors offer. His view on competitive advantages is at the heart of a firms performance in competitive market. He argued that a firms ability to outperform its competitors lay in its ability to translate its competitive strategy into competitive advantages. Kotler and Armstrong (2008) suggested an advantage that firms  has  over its competitors, the way of building relationship with targeted customer, understanding their needs better than competitors do and deliver more customers value. That is it is the extent a company can differentiate and position itself as providing superior customer value. The competitive advantage is a way of giving a company an edge over its rivals and an ability to generate greater value for the firm and its shareholders. The more sustainable the competitive advantage, the more difficult for competitors to neutralize the advantage (Walker et al, 2006) 2.3 Performance of Tourism SMEs 2.3.1 Trade, industry and tourism Zanzibar Povery Reduction Policy Report (2003) has the broad objective of this sector in order to create a competitive manufacturing and trading sector, which is geared towards for economic diversification in order to ultimately alleviate poverty. The sector is aimed to provide opportunity for further participation of the private sector. The fundamental goal is to equip and facilitate this sector in building its capacity, create better working environment and institute legal and institutional framework for the enhancement and expansion of its activities. The tools to be used are the National Trade policy, Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Private Sector Involvement and Development. Zanzibar has a strong determination to develop tourism as an economic sector to provide foreign exchange earnings, creating employment opportunities, stimulate local economy and diversify the economy. On the other side most of the tourist guides and/or RoGZ believes that on development of tourism factors, tourism is a vital socio economic that participate effectively and successfully in order to manage their life and to be more development. This can be implemented through the Zanzibar National Tourism Policy and the Indicative Tourism Master Plan. Since the inception of the ZIPA in 1991, the investment process has been very positive and progressive. Statistics shows that by the end of 2002, ZIPA had approved about 242 projects with a total proposed investment value of USD 403 million. Tourism sector takes the lion share with 70% of total projects with proposed capital of USD 313.8 million. In 1985, the number of tourists who visited Zanzibar was 19,368; while the number of tourists has reached in the range between 85,000 and 100,000 annually. In 2001 Zanzibar earned approximately US$ 46 million in forex from international tourism, this accounts for approximately 15% of the GDP. This contribution is projected to increase to around $ 116 million and 21% of the GDP by 2012. (Zanzibar Povery Reduction Policy Report, 2003) 2.3.2 Contribution to GDP Tourism already makes a significant contribution to the economy of Zanzibar. It is provisionally estimated that the sector accounted for about 14% of GDP in 2001, with 12% for Tanzania as a whole. This contribution is projected to increase to around 21% by 2012.(Indicative tourism master plan ,2003) 2.3.3 Foreign exchange earnings According to the preliminary results of the International Visitor Exit Survey Zanzibar earned some $46 million from the spending of International tourists in 2001. To this must be added an allowance for the spending of tourists traveling to Zanzibar on internal flights (who are not presently covered by the official statistics). This raises total visitor expenditure to $55 million in 2001. Allowing for the imports from foreign countries that are utilized by the tourism sector, net foreign exchange earnings from tourism are estimated at $46 million in 2001. This figure is projected to increase to some $116 million by 2012. Even allowing for leakages on imports, it is clear that tourism is a most important sources of foreign exchange, and helps considerably to offset the trade deficit which widened from $51 million in 1997 to $86 million in 2000, reducing to an estimated $50 million in 2001.( Indicative tourism master plan final report,2003) 2.3.4 Contribution to employment According to (Indicative tourism master plan final report,2003), there exists no official data on the employment generated by the tourism sector, it is estimated that currently some 5,800 persons are directly employed by the tourism industry in Zanzibar, of whom approximately 4,400 persons (76%) are employed in the hotel/guest houses sub-sector. The remainder is employed in tourist restaurants, tourist shops, ground tour operators, airlines (state-owned and private), the Commission for Tourism and other tourism-related government departments or as tour guides. In addition to those directly employed in the tourism sector, there are many more-perhaps, as many again, who derive part or all of their employment from supplying goods or services to hotels, restaurants, etc, or who otherwise benefit from the spending of persons who are directly or indirectly employed in tourism. Thus, total tourism-generated employment in Zanzibar could presently be in the order of 37,000 jobs or full-time j ob equivalents. This number should further increase to around 48,000 jobs by 2021, if, as is hoped, the tourism sector returns to a path of sustained growth. Indeed, Zanzibar Vision 2020 envisages that as much as 50% of all jobs in the modern sector could be provided in tourism and the free zones by 2020. Zanzibar Growth Strategy (2007) has accorded tourism as one among the three lead sectors of the economy. In recent years the economic growth in Zanzibar has been driven by the increasing contribution and growth of the service sector, (including tourism) which represents up to 43 percent of GDP (2006).According to Zanzibar Youth Employment Action Plan(2007),arque the employment in tourism sector they believed to employ 56,000 people most of them in hotel operations of which 60% are Zanzibari youth. They are mostly engaged in building of the hotel and other infrastructure as well as in services such as tour guiding, transportation and hotel services. The potential is still there, and the government hopes more people especially youth with further be employed in this sector. 2.3.5 Contribution to government revenues The tourism sector makes a substantial contribution to government revenues through the wide range of fees, licenses and taxes levied on the sector. While precise figures are not yet a

Dangerous Animals of the Great Barrier Reef :: Ecology Nature Zoology Essays

Dangerous Animals of the Great Barrier Reef According to Dennis Fulkerson, one of the Australia Explorers (1996), the Great Barrier Reef is "God's underwater playground." Indeed, everyone in the group seemed to have a fabulous time exploring the reef. However, many of the group expressed some amount of fear about snorkelling on the reef, far away from the mainland. I began to wonder if there was really that much to be afraid of. We were only told that it was not box jellyfish season, and, more importantly, not to touch anything. According to Ryan (p 167), "In general, animals of the reef are benign; only a hungry shark or a mentally defective barracuda is likely to attack unprovoked." Nevertheless, there are a few creatures of which to be aware. Sea snakes, jellyfish, and certain varieties of sea urchins, coral, worms, starfish, mollusks, and fish possess defense and/or feeding mechanisms which can render them harmful if handled by humans. Bristle Worms Bristle worms possess numerous razor-sharp calcium carbonate bristles (setae) which the animal may raise if threatened. These bristles penetrate the skin easily and cause intense itching and sometimes infections. Bristles should be removed with forceps and a local anesthetic and ointment may be applied. The worm may also bite (Ryan, p 170). Sea Urchins Sea urchins, along with heart urchins and sand dollars, belong to the class Echinoidea, which is in the phylum Echinodermata. Echinoids possess numerous spines, which are used for locomotion and defense, and pedicellariae, tiny, pincer-like structures which are used in feeding. The spines, interestingly, consist of a single crystal of calcium carbonate "that would be as brittle as chalk if not for certain glycoproteins in it" (Harris, p 718). Some urchins have venomous spines which can cause severe pain. For example, according to Lutz (p 679), "Some sea urchins, especially those living on coral reefs, have hollow spines that contain a poison; the pacific Asthenoma has needle-sharp spines that can easily penetrate the skin, break off, and release a poison that is extremely painful and dangerous to humans." The flower urchin, Toxopneustes pileolus, (Figure 1) has poisonous pedicellariae which can potentially kill a human. Toxic material can also be contained in the layer of skin coveri ng the spines, so injection of a spine itself is enough to cause intense pain (Endean, p256). As for treatment, Ryan (p170) recommends removing all spines from affected area with forceps, as long as this can be accomplished without breaking the spine and thus releasing more of the poison.

What is the difference between fat- and water-soluble vitamins?

There is a well of a difference between water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins, the two classifications of the organic nutrient compounds called vitamins. The word vitamin comes from the Latin word â€Å"vita† meaning â€Å"life† and â€Å"amine†, which means â€Å"nitrogen† (â€Å"What’s the difference†, 1996,  ¶ 4). Vitamins are nutrients essential to the human (or any animal) body because their presence in minute amounts enables the completion of important physiologically related metabolic processes. Vitamins are grouped according to the liquid or substance medium that is required for the body to be able to absorb these nutrients. Their grouping into either being soluble in fat or in water is an important determinant of how vitamins act in the body (Doctor's Responses Archive, n. d. ,  ¶ 2). There are nine water-soluble vitamins, namely Vitamin C and the B vitamins B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin or Vitamin P/PP), B5 (Pantothenic), B6 (Pyridoxine/Pyridoxamine) and B7 (Biotin). On the other, there are four fat-soluble vitamins, which are Vitamins A, D, E and K. The fat-soluble group needs lipid or fats in order to be absorbed through the lymphatic system (small intestines) and into the body's general blood circulation before being stored in body tissues. Fat-soluble vitamins, particularly Vitamins A and E, tend to remain in the body such that excessive intake can lead to an adverse condition termed hypervitaminosis (Doctor's Responses, n. d. ,  ¶ 4). Herein, water-soluble vitamins contrasts with the other group because Vitamin C and the B group are easily dissolved in water and the excess of these micronutrients are excreted in the urine. . What are antioxidants and phytochemicals? Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances that prevent the destructive process of oxidation and its adverse effects. Cells in all living organisms feature complex antioxidant systems that inhibit chemical damage wrought by oxidation. Antioxidant chemicals and enzymes in living organisms also help in the regulation and sustenance of various cellular proces ses. Antioxidants have been promoted and advertised to prevent strokes and heart diseases and even cancer. There are antioxidants shown to have delayed atherosclerosis in experiments with animals. Observational studies in humans have established a relationship between lower incidences of heart attacks and the inclusion of Vitamin E in the diet but the more conclusive clinical trial studies have demonstrated otherwise (â€Å"Vitamins & Exercise†, n. d. ,  ¶ 11 & 12). Some foods with high amounts of antioxidants are mushrooms, most berry fruits, peppers and spinach, barley, pecan and pistachio nuts, coffee, teas and chocolate. Phytochemicals or phytonutrients, on the other, chiefly refers to plant-based compounds that are not essential to the normal bodily metabolism but nonetheless promotes good health such as by helping prevent the onset of diseases (Phytochemicals, 2006,  ¶ 1). Phytochemicals are not presently classified under nutrients because they are not indispensable to sustaining life but they are nonetheless associated with the treatment and/or prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and hypertension (Dresbach & Rossi, n. d. â€Å"How are they beneficial†). Phytochemicals and antioxidants intersect somewhat. The former necessarily come from plants but antioxidants can be found in animal-based foods. Also, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals can have antioxidant properties whereas phytochemicals can serve other functions other than their antioxidant features. (Collins, 2005,  ¶ 2). 3. What factors do you consider before taking dietary supplements? The factors I would con sider before taking dietary supplements are safety, substantiation of efficacy, costs, and product quality. Safety should be a primary factor so as not to run counter to the very purpose of dietary supplements, that is, the improvement of one's health. I would first ask around to make sure that the touted product is generally safe and in what dosage. I'd probably also consult with a doctor or medical expert as to whether the particular supplement poses no adverse effects to any existing health condition of mine. Another important factor would be whether the product has at least some measure of substantiated claims of efficacy. Outright recommendations from the medical community would be best but positive results from clinical trials conducted by reputable institutions would do for me. I would also consider whether the supplement has considerable use or history in traditional, particularly Eastern, medicine. After all, a number of important drugs used in modern medicine have been inspired by ancient traditions, including the malaria drug quinine. Costs of course is important–whether I can afford to regularly take it or I'd be better off choosing an alternative supplement. Product quality is another important factor that I could look into by checking on the reputation and manufacturing standards of the company. 4. What should be the role of government, if any, in influencing your dietary decisions? Given the assumption that the safety issue has been covered, in general, the government should at most serve to guide the public when it comes to dietary decisions. Whether the government be democratic or totalitarian, I don't believe people should be directly forced into or against eating or taking in foods and supplements that are not of their choices. I believe in freedom of consumer choice and in the individual right to decide for herself or himself what foods and supplements she or he prefers and what would work best—without need for doctor's prescriptions. However, I also firmly believe in judicious government regulation of food and dietary supplement manufacturers and the regulation of the corresponding markets. The government should monitor companies who make or process foods and supplements, as it does manufacturers in other segments. Government supervision should ensure that the ingredients and processes listed on product labels are accurate and that manufacturing conforms to certain quality standards. The market itself should be meticulously regulated in terms of the health claims advertised or printed on the labels. Permitted health claims should conform to standards based largely on scientific evidence that support said claims. To illustrate, the regulation by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration of dietary supplements not as drugs but as foods (Dietary Supplement, 2006,  ¶ 2) provides the consumers the appropriate guidance to make wise decisions in their use.

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Essay

There are a few things that are needed in order for man to survive, food, water, shelter, and an energy source. In the beginning fire was that energy source used to keep humans warm and to cook their food. These days energy is in other forms such as nuclear, wind, solar, and of course, petroleum (oil) and are all needed for survival. Oil was, at one time, plentiful and considered more of a nuisance for those who were drilling wells for water in the US because it would seep into the wells. Early uses for the oil were for machinery lubrication and burning in lamps. It wasn’t until the invention of the internal combustion engine, which made life and manufacturing so much simpler, that oil became of more interest. In the late 1800s John D.†¦show more content†¦Because it is considered such a precious commodity oil has been at the center of many disputes both foreign and domestic. In the 1970s there were two incidents that came in the form of an oil embargo and an energy crisis that caused the price of oil to skyrocket. Then in the 1980s there was a slow in the economy, an excess in oil, and income for OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) fell. Saudi Arabia, producers of approximately 40 percent of all the petroleum of OPEC, purposely drove the price of oil down by deliberately pumping approximately 10 million barrels a day which was close to 2 million over their self-imposed limit of 8 and a half million barrels a day. The Saudis preferred a continual and deliberate climb in crude oil prices instead of price gouging like Libya, Iran and Iraq (Beckwith, Byron, White). Operation Desert Storm and the Gulf War in the 1990s caused the price of oil to slide even more. And America continued to use more oil thereby becoming increasingly reliant on the importing of foreign oil. This reliance on oil from other countries has become the center for many political debates. After 911 it was even more evident that â€Å"terrorist† nations could potentially hold America hostage by cutting oil supplies. Republicans argue that such countries are dangerous and should not be allowed to dictate oil consumption and prices to Americans.Show MoreRelatedDeepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Essay1078 Words   |  5 PagesIn the wake of one of the worst oil spills since the Exxon-Valdez disaster, a massive inquiry into the underlying cause of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy has begun. Many people are wondering if this was a case of poor engineering, corporate greed, negligence, or even simple operator failure. Regardless of the cause, the crude oil is beginning to reach the United States coastline, and a guaranteed fix for the leak is nowhere in sight. In todays technologically advanced world, when a disaster likeRead MoreOffshore Oil Drilling and the Deepwater Horizon Spill of the Gulf of Mexico1591 Words   |  7 PagesOil is a very important fossil fuel that is used for various sources of energy. Oil supplies power to industries, fuel for transportation, heat for buildings, and provides raw material for plastics, paints, textiles, and other materials (hybrid cars). To access this fossil fuel, oil drilling is used. Land-based oil drilling became less productive and as the global stipulation for energy increased, technology, law, and geology impacts stepped in and pushed the exploration of oil away from shores (CITE)Read MoreImpact Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill During The Gulf Of Mexico On The Local Environment1501 Words   |  7 PagesCASE STUDY IMPACT OF THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT INTRODUCTION The Gulf of Mexico covers an area of 600,000 square miles and is located between Mexico, Cuba and the United States (Tunell, 2011). Home to 15,419 recorded marine species; the Gulf of Mexico boasts a dynamic ecosystem, which includes 1511 endemic species. The position of the gulf between temperate and tropical waters provides one of the reasons for its vast biodiversity (Campagna et alRead MoreThe Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 20101542 Words   |  7 PagesBP Gulf Oil Spill 1 Running Head: BP GULF OIL SPILL The Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 Terry D. Bollman Park University BP Gulf Oil Spill 2 British Petroleum’s Roll in the Gulf Oil Spill This paper will explain some of the effects of three legal issues and three ethical issues surrounding the London-based British Petroleum Company’s involvement in the explosion of the offshore oilRead More The Oil Spill is Affecting Animals, but What About the Government?1204 Words   |  5 Pagesreliant on fossil fuels such as oil for energy. Oil fuels our car, warms our homes, generates our electricity, and creates a myriad of goods including everything that contains plastic. In our global economy, oil must be transported great distances to reach markets throughout the world. With seemingly increasing frequency, these journeys sometimes end in accidents that result in oil being spilled into the ocean. The most devastating oil spill, The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, occurred on April twentiethRead MorePollution : Why Is It Important?1288 Words   |  6 PagesImportant? Oil spills are difficult to clean up in the Gulf of Mexico. Spills like BP’s 4.9 million barrels spill are even harder to clean up. One of the reasons for this difficult task is that oil spills are never alike. It is estimated that approximately 706 million gallons of oil enter the ocean every year. Offshore drilling and production operations and spills from ships or tankers typically contribute less than 8 percent of the total that enter the ocean each year. The majority of the oil enteringRead MoreBp Oil Explosion in the Gulf of Mexico1412 Words   |  6 Pagesits worst oil spill disasters in the history of marine petroleum exploration. A deadly oil well blowout at Macondo Prospect, about 41 miles off the southeast coast of Louisiana, spewed huge quantities of oil for 87 long days causing major environmental and economic troubles to the Gulf region (Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill). It started with a fire and explosion, killing 11 workers, and then unleashed a slow motion disaster that spread across the 600 mile gulf coastline. The massive oil spill disruptedRead MoreBp Deepwater Horizon Case Analysis Essay1392 Words   |  6 Pagesethical conduct concerning the Deep Horizon blowout Background: The Deepwater Horizon oil spill or the BP oil spill refers to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed for three months in 2010. The spill was a result of the explosion of Deepwater Horizon, which drilled on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. The explosion killed 11 men working on the platform and injured 17 others (Summarized from Wikipedia article on: â€Å"Deepwater Horizon oil spill† http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spillRead More Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on the Environment1549 Words   |  7 PagesThe Deepwater Horizon spill occurred on 20 April 2010 and was caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that killed 11 workers and injured 17 more. The drilling rig, located 66 kilometers southeast of the Louisiana coast, left an oil gusher that was finally capped on July 15, almost 2 months later. This was the largest accidental marine oil spill in history and the largest offshore environmental disaster in the Unit ed States (Telegraph, New York Times, BBC News). It is estimatedRead MoreMultinational Gas And Oil Company1624 Words   |  7 Pagesa multinational gas and oil company based in the United Kingdom. Operating in over 80 countries and producing around 3.4 million barrels of oil a day, BP is the third-largest energy company in the world behind Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell. The company is involved in all aspects of the process including exploration, production, refining, and distribution. The largest division is BP America with 16 total refineries and the more leases on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico than any competitor (BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Essay In the wake of one of the worst oil spills since the Exxon-Valdez disaster, a massive inquiry into the underlying cause of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy has begun. Many people are wondering if this was a case of poor engineering, corporate greed, negligence, or even simple operator failure. Regardless of the cause, the crude oil is beginning to reach the United States coastline, and a guaranteed fix for the leak is nowhere in sight. In todays technologically advanced world, when a disaster like this occurs it is the responsibility of those involved to do what is ethically right, and to immediately take action with all available resources without pointing fingers. The Yale University sociologist Charles Perrow believes that some†¦show more content†¦19, 20). While it is feasible that some unforeseen circumstances may be to blame, which is consistent with Perrows theories, the clean-up effort has not prevented the oil spill from reaching land. When the contract was grante d to BP, they accepted responsibility for the cleanup of a spill fifty times larger than the one currently plaguing the Gulf of Mexico, yet they still have not shown any firm, pre-meditated plans for the cleanup of the coastal waters. So when Mr. McKay testified that the Transocean blowout preventer failed to stop the leak, one must wonder how this is in any way significant to the situation at hand (Clayton, 2010, p. 1 par. 3). Rather than shifting the blame to a contractor in charge of the oil rig, it is BPs responsibility to fix the mess now. The environmental impact of an oil spill can last for decades. In 1969, an oil tanker ran aground in Buzzards Bay Massachusetts, spilling 175,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the marine ecosystem. According to Dr. Judy McDowell and Christopher Reddy, two scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, it took about a decade for the normal inhabitants of the bay to return. Whats more troubling, is that even 40 years later, soil sam ples still reek of diesel fuel (Guarino Spotts, 2010, p. 2). This kind of damage can have an irreparable effect on the gulf states economies. If it takes 10Show MoreRelatedDeepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Essay2106 Words   |  9 Pagespetroleum (oil) and are all needed for survival. Oil was, at one time, plentiful and considered more of a nuisance for those who were drilling wells for water in the US because it would seep into the wells. Early uses for the oil were for machinery lubrication and burning in lamps. It wasn’t until the invention of the internal combustion engine, which made life and manufacturing so much simpler, that oil became of more interest. In the late 1800s John D. Rockefeller started one of the first oil companyRead MoreOffshore Oil Drilling and the Deepwater Horizon Spill of the Gulf of Mexico1591 Words   |  7 PagesOil is a very important fossil fuel that is used for various sources of energy. Oil supplies power to industries, f uel for transportation, heat for buildings, and provides raw material for plastics, paints, textiles, and other materials (hybrid cars). To access this fossil fuel, oil drilling is used. Land-based oil drilling became less productive and as the global stipulation for energy increased, technology, law, and geology impacts stepped in and pushed the exploration of oil away from shores (CITE)Read MoreImpact Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill During The Gulf Of Mexico On The Local Environment1501 Words   |  7 PagesCASE STUDY IMPACT OF THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT INTRODUCTION The Gulf of Mexico covers an area of 600,000 square miles and is located between Mexico, Cuba and the United States (Tunell, 2011). Home to 15,419 recorded marine species; the Gulf of Mexico boasts a dynamic ecosystem, which includes 1511 endemic species. The position of the gulf between temperate and tropical waters provides one of the reasons for its vast biodiversity (Campagna et alRead MoreThe Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 20101542 Words   |  7 PagesBP Gulf Oil Spill 1 Running Head: BP GULF OIL SPILL The Legal Issues and Ethical Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and British Petroleum Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 Terry D. Bollman Park University BP Gulf Oil Spill 2 British Petroleum’s Roll in the Gulf Oil Spill This paper will explain some of the effects of three legal issues and three ethical issues surrounding the London-based British Petroleum Company’s involvement in the explosion of the offshore oilRead More The Oil Spill is Affecting Animals, but What About the Government?1204 Words   |  5 Pagesreliant on fossil fuels such as oil for energy. Oil fuels our car, warms our homes, generates our electricity, and creates a myriad of goods including everything that contains plastic. In our global economy, oil must be transported great distances to reach markets throughout the world. With seemingly increasing frequency, these journeys sometimes end in accidents that result in oil being spilled into the ocean. The most devastating oil spill, The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, occurred on April twentiethRead MorePollution : Why Is It Important?1288 Words   |  6 PagesImportant? Oil spills are difficult to clean up in the Gulf of Mexico. Spills like BP’s 4.9 million barrels spill are even harder to clean up. One of the reasons for this difficult task is that oil spills are never alike. It is estimated that approximately 706 million gallons of oil enter the ocean every year. Offshore drilling and production operations and spills from ships or tankers typically contribute less than 8 percent of the total that enter the ocean each year. The majority of the oil enteringRead MoreBp Oil Explosion in the Gulf of Mexico1412 Words   |  6 Pagesits worst oil spill disasters in the history of marine petroleum exploration. A deadly oil well blowout at Macondo Prospect, about 41 miles off the southeast coast of Louisiana, spewed huge quantities of oil for 87 long days causing major environmental and economic troubles to the Gulf region (Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill). It started with a fire and explosion, killing 11 workers, and then unleashed a slow motion disaster that spread across the 600 mile gulf coastline. The massive oil spill disruptedRead MoreBp Deepwater Horizon Case Analysis Essay1392 Words   |  6 Pagesethical conduct concerning the Deep Horizon blowout Background: The Deepwater Horizon oil spill or the BP oil spill refers to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed for three months in 2010. The spill was a result of the explosion of Deepwater Horizon, which drilled on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. The explosion killed 11 men working on the platform and injured 17 others (Summarized from Wikipedia article on: â€Å"Deepwater Horizon oil spill† http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spillRead More Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on the Environment1549 Words   |  7 PagesThe Deepwater Horizon spill occurred on 20 April 2010 and was caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that killed 11 workers and injured 17 more. The drilling rig, located 66 kilometers southeast of the Louisiana coast, left an oil gusher that was finally capped on July 15, almost 2 months later. This was the largest accidental marine oil spill in history and the largest offshore environmental disaster in the Unit ed States (Telegraph, New York Times, BBC News). It is estimatedRead MoreMultinational Gas And Oil Company1624 Words   |  7 Pagesa multinational gas and oil company based in the United Kingdom. Operating in over 80 countries and producing around 3.4 million barrels of oil a day, BP is the third-largest energy company in the world behind Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell. The company is involved in all aspects of the process including exploration, production, refining, and distribution. The largest division is BP America with 16 total refineries and the more leases on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico than any competitor (BP