Stop Online Piracy Act

ORAL PRESENTATION ASSESSMENT July 2012 Name: Baiza Class: English 1-2 General Topic: Piracy (Intellectual Property Rights) Specific Research Area: â€Å"Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)† ————————————————- ————————————————- Information Report Proposal Analytical Research Question: This report aims to discover the different views on the benefit and harm of Legalizing Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) on the United States Government, Entertainment Industries, High Tech Companies and Internets users.Thesis: To discover how â€Å"Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)† brings benefit and harm to both High Tech Companies and Internet Users. OUTLINE OF REPORT [Note form] 1. WHAT is the issue? Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) * A bill that will allow the United States authorit y to block webpage that distributes on stolen materials * Combat online piracy * Protect the copyrighted material and censorship of the Internet * Prevent sharing or purchasing of copyright products online without authorizes permission from the produces 2. WHY is it of significance? * Protect intellectual property online Stop foreign webpage that sell counterfeit goods and let people stream and download the goods at no charge 3. WHO is involved in the issue? * United States Government * Blocking of webpages that provides link to private sites * Fines users that post copyright materials * Entertainment Business Industries * Losing profit of selling own products * Foreign thieves/Owner of the pirated sites * Stealing copyright materials * Earning revenue by selling copyrighted materials * Internet users * Wont be able to download music, video and etc. without charge * Online Search Engine/ High Tech Companies Will be blocked when other users post a link to pirated site * Generate loss in advertisement profits 4. WHAT started the debate? The debate started when: * Foreign thieves steal and sell American inventions and products and keep the profit to themselves. * The foreign thieves costs the US economy more than $100 billion annually * Result in loss of thousands of jobs. 5. WHAT are the differing opinions on the topic? 5. 1 Enforcing Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) brings benefit to Entertainment Industries. 5. 1. 1 – Increase in economy * American intellectual property industries provide million high-paying jobs . 1. 2 – Protection of intellectual property * Increase in revenue * Reduce/Discourage American cities to purchase from foreign thieves 5. 2 Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) brings harm to High Tech Companies and Internet User. 5. 2. 1 – Shut down of Major Internet Companies * American search engine provides links to pirated sites, which will cost the Internet Service Provided to be shut down. * Freedom of speech is affected 5. 2. 2 â⠂¬â€œ Censorship and Blocked of Webpage * Limited webpage to gather or find information * Difficulty to communicate with other countries Working bibliographyBennett, R. (2011, December 2011). Protecting Americans from Web scams. New York Post. Retrieved from http://www. nypost. com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/protecting_americans_from_web_scams_lvOOEKJEqzpjGIAW43mIXP Carr, D. (2012, January 1). The Danger of an Attack on Piracy Online. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2012/01/02/business/media/the-danger-of-an-attack-on-piracy-online. html? pagewanted=1 Sigal, I & MacKinnon, R (2011, December 14). Online Piracy Laws must preserve Web Freedom. CNN. Retrieved from http://edition. cnn. om/2011/12/14/opinion/sigal-mackinnon-copyright-internet/index. html Smith, L. (2011, December 14). Setting the Record Straight on SOPA. The Hill. Retrieved from http://thehill. com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/199385-setting-the-record-straight-on-sopa The New York Times. Copyrights and Internet Piracy (SOPA and PIPA Legislation. (2012, February 8). Retrieved from http://topics. nytimes. com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/copyrights/index. html? 8qa US House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary. (2012, January 20). Statement from Chairman Smith on Senate Delay of Vote onPROTECT IP Act. Retrieved from http://judiciary. house. gov/news/01202012. html? scp=2&sq=lamar%20smith&st=cse ————————————————- Student’s Signature: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Lecturer’s Signature: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Hj/Was/mufy/2012 ———————————————†”- Oral Presentation Proposal Argumentative Research Question: Should â€Å"Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)† be enforced? Thesis: YES, Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) should be enforced. ————————————————- Argument 1: Increase in United States Economy Foreign thieves cost the United States’ economy more than $100 billion annually and result in loss of thousands of jobs * Entertainment industries are not able to sell their own products due to these foreign thieves Argument 2: Protection of Intellectual Property * Hard work is wasted because users can easily download the goods of the entertainment industries online through pirated sites * Blocks and censors’ webpages that provides these pirated sites links and the authorities can take immediate action on theses thieves. Refutation: 5. 1. 1 – Censorship and Blocked of Webpage

Story of an Hour: Symbolism

During Kate Chopin’s marriage she resided in Louisiana where the laws favored the husband in a type of patriarchal code. At the time women were subjected to a lesser role and the husband’s will was freely imposed upon their wives. In â€Å"The Story of an Hour† much of Chopin’s desire for the prospect of freedom is reflected to us through the character of Mrs. Mallard. The societal norms of the late 1800’s dictated that women would assume the feminine role and live for their husbands; as a woman’s place was to reside in the shadow of her man. Through the rich use of symbolism Chopin illustrates how the confinement created by social inequality illuminates our innate desire for freedom. The heart is a repeated conventional symbol used that reinforces Mrs. Mallard’s internal and external restrictions set upon her. â€Å"Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death† (115). Immediately it is revealed that Mrs. Mallard suffers from heart trouble that not only is the cause of her death, but a burden she carries throughout the story. The heart is often used to symbolize a loving relationship, but here her troubled heart symbolizes her troubled marriage. Just like her heart she has no control over her marriage and she constantly feels the imposing will of her husband lurking around. The news of her husband’s death acts as a catalyst and sets off a chain reaction of repressed emotions within Mrs. Mallard that ignite her awareness of what has occurred. With the presence of her husband evaporating from her conscience, the prospect of freedom is so tantalizing that she cannot help but feel pure bliss. The shackles placed on her by her husband were as real as her troubled heart, and with his passing these shackles were unlocked and she had been set free. â€Å"Free, free, free! † (116) as â€Å"Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body† (116). Both her body and mind had been revitalized; she was free to live. Just like the literal use of opening a window, the open window Mrs. Mallard gazes out of symbolizes the releasing of her past life, and replacing it with the new uninhibited world she now has access to. She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. † (115). In contrast to her heart troubles and the death of her husband, there was a world teeming with life in front of her. The open window presented the ideal view of tree tops full of life and the scent of the rain beckoning at her. Perhaps this world was always there, but the mere existence of her husband inhibited her field of vision leaving her to only see what he saw. Although the world around her had not changed, the realization that she was her own woman now was enough to alter her perspective. The monotone and bleak world she once saw was now abundant with songbirds and vibrant colors. All the restrictions had been lifted off of her shoulders like fresh air coming through the now open window. Freedom was a few mere steps away for her, ready to be seized. Death can be interpreted in many ways, but in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† death symbolizes the greatest freedom attainable. It is an ironic freedom as Mrs. Mallard will never be aware that she has obtained it, but nonetheless it will forever be hers. Death is straightforward, because in death we lose everything. When Mrs. Mallard suddenly dies from the sight of her unscathed husband, the doctor comes to the conclusion that â€Å"she had died of heart disease – of joy that kills† (116). The doctor assumes that her death was caused by the joy from her husband, whom she thought to be dead, but in fact something else has caused it. Mrs. Mallard died from the shock created by the mere idea that her new found freedom and self possession was to be stolen from her. Having just attained her sense of self possession, she immediately knows that the presence of her husband means going back to the confined life she knew. She would be the wife living, even cowering under the power her husband held. â€Å"She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long† (116). Day to day life under the power of her significant other was detrimental to Mrs. Mallard and it was only yesterday that she hoped for a quick death and freedom. Mrs. Mallard’s fear of losing her new found freedom displays how significant being free was to her. The loss of her freedom created more of a shock then the death of her husband and perhaps it was her fate to die by the hands of her husband. Whether it was literally by her husband’s hands, her own suicide, or her heart giving out, they all reflect back on the husband and the social inequality she felt. Unable to withstand the impact of losing herself once more, Mrs. Mallard was literally left heartbroken and embraced the freedom that death offers us all. As the title suggests â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is contrived within one hour and the use of time symbolizes the ticking away of our being and subsequently our freedom. An hour is a rather short amount of time but, as shown in the story, a lifetime’s worth of repressed emotions can be unleashed in an hour’s time. Mrs. Mallard goes through a personal metamorphosis during this hour as she processes everything that has unfolded before her. In conjunction with her desire to be free, Mrs. Mallard also celebrates how her remaining time is her own. Recognizing that she no longer is marginalized by her husband, life now belongs to her. â€Å"Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own† (116). Every day is now her own masterpiece, no longer will she be subjected to the feminine role society has decided for her. Perhaps Mrs. Mallard may not have been counting the minutes for her the news of her husband’s death, but when the opportunity presents itself her deeply buried desire to be free rises up to the surface and shows how potent it truly is. Ironically, Mrs. Mallard only had enough time to briefly savor the taste of freedom, before being dragged down into the belly of death. Widely viewed as an early feminist writer, Kate Chopin addresses the social inequality of the late 1800’s through the marriage of Mrs. Mallard and how freedom is essential to our being. Mrs. Mallard’s ailment of a weak heart provides symbolic evidence to conclude that she carries the burden of unequal strengths in her marriage. Her heart is weakened by a one-sided relationship and in conjunction with the oppressive nature of marriage creates a life in which she is held prisoner to the will of her husband. After the death of her husband, the once closed window to self possession and fulfillment is unlocked without a trace of regret. No longer oppressed, the mind and body see â€Å"there were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds† (115) and the innate desire to run free and escape is unleashed. No longer oppressed, the desire to be free from social injustice and inequality possesses Mrs. Mallard, letting her exuberance run wild. In the midst of triumph we often lose our sense of time and how fragile life is. Death lingers around everyone and is the inevitable end, but perhaps it is the absolute freedom. In death we lose everything, but ironically, we gain an unclaimed freedom. Mrs. Mallard’s inevitable death is not caused by her own weak heart, but her husband’s oppressive role which forced her into the clutches of eternal freedom. Her need for freedom transcended her physical need for life and in death her desire for freedom is satiated.

Developmental psychology Essay

Introduction The pedagogy of play can be hard to understand and part of the reason for this is it’s so difficult to explain how children learn by play because play isn’t simply; it is complex. Each child begins their early childhood education with a set of skills and prior knowledge that is influenced by their family, culture and past experiences (Fellows &Oakley, 2010). The past knowledge should become the foundation for developing an understanding of scientific concepts (Duschl, Schweingruber & Shouse, 2007). Children are naturally inquisitive, creative and aware of the world around them (Campbell & Jobling, 2012). development tool and an effective way to teach children scientific concepts while using their prior knowledge (Preston, Mules, Baker & Frost, 2007). Learning science through play shows children that science is useful and enjoyable and is a significant aspect of the real world (Bulunuz, 2013). This essay will review teaching science through play, theorists who support play and the way in which the Australian curriculum and EYLF support play pedagogy. Science and Play Play pedagogy is a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they engage actively with people, objects  and representations. Research shows that early childhood educators must use play effectively in order for children to develop contextualised knowledge about science (Bulunuz, 2013). Educators should base science experiences based on prior knowledge and interests demonstrated by the children (Moyles, 2012). Educators must acknowledge the importance of play as a platform for learning and practising the basic process skills of science (Howitt, Morris & Colville, 2007). Through play the children are learning at their own pace and children can repeat, rehearse and refine skills, displaying what they do know and practising what they  are beginning to understand. According to Campbell & Jobling (2012) there are numerous forms of play. One of which is free play. Free play is used by children to spontaneously react to their environment, and is determined by their interests. Children’s interest in the world around them usually begins with their observations, whereby they see, hear, smell, touch something that captures their interest and encourages them to explore. In order to develop contextualised knowledge about science children need to move on from free play and be involved in guided play (Campbell & Jobling, 2012).

What are the most important economic concepts that determine the Essay

What are the most important economic concepts that determine the structure of the construction industry - Essay Example nstruction industry, several factors of production are involved and they include, but are not limited to capital, raw materials, and labor (Myers, 2008). All the resources employed in the construction industry play a significant part towards the delivery of standardized and quality products. The allocation of the related resources to an activity is done based on the concept of increased efficiency and matching output levels. For example, the amount of labor available for a set project is subject to financial constraints as well as the availability of the labor in the market. Financial constraints dictate the price and cost of labor and as such, the construction industry is subject to external and internal forces. This introduces the second main economic concept concerned with the examination of external and internal constraints. External constraints or forces relate to outside influences, not in the control of the construction sector such as support services provided by banking and insurance institution (Myers, 2008). The construction sector relies to some extent on the availability of financial support in capital formation from banking institutions and has to develop its structures around financial requirements and standards. External support systems such as the access to insurance are important in the mitigation of the sector from probable risks. Risks in the sector vary according to the type of construction involved and the possible losses could have fatal financial as well as legal implications on the construction sector. However, external factors should not be viewed as limiting factors in the development of concrete structures in the construction sector, but as elements promoting the development of the construction sector. The internal forces influencing the structure of the construction sector are reliant on the allocation and distribution of scarce resources. The participants of the construction sector engage in continued evaluation of internal resources

Beijing Marathon and Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Beijing Marathon and Pollution - Essay Example According to Chang, during the last decade, China has undergone massive industrialization that has really transformed its economy and further catalyzed economic growth and prosperity (30). However, the industrialization has endangered the lives of Chinese people mostly in urban areas due to high levels of pollution. China is the world’s biggest consumer and it is estimated that the country consumes almost four billion tonnes of coal. The country has over-relied on coal for electricity production and thus the high and increasing levels of pollution. However, recently the Chinese government implemented a plan to close fifty thousand coal furnaces in order to curb the increasingly high levels of smog in its skyline. On the other hand, they have decided to clean all their furnaces so as to use clean pure coal rather than the use of dusty coal leading to high levels of air pollution. The growth of industries is another contributing factor to increase in air pollution. Bejin is a metropolitan city that is surrounded by industries. In the nearby province of Hebei is home to more than eight hundred polluting factories. Beijing is also home to steal manufacturing industries that emit pollutants into the atmosphere. Furthermore, pollution from Hebei is swept by the wind into Beijin thus making the city to be ranked among the World’s most polluted cities. On the contrary, Beijin faces high traffic on its roads. As such, the increased number of vehicles emit smog into the atmosphere causing the air around Bejin to be impure with small chemical pollutants of PM2.5. In addition, China’s industries and the government have failed in regulating the amount of chemicals industries emit. The government should have implemented fines for industries emitting more into the atmosphere. On the other hand, the industries have failed in installing carbon absorbing materia ls into chimneys so as to limit the level of atmospheric pollution. The case of China’s Bejin Marathon is a depicts failure by rich nations to observe the Kyoto protocol to reduce emissions into the atmosphere on a meaningful scale.

Creativity in Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Creativity in Research - Essay Example (Harnard quoted by Rwegasira, 2003). The most creative individuals like Einstein and Poincare relied on cerebral serendipity that can be defined as "gathering together the elements and constraints out of which a creative solution is (hoped) to arise and then consign the rest to the (unconscious) "combinanational play" of chance, with intuition perhaps helping to suggest which combination might be useful." (Rwegasira, 2003). Major point #3: Most of the time the creative process depends on the power of imagination and inspiration (hunches) much more than on a the use of logic or reason or a conscious effort. Inspiration or lateral thinking is really needed for the creative process to be successful in finding valuable and new insights. Author's supporting evidence or exampl... Author's supporting evidence or examples for major point #3: Rwegasira (2003) points out that Plato emphasized the importance of inspiration in the creative process by signaling that inspiration is a product of imagination, and Cannon also attributes a very importan role to imagination and hunches in creativity. Rwegasira (2003) remarks that Poincare explains that even though formal logic methods are elementary and certain, they are not enough in the process of creativity. Besides that, logic is unable to build a proof, which can be achieved with the help of intutition. The unskilled chess player is a clear example of the facts stated by Poincare. He/she knows how to move the pieces but doesn't understand how to play like a master. Major point #4: For imagination to be effective, the researcher should have an open and flexible frame of mind. Rwegasira (2003) states that "Creativity requires imagination and imagination requires freedom of mind in turn." Author's supporting evidence or examples for major point #4: Rwegasira (2003) gives some examples with dots forming triangles and circles, as well as drawing straight lines from 9 dots to point out that flexible and open thinking is necessary to take advantage of imagination. Rwegasira (2003) also remarks not to have pre-conceptions on a problem or biases or attitudinal rigidity in order to use the power of imagination to enhance creativity. Being open in beliefs and reasonably independent in mind and decisions are necessary conditions for the researcher to be creative. In this line of thinking, "dogmatism, prejudices, bigotry, single-track-mindedness, conceptual foreclosure to experience and lack of freedom of thought and of self-expression are inimical to imagination and creativity."

Shareholder Wealth Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shareholder Wealth - Assignment Example Such claims are limited by the proportion of ownership derived from the amount of the investment. Shareholders who invest have one common goal: maximise the value of invested wealth. Every investment decision is made with the expectation that its value would increase over time. Shareholders do not necessarily manage the business, so they hire managers as their agents to increase the value of their (shareholders') wealth such that there would be enough profits for everybody. A portion of these profits is given back to owners through dividends whilst the balance may be re-invested to create more wealth. The agency theory describes the dynamics of the relationship and potential conflicts of interest between shareholder-owners and manager-agents. How shareholder wealth is measured indicates how managers can maximise it. For any business with more than one shareholder, the ultimate measure of shareholder wealth is the share price, the value of one share of ownership in the business. Share valuation follows a systematic process based on the value of the corporation's assets, which equal its liabilities plus stockholders' equity, all information available from the balance sheet. At start-up, the value of a share is derived from dividing equity by the number of shares offered. Once the business generates profits, cash can be distributed as dividends to shareholders or re-invested in the business. Profits increase assets and the value of the shareholders' equity, thereby increasing each share's value. Or, assets can increase with debt, but it does not automatically follow that stockholders' equity would stay the same, decrease, or increase. The effects of debt depend on what managers do with it, and whether or not borrowing allows the corporation to generate more cash. At some future time, when a shareholder decides to sell the shares, both buyer and seller only need to analyse the balance sheet to agree on the price. However, a single share of stock is not only a claim on the assets the corporation owns today, or the value of the shareholders' equity now. It is also a claim on future profits and the future selling price of the share. Neither is the investment totally risk-free, since the share's value could drop because of mismanagement and bankruptcy. Risk is part of valuation because of the risk-return relationship. Therefore, a share's value today is calculated by getting the present value of: 1) Cash dividends until the shares are sold; 2) Proceeds from selling the shares; or if the corporation ceases operations, 3) The firm's break-up value after selling assets to pay off liabilities. Financial analysts simplify share valuation by focusing on the present value of cash dividends, making the convenient assumptions that shares would not be sold and the business would not be closed. Since cash dividends are equivalent to the free cash flow (FCF), the value of a share now is the present value of the FCF stream discounted at the rate of return investors expect to receive on comparable investments. FCF is not profits, which can be re-invested or given out as dividends. Rather, FCF is the cash not retained nor

Global Supply Chain Analysis of a Global Coffee Company Essay

Global Supply Chain Analysis of a Global Coffee Company - Essay Example The essay "Global Supply Chain Analysis of a Global Coffee Company" talks about the analysis of an entrance to a new market by Starbucks Corporation in Lithuania through theories. There are different strategy models which can be applied to Starbucks in order to analyze their current situation and steps to be taken for future internationalization. There are four strategies based on local responsiveness pressure and cost reduction pressure. They are global standardization strategy, transnational strategy, international strategy and localization strategy. In the case of Starbucks, the best strategy which can be incorporated is Global Standardization Strategy. This would enable the firm to expand over the larger geographical area and acquire high-profit margins. Global standardization strategy mainly states that the company follows the same strategy across the globe. This form of standardized strategy is reflected in its branding, products or services, customer support, etc. International strategy is all about implementing the best possible strategy to establish a strong market position. The four possible international strategies for Starbucks are joint ventures, franchising, exporting and acquisitions. Starbucks encompasses complex tasks from product manufacturing to delivery at retail stores. The company is inclined towards global resource span where it acquires cocoa beans from one country and milk from another distant location. This supply chain strategy enables the firm to spread its operations across many locations.

Social Entreprenurism Case Study 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Entreprenurism Case Study 2 - Coursework Example For example, laws are passed to deter cases of unfair treatment to employees while numerous organizations examine the business operations of a company in relation to environmental preservation, use of non-hazardous raw materials, and what not. It is through the marriage of these two ‘formerly contradictory’ concepts that social entrepreneurship came to existence. As such, some of the key issues that social entrepreneurship confronts are as follows: (1) how important are social values in the formation of a company’s business strategy? and (2) how do these values guide the overall operations of a company—specifically, in the way it manages its external publics? These questions will be answered through a critical examination of the case assigned—Ibrahim Abouleish’s Sekem. In the end, this paper aims to reinforce its thesis that the proper integration of social values into the business operations of a social enterprise lies in the adoption of an ‘innovation strategy’. According to Leadbeater (2007),â€Å"a social enterprise offers a new way to do business that is animated by a social purpose† (p. 2). Unlike a normal business enterprise that measures its success through the attainment of its set objectives (whether sales growth, market expansion, operational efficiency, or brand building), a social enterprise assesses its success by the positive social impacts it has contributed to the society. As further commented by Leadbeater (2007), â€Å"many social enterprises, however, internalise their social mission as they make it central to the way they operate† (p. 3). In this regard, profit-maximization is regarded as a tool to further the enterprise’s social goals. Going back to the case study, it could be claimed that Sekem’s foundation was built around the goal of sustainable human development. Its values, therefore, are rooted on the goal of being able to contribute to the comprehensive development of the

Wynn Resorts Annual Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wynn Resorts Annual Report - Essay Example the total revenue from $4, 184, 698, 000 in 2020 to $5, 269, 792,000 and an increase in net income from $160, 127, 000 in 2010 to $613, 371, 000 in 2011. The financial performance of the company has also been increasing as indicated by the increase in the company financial ratios. The company is preparing for the future by planning on new ventures. The company plans to increase it operations in order to reach the global customers, and that is why it plans to open more branches across the world in the future. In 201, the company opened an Encore at Wynn Macau as part of its expansion into luxuries hotels and Casino globally. Recently, the company has been proposing to apply for a construction of a hotel and Casino in Philadelphia as part of its efforts of increasing and diversifying its operations. The company has also introduced new products and services into the market like the introduction of spacious suites, additional gaming and retail space which were introduced in the Wynn Macau branch. Mission statement- Wynn Resorts Limited targets high worth individuals through the provision of a variety of socioeconomic activities in its resort industry and Casino. With its resorts in Macau and Las Vegas both at the Peoples Republic of China, the resort aims at reaching a global customer base. The resort also strives to the provision of new and innovative lodging and gaming amenities to all customers. It continually seeks for expansion opportunities and new ventures in order to make advancements in its Wynn brand and also to maximize shareholder wealth. Wynn Resorts Ltd continues to provide its customers with unique and quality gaming resort experience. It encourages employee training, growth and development in order to ensure hospitable and luxurious environment for all its customers. The main reason for choosing this article is because it talks of the current issues in Wynn Resorts Limited. The article talks on the new look in Limited and Las Vegas Sands Corp which

Shakespear - King Lear Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shakespear - King Lear - Assignment Example Despite this she still loves her father, she says simply, â€Å"I love your majesty, according to your bond, no more nor less† (1.1 100-102) despite the honesty she reveals with this statement, her father cannot per see that it’s the honest love she shows. After discovery of her sisters plan to kill their father, Cordelia gathers a French army to go to war with her sisters in the defence of her father despite what he did, this true act of bravery leads to her death which portrays her saviour character in the play. Edgar is the play is the son of the Earl of Gloucester. A gullible character that falls into his brothers cruel plan that leads him to escape and disguises himself as a peasant and when his father plans to commit suicide, he tricks him that he will help him, convinces him that he has already fallen and that his life is a miracle â€Å"thy life is a miracle/Speak yet again† (4.6 69). He also kills another human in the sense of saving his

The History and Current Situation of Rotary Kiln Essay Example for Free

The History and Current Situation of Rotary Kiln Essay Rotary kiln belongs to building material equipment, and it can be divided into cement kiln, metallurgy chemical kiln and lime kiln according to different materials. Cement kiln is used for making of cement clinker and there are dry and wet methods to make cement. Metallurgy chemical kiln is used in metallurgy industry and ironworks for lean iron ore, chromium ore and ferronickel ore calcimine. The application of rotary kiln originated from the cement production. British cementer J.  Asp invented soil shaft kiln of intermittent operation in 1824; A German invented multilayer shaft kiln of continuous operation in1883; British E Ransome invented the rotary kiln in 1885 which was put into production after obtaining the patent in England and America and gained considerable economic benefits. The invention of rotary kiln makes the cement industry develop rapidly and promotes the study on application of rotary kiln. The rotary kiln is used in many industrial fields and takes a more important role in these productions. The rotary kiln becomes the core equipment in enterprise production. The technical characteristic and service behavior of rotary kiln are essential to the quality, output and cost of the product. As long as the big kiln is running, the money is coming. This ballad is a vivid description on the importance of rotary kiln in production. The rotary kiln is most often used in cement industry. The whole production technology of cement is summarized as two grinding and one burning. One burning means the technological process of burning the ground and prepared raw material into clinker by the high temperature of rotary kiln. So the rotary kiln is the main engine in cement production, and is commonly referred to as heart of cement factory. In building material industry, besides roasting cement clinker, the rotary kiln is also used for roasting clay, limestone and drying slag, etc. Rotary kiln is used for calcimine of high aluminum vandal oche in refractory material industry; for calcimine of calotte and aluminum hydroxide in aluminum manufacturer; for claiming of chrome sand ore and chrome powder ore in chemical plant. Lime kiln is used for baking active lime and dolomite in the steel factory and ferroalloy factory.

Challenges Facing Airport Management

Challenges Facing Airport Management Air travel remains a large and growing industry. It facilitates economic growth, world trade, international investment and tourism and is therefore central to the globalization taking place in many other industries which results in various challenges the airport authorities are facing in the 21st century. In the past 10 years, air travel has grown by 7% per year. Travel for both business and leisure purposes grew strongly worldwide. Scheduled airlines carried 1.5 billion passengers last year. In the leisure market, the availability of large aircraft such as the AIBUS 380 made it convenient and affordable for people to travel further to new and exotic destinations. As the economies of developing countries grow, their own citizens are already becoming the new international tourists of the future. There are various Challenges facing Airport management in the 21st Century. Different airports have different problems but one thing is for sure that some of the issues like the core issues remain the same. These are basically security of the airport especially after the 9/11 attack on US soils and the ic184 hijack in Katmandu. The rise in people travelling through the air travel has also lead to increase the facilities at the airport and new planes like A380 aircraft which results the airport to increase its infracture of the airport right from the runway to the passengers lounges to the aerobridges. As more and more companies are buying A380 there would be large requirement for the airports to upgrade their facilities according to the requirements. Bigger the infracture, more the passengers traveling bigger the facelift of the airport required and more up gradation of the facilities like parking of the passenger cars. Let us start of with the various security issues the airports are facing around the world. Large numbers of people pass through airports. This presents potential targets for terrorism and other forms of crime due to the number of people located in a small area. Similarly, the high concentration of people on large airlines, the potential high death rate with attacks on aircraft, and the ability to use a hijacked airplane as a lethal weapon may provide an alluring target for terrorism. Airport security attempts to prevent would-be attackers from bringing weapons or bombs into the airport. If they can succeed in this, then the chances of these devices getting on to aircraft are greatly reduced. As such, airport security serves several purposes: To protect the airport from attacks and crime and to protect the aircraft from attack, and to reassure the travelling public that they are safe. Process and equipment Some incidents have been the result of travelers being permitted to carry either weapons or items that could be used as weapons on board aircraft so that they could hijack the plane. Travelers are screened by metal detectors. Explosion detection machines used include x-ray machines. Explosive detection machines can also be used for both carry on and checked baggage. These detect volatile compounds given off from explosives. A recent development is the controversial use of full body scanners to detect hidden weapons and explosives on passengers. These devices require that the passenger stand close to a flat panel and produce a high resolution image. There are misunderstandings about how x-ray backscatter personnel scanners function, but they do use ionizing radiation and the x-rays emitted from them penetrate skin as well as clothing. While the risk of cancer from a single backscatter check is probably low, the cumulative risk of repeated exposure to radiation is a threat to public he alth, especially for people working in the airline industry and frequent travelers. A technology released in Israel in early 2008 allows passengers to pass through metal detectors without removing their shoes a process required as walk-though gate detectors are not reliable in detecting metal in shoes or on the lower body extremities. Alternately, the passengers step fully shod onto a device which scans in under 1.2 seconds for objects as small as a razor blade. Generally people are screened through airport security into areas where the exit gates to the aircraft are located. These areas are often called secure, sterile and airside. Passengers are discharged from airliners into the sterile area so that they usually will not have to be re-screened if disembarking from a domestic flight; however they are still subject to search at any time. Airport food outlets have started using plastic glasses and utensils as opposed to glasses made out of glass and utensils made out of metal to reduce the usefulness of such items as weapons. In the United States non-passengers were once allowed on the concourses to meet arriving friends or relatives at their gates, but this is greatly restricted now in the United States. Non-passengers must obtain a gate pass to enter the secure area of the airport. The most common reasons that a non-passenger may obtain a gate pass is to assist children and the elderly as well as for attending business meetings that take place in the secure area of the airport. In the United States, at least 24 hours notice is generally required for those planning to attend a business meeting inside the secure area of the airport. Other countries, such as Australia do not yet restrict non-travelers from accessing the airside area, however non-travelers are typically subject to the same security scans as travelers. Sensitive areas in airports, including airport ramps and operational spaces, are restricted from the general public. Called a SIDA Security Identification Display Area, these spaces require special qualifications to enter. In some countries, specially trained individuals may engage passengers in a conversation to detect threats rather than solely relying on equipment to find threats. In the United States the TSA has run several dummy tests in several major airports to measure the success of catching people with bombs. In 2002, the TSA reported that roughly 60% of fake bombs or component parts to bombs were missed by covert screeners. In 2007, that percentage rose to 75%, although this increase alone is misleading. The tests are done by using undercover agents to carry fake bombs/parts in their carryon luggage and counting how many are successful with getting through security checkpoints. The TSA runs covert tests every day and when a screener misses an undercover agent carrying dangerous items, they are immediately sent to remedial training. Throughout the world, there have been a few dozen airports that have instituted a version of a trusted traveler program. Proponents argue that security screening can be made more efficient by detecting the people that are threats, and then searching them. They argue that searching trusted, verified individuals should not take the amount of time it does. Critics argue that such programs decrease security by providing an easier path to carry contraband through. Another critical security measure utilized by several regional and international airports is the use of fiber optic perimeter intrusion detection systems. These security systems allow airport security to locate and detect any intrusion on the airport perimeter, ensuring real-time, immediate intrusion notification that allows security personnel to assess the threat and track movement and engage necceassary security procedures. This has notably been utilized at Dulles International Airport and US Military JFPASS. Developing countries like india which have a high rate of terrorists attack have a very extensive way of dealing with security of the airport. : Security at the Indira Gandhi International Airport has been revamped with the integration of anti-sabotage detection and intrusion systems of both international and domestic terminals along with the anti-terror commando squad. After the commissioning of the world class T3 terminal on July 3 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the security of the airport will be brought under a unified monitoring system known as the Security Operations Control Centre (SOCC). Entry, frisking, scanning, baggage checking, anti-sabotage and quick reaction deployment will be brought under a single umbrella. The new control centre, aided by improved scanning and surveillance software and hardware, will be monitored by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) which is the agency protecting the sensitive airport and its periphery. The ambitious and much-awaited Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS) to secure 37 kms of the airport periphery from illegal intruders will also be connected to the SOCC, a senior airport security officer said. With the security management of both the domestic and international terminals coming under an umbrella, the facility would enable a better coordination for security of passengers and other airport staff, the officer said. A special squad of the National Security Guard (NSG) black cat commandos, stationed at a newly-built airbase next to the airport, will also be associated to the new control centre. A host of new services like the Delhi Metros airport link will connect to the airport and hence the multi-tasking of security drills will grow manifold. The integrated security terminal will help in achieving the daunting task, the officer said. The control centre will also monitor the almost 3,000 CCTV cameras and 352 screening machines spread across the sprawling airport premises. The new terminal would be able to handle as many as 34 million passengers per annum against the present 26 million, as it would have eight levels with a built-up area of 5.5 million sq ft. It would have a common check-in concourse with 168 counters and 24 mobile ones apart from the most modern five level in-line baggage system for faster processing. Around 5000 CISF personnel will be deputed at the IGI airport in view of the new T3 terminal and the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. Large Size of A380 Brings Large Challenges The A380 is expected to impact the industry in two ways. On the one hand, the immense capacity of the aircraft opens up opportunities to increase passenger flow through airports without increasing the number of aircrafts. This is likely to enhance efficiency of airports as well as minimise unit costs, an important advantage considering the limited number of slots at airports. The flip side of this is that airports will need to restructure their facilities and invest heavily in infrastructure to enable future operations of the A380. However, it appears that many airports are more than prepared for the projected expenditure since they expect to gain multiple advantages from the future operations of the jet. The sheer size of the Airbus A380 brings with it immense potential but equally big challenges. Currently, the greatest challenge facing the industry is the need to adjust their facilities to accommodate an airplane code F, when most of the major international airports have the required infrastructure for aircraft code E. Although Airbus initially developed the A380 to operate on runways of code E standard, subsequent rulings by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) stated that it belonged to code F category and called for airports to expand their facilities to accommodate it. Hence, airports are spending millions of dollars for investment in this infrastructure, says the analyst. However, regulators and the aviation industry representatives have now struck a compromise that allows airports to be certified for A380 operations while minimising capital expenditure and operational disruption. Overall, airports are divided in their attitude towards the A380 and the modifications it demands depending on their current position in international air traffic. While some airports feel they have no choice but to embrace the changes, some others are deciding on the feasibility of preparing their facilities and handling the jet after carrying out a cost-benefit analysis. The remaining airports fall into the category of those that voluntarily make the required adjustments in an attempt to increase the airportà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s appeal in the international arena and thereby, attract new airlines operating the A380. CHANGI MODIFICATIONS CAAS is spending S$60m on modification works to get Changi Airports Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 ready for A380 operations. Besides modifying gate F31, CAAS has completed the expansion of one more A380-compatible gate holdroom in Terminal 2, gate E5. This includes the installation of an additional gangway and a third PLB. Nine other existing gate holdrooms in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are being similarly modified. The future Terminal 3 will have another eight A380-compatible gates, bringing the total number of A380-compatible gates at the airport to 19. Each of the 19 gates will have three PLBs. In addition, three out of four baggage claim carousels serving A380 flights in Terminal 2 have been extended to accommodate more luggage, while two A380-ready baggage claim belts in Terminal 1 will be ready in 2006. Other modification works will include the widening of runway shoulders as well as runway-taxiway and taxiway-taxiway intersections. Besides making modifications to existing infrastructure, CAAS has constructed two new freighter aircraft stands and two remote aircraft parking stands for A380 flights. Shields have also been installed along each side of a taxiway bridge to contain the effect of the A380 jet blast. Similar shields are being installed at another taxiway bridge at Changi Airport. In preparation for the A380 operations at Singapore Changi Airport in 2006, CAAS has been carrying out modification work to the existing airport infrastructure as well as incorporating A380 requirements into the design and construction of Terminal 3. As the A380 aircraft is wider and heavier than the Boeing 747-400, Changi Airports airfield must be modified to the design requirements of the ICAO for Code F aircraft. At Changi Airport, the existing runway length of 4000m and width of 60m meet the requirements for A380 operations. The existing separation distances between runways, taxiways and nearest obstacles also meet the international norms specified for A380 operations. However, the existing runway shoulders have been widened by 4.5m on each side to allow the A380 aircraft to operate safely. The aircraft pavements at runway-taxiway and taxiway-taxiway intersections are being widened to allow pilots to manoeuvre the giant A380 aircraft safely at the turns. CAAS is spending S$60m on modification works to get Changi Airports Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 ready for A380 operations. Shields have been installed along each side of a taxiway bridge to contain the effect of the A380 jet blast. Similar shields are being installed at another taxiway bridge at Changi Airport. To facilitate passenger movements from the terminal buildings to the aerobridges, existing fixed gangways (which link the gate holdroom to the aerobridge) are being modified at the designated gates for A380 operations. Each of these gates will be installed with an additional fixed gangway and a third aerobridge. They will also be enlarged to serve the increased number of passengers that the A380 will carry. Two of the existing gates, F31 and E5, in Terminal 2 are now A380-compatible. Similar works have been scheduled to modify five gates in Terminal 1 and four other gates in Terminal 2. Terminal 3 will have eight gates that can serve A380 flight operations when the terminal opens. In all, Changi Airport will have 19 enlarged gate holdrooms to accommodate A380 flights. To accommodate the larger volume of arrival baggage from A380 flights, the presentation frontage of existing baggage belt carousels in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 has been extended to about 90m. Extensions to three of the four belt carousels in Terminal 2 serving A380 flights have been completed and in Terminal 1 two belts were lengthened in early 2006. Four belts in the upcoming Terminal 3 will be custom-made to serve A380 flights. Two new A380-compatible freighter aircraft stands and two new A380-compatible remote aircraft parking stands have been constructed. Some of the key features of the new terminal are: -Sixth largest in the world after those at Dubai, Beijing, Singapore, Bangkok and Mexico City -One pier each for international and domestic operations spanning 1.2 km from one end to other -A city within, with a super-structure spread over 5.4 million sq ft -78 aero-bridges, against less than 10 at the current international terminal -63 elevators, 35 escalators and 92 automatic walkways -168 check-in counters and 95 immigration desks -One pier each for international and domestic operations spanning 1.2 km from one end to other -Over 20,000 sq meters of retail area, including a large food court -Capacity to handle 12,800 bags per hour, with 6.4 km of conveyor belts -Multi-layer parking facility that can accommodate 4,300 cars -Exotic plants, material imported from Thailand, Mexico, Bahrain. The analysts were looking at GMRs work on Terminal 3 aka T3 at Delhi Airport a symbol of the so-called Modern and Bold India, considering it is among the worlds largest airport terminals and constitutes the largest infrastructure asset in India today. While the language may be a bit technical, it does give some insight into two important subjects: a) how companies are assessed; and, more importantly from a big picture angle, b) the dynamics of Indian infrastructure growth. For more on this crucial subject, see tomorrows Featured Analysis, which compares the dynamics of Chinese and Indian urbanization for the next decade and a half. Check notepad. 1.3.1 London Heathrow London Heathrow will be used as the baseline airport in this study for several reasons: _ Large number of expected A380 operations. _ Extensive operational data readily available. _ Arrivals and departures are always segregated. _ Operation at close to runway capacity throughout the day. Under In November 2009 London Heathrow accommodated 4 daily Heathrow operations (2 ights to Singapore, one to Dubai and one to Sydney), this _gure will rise substantially as Airbus delivers more aircraft across the world given that Heathrow is a major international hub. Heathrow is also likely be the base of operations for the 18 A380s to be operated by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. In addition to the volume volume of future A380 operations Heathrow is a useful baseline airport given the wealth of data available about operations at the airport as well as the simple operational modes of its runways. Heathrow always operates one runway for arrivals and one runway for departures (to minimize the noise impact on communities under the approach path [6]). Heathrow also operates close to its runway capacity for most of the day due to slot controls at the airport. These factors 4 of 15 Airport Systems: Term Project Alexander Donaldson together mean that a simple runway capacity model described in Section 2.1 should yield an accurate estimate of arrival capacity at Heathrow. 1.3.2 New York JFK An American airport was included in the study in order to examine the e_ects of the more stringent separation requirements impose by the FAA as well as the e_ect of the lower aircraft size seen on average in the U.S. New York JFK (JFK) is likely to be one of the top U.S airports in terms of A380 operations1. JFK is also an interesting contrast to London Heathrow because its runways are frequently operated in a mixed-mode con_guration, with arrivals and departures sharing the same runway. Figure 3: New York JFK Airport Layout[7] 1.3.3 Dubai International Dubai International Airport (DXB) was chosen as the third airport in this study due to the potentially unmatched future level of A380 operations asa result of Emirates Airlines 1Los Angeles International (LAX) my handle more A380s however it was not used in this study due to the complications imposed on A380 operations by its closely spaced parallel runways and the uncertainty surrounding the resolution of these issues. 5 of 15 Airport Systems: Term Project Alexander Donaldson (based at DXB) large order for 58 of the type (Figure 1). The airport also adds a third distinct separation standard by applying the ICAO recommendations without modi_cation. Like JFK, Dubai International has a pair of parallel runways assumed to be operating independently with mixed arrivals and departures for the purposes of this study.

Customer Satisfaction for Chinese Restaurants in the US

Customer Satisfaction for Chinese Restaurants in the US Introduction: Aim of Project: Perception of Chinese restaurant in the U.S: What affects customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions? Objectives: To analyse the customers behavioural intentions for Chinese restaurant in U.S. To analyse the perception of Chinese restaurant in the U.S. To evaluate and analyse what affects customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. The United States is a multicultural and multiethnic nation and this national trend of diversity is expected to consistently increase (Josiam and Monteiro, 2004; Sukalakamala and Boyce, 2007). One reflection of this cultural and ethnic diversity is the variety and prosperity of ethnic restaurants in the American foodservice market. The U.S. ethnic food market generates $75 billion in annual sales, around 65% of which is attributed to the foodservice industry (US ethnic food market, 2005). Yet, the fast growth of ethnic restaurants is not driven entirely by the growing number of new immigrants. In fact, 75% of ethnic food consumption comes from non-ethnic customers (US ethnic food market, 2005). As lifestyles change and dining out becomes more and more commonplace, many customers desire new flavours and experiences. Along with this popularity is the rapid development of Chinese restaurants. According to Chinese restaurants news (2007), there are about 43,139 Chinese restaurants in the United States, which is more than the total number of all McDonalds Wendys and burger king domestic outlets combined. Chinese restaurants generate over $17.5 billion annual sales, accounting for about one fourth of overall annual sales generated by ethnic restaurants in the U.S. (Chinese Restaurant News, 2007). Known for its good taste and great value for the price, Chinese cuisine is among the â€Å"big three† most popular ethnic cuisines in the U.S. food service market (National Restaurant association, 1995). It is estimated that 90% of the American population has tried Chinese food and 63% of Americans eat Chinese food each month (George, 2001). Facing more sophisticated American consumers and increasing competition in the restaurant industry, Chinese restaurants can no longer succeed by depending on good taste or low price alone. According to National Restaurant Association (2000a,b), due to an increased familiarity with ethnic food. American consumers attitudes toward ethnic cuisine have recently changed. Today, an exotic experience is not enough to attract consumers to an ethnic restaurant. Customers are no longer willing to trade off inferior service or atmosphere for an opportunity to try new flavours. They prefer an excellent overall dining experience. Moreover, Chinese restaurants are facing increasing challenges from other emerging Asian restaurants and from the changing tastes of American customers who prefer healthy or spicy food. Therefore, a better understanding of the key attributes influencing customer satisfaction and post dining behavioural intentions in Chinese restaurants will provide important practical implications for Chinese restaurants operators. Literature review: At all stages in the elaboration of a dissertation, the author must exert control over both the content and the way it is organised. The literature review is what shows that the author understand the chosen topic and keeps to the aim. ‘In researching for your dissertation or project, you will generally be expected to source material for yourself says MacMillan (2007, p.61). Meanwhile, Swetnam (2005, p.76) gives examples and his definition is that ‘the literature review is central to the dissertation and in all styles of work. It has a number of functions, for example, it shows that you have read widely around your chosen topic, it demonstrates your critical understanding of the theory; it informs and modifies your own research. White (2006, p.83) gives a newer definition that the literature review ‘will help you to discuss the dissertation in its relevant context, together with any theoretical frameworks which may be involved. It may also trigger your imagination an d help you set the work in a new and different light because the author learns and understands more, which can stimulate further analysis. Research Method: The researcher need way to get the data will be from books, magazines, newspaper and through internet. As there are so many websites, no. of books, newspaper and magazines from where researcher will get updated information regarding the research. Through qualitative method the researcher will be able to find out easier way for doing research and by getting direct information related with the research. And the other thing is that in qualitative method accuracy rate is good not all time but, mostly.Quantitative method also very helpful to do the research. Code of Ethics: The world tourism organisation developed a code of ethics. This is recognition of the need to enshrine many of the principles of global action on the environment and the rights of tourists and workers. The basic principles inherit in the code are: 2 Table of contents Implementation of the principles of the code of ethics of hospitality. Mutual understanding and respect between peoples and societies. Restaurant as a beneficial activity for host countries and communities. Summary: This work will introduced the conceptual issues associated with the research of â€Å"customer satisfaction from Chinese restaurant in US† and also demonstrate what is happening with people of the local community. Chapter: 2 Literature Review Literature Review: An Introduction At all stages in the elaboration of a dissertation, the author must exert control over both the content and the way it is organised. The literature review is what shows that the author understand the chosen topic and keeps to the aim. ‘In researching for your dissertation or project, you will generally be expected to source material for yourself says MacMillan (2007, p.61). Meanwhile, Swetnam (2005, p.76) gives examples and his definition is that ‘the literature review is central to the dissertation and in all styles of work. It has a number of functions, for example, it shows that you have read widely around your chosen topic, it demonstrates your critical understanding of the theory, it informs and modifies your own research. White (2006, p.83) gives a newer definition that the literature review ‘will help you to discuss the dissertation in its relevant context, together with any theoretical frameworks which may be involved. It may also trigger your imagination an d help you set the work in a new and different light because the author learns and understands more, which can stimulate further analysis. Chapter: 1 Ethnic cuisine development and Chinese restaurants in the US. In the past few decades, with the influx of new immigrants as well as diversifying tastes of Americans, ethnic foods have become widely available and increasingly popular in the U.S. food service market (Josiam and monteiro, 2004). Traditional ethnic cuisines such as Italian, Mexican and Cantonese Chinese have become so familiar to American customer that they are perceived as mainstream American foods (Mills, 2000). In the meanwhile, many emerging ethnic cuisines such as Caribbean, Mediterranean and Pan Asian have also gained wide acceptance in recent years (US ethnic food market, 2005). Chinese cuisine arrived in the U.S. with the first railroad construction workers brought over to the west coast of the U.S. in the nineteenth century (Freeman, 2008). From the first Cantonese style Chinese restaurant opened in San Francisco in 1849, it rapidly penetrated towns and cities all over the U.S. and became part of the American experience (Chen and Bowen, 2001). Cantonese style cuisine, characterised by its light sweet and sour flavours, is the most popular Chinese cuisine in the U.S. In the recent years, other styles of Chinese cuisine have also become familiar to American customers, such as Szechwan, Hunan and Mandarin styles. The first two styles are famous for their hot and spicy flavours, while the last one is characterised by light, elegant and mildly seasoned foods (George, 2001). According to the National Restaurant Association (1995), customer perceived Chinese cuisine as a great value for the price, good for carryout, rich in flavour and difficult to prepare at hom e. Although there a few Chinese restaurant chains operating in the U.S. such as P. F. Changs China Bistro and Panda Express, most Chinese restaurant has a Chinese name outside, is decorated with Chinese styled pictures and artifacts, such as Chinese brush landscape paintings red lanterns, offers a menu printed in both Chinese and English, and provides Chinese characterised tableware, such as chopsticks and Chinese restaurants have been facing intense competition among themselves due to fast development and expansion in the U.S., as well as from other emerging Asian restaurants such as Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese ( Jang et al., 2009). Thus, maintaining customer satisfaction and repeat patronage may be more important for Chinese restaurants than ever before. Chapter: 2 Customer satisfaction and related theories The topic of â€Å"customer satisfaction† has held a significant position in the marketing literature over the decades since satisfied customers can be generate long-term benefits for companies, including customer loyalty and sustained profitability (Homburg et al., 2006). Researchers have explained the mechanism of customer satisfaction with number of distinct theories, such as expectancy-disconfirmation theory (Oliver, 1981), contrast theory (Howard and Sheth, 1969), assimilation or cognitive dissonance theory (Anderson, 1973), equity theory (Oliver and Swan, 1989), and value percept theory (Westbrook and Reilly, 1983). Among them, the most widely accepted theory is the expectancy disconfirmation theory. According to this theory, customers satisfaction judgements are the results of comparisons between customers expectations and perceived performance. If the perceived performance exceeds the expectation, the expectation is positively disconfirmed and the customer is satisfie d. On the contrary, if the perceived performance falls short of the expectation, the expectation is negatively disconfirmed and the customer is dissatisfied. Another influential theory for customer satisfaction is the equity theory. This theory suggests that satisfaction occurs when customers perceived that they have obtained more benefits compared to their cost (e.g. money, time and effort) and perceived value is an appropriate factor in measuring satisfaction (Oliver and Swan, 1989; Yuan and Jang, 2008). Another commonly used theory, the three factor theory, provides a basic explanation for the structure of customer satisfaction. This theory claims that three independent satisfaction factors influence customer satisfaction in different ways (Kano, 1984; Matzler and Sauerwein, 2002). Basic factors are minimum requirement for satisfaction. Failure to fulfil the minimum requirements causes dissatisfaction, whereas fulfilling or exceeding them does not necessarily lead to satisfaction. Excitement factors increase customer satisfaction if delivered but do not cause dissatisfaction if not delivered. Performance factors lead to satisfaction if performance is high and to dissatisfaction if performance is low (Fuller and Matzler, 2008). This theory has been validated empirical studies (e.g. Fuchs, 2004; Matzler et al., 2006) and could provide an additional perspective for understanding the effects of restaurant attributes on customer satisfaction. Basic factors can be seen as the prerequisite s for the satisfaction, signifying that customer take that for granted. Performance factors are a critical competitive area and directly related to customers explicit needs and wants. Excitement factors are unexpected by customers, so they can be a â€Å"surprise gift† that generates extra delight (Fuller and Matzler, 2008). Chapter: 3 Behavioural Intentions Behavioural intention can be defined as the degree to which a person has formulated conscious plans to perform or not perform some specified future behaviour (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980). According to the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975), behavioural intention is the motivational component of a volitional behavioural and is highly correlated with behaviour itself (Jang and Feng, 2007). Although there are still arguments about the level of correlation between behavioural intentions and actual actions, it seems to be generally agreed that behavioural intention is a reasonable variable for predicting future behaviour (Quelette and Wood, 1988). Thus, a good understanding of the determinants of favourable post-dinning behavioural intentions such as saying positive things about the restaurant, recommending the restaurant to others, and repeat purchasing can provide practical guidance for restaurant practitioners. Another construct that is highly related to behavioural intentions is customer satisfaction. It is regarded as one of the key antecedents of post purchase behavioural intentions because customer satisfaction has a positive effect on the customers attitude towards the product or service and can reinforce the customers conscious effort to purchase the product or service again in the future (Oliver, 1989, 1999). However, previous studies have also suggested that factors that influence customer satisfaction are not always in accordance with factors influencing customer behavioural intention, for example, Sulek and Hensley (2004) found that food, atmosphere, and fairness of the seating order were all significant predictors of a customers overall dining satisfaction, but only food quality predicted post-dining behavioural intention. In examining food quality in restaurants, Namkung and Jang (2007) reported that food temperature had a significant effect on customer satisfaction but no effec t on behavioural intention. Conversely, healthy options were a direct determinant of behavioural intentions but did not influence customer satisfaction. Therefore, there is a practical need to investigate the effects of restaurant attributes on both customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. Chapter: 4 Factors influencing customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions in restaurants Reuland et al. (1985) suggested that hospitality services consist of a harmonious mixture of three elements: the material product, the behaviour and attitude of the employees, and the environment. Berry et al. (2002) also proposed three categories of cues that present themselves in the service experience: functional cues (technical quality of service), mechanic cues (nonhuman elements in the service environment) and humanic cues (behaviour of service employees). Based on these propositions, the basic restaurant attributes can be said to be include food, service and environment. Though a literature review of dining satisfaction and behaviour intention, all three basic elements were found to directly or indirectly contribute to customers overall satisfaction with a restaurant experience and their post dining behavioural intentions. Chapter: 5 Food Quality As the core product of a restaurant, food plays a pivotal role in the restaurant experience. Food quality has been generally accepted as major factor influencing customer satisfaction and post dining behavioural intention. For example, Dube et al. (1994) measured the relative importance of seven restaurant attributes in repeat purchase intention in an upscale restaurant setting and found that food quality was far more important to restaurant customers than all others attributes, Sulek and Hensley (2004) investigated the relative importance of food and physical setting, and service in a full-service restaurant and found that food quality was the most important factor influencing satisfaction and the only factor predicting behavioural intention. Namkung and Jang (2007) evaluated the relationship of individual attributes that constitute food quality (e.g. food presentation, menu variety, healthy options, taste, food freshness and temperature) with customer satisfaction and behavioural i ntentions. The findings indicated that food presentation, taste and temperature were significantly related to customer satisfaction whereas food presentation, taste and healthy options (instead of temperature) were significant predictors of behavioural intention. Besides the above- mentioned six individual attributes, â€Å"food safety† is also an important cue for evaluating food quality. â€Å"Although food-safety defects are not always immediately apparent, customers do tend to notice undercooked food, food with an off taste, or foreign material in their food† (Sulek and Hensley, 2004). Thus, food may serve as the most basic and lowest standard when judging quality. Service Quality: In the service literature, perceived service quality is defined as the customers judgement of the overall excellence or superiority of the service (Zeithaml, 2008). It is the customers subjective evaluation, resulting from a comparison of expectations and perceived performance. SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al, 2008) is the instrument most often used for measuring perceived service quality in the marketing literature. It consists of five service dimension, namely, tangibles (physical facilities, equipment, and appearance of personnel), reliability (ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately), and responsiveness (willingness to help customers and provide prompt service), assurance (knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence) and empathy (caring, individualized attention the firm provides its customers). To adapt SERVQUAL to the restaurant industry, Stevens et al. (2005) modified several items from the original SERVQUAL and d eveloped DINESERV to measure perceived service quality in restaurants. In the restaurant industry, since customers not only evaluate the quality of food but also the service encounters during their dining experience, perceived service quality is seen as another core determinant of customers satisfaction and behavioural intention. For example Kivela et al. (2009) proposed a comprehensive model for dining satisfaction and return patronage. Their study indicated that the probability of return patronage was dependent on customers satisfaction with five aspects of a restaurant: first the last impressions, service quality, and ambience quality, food quality and feeling comfortable eating there and reservation and parking. Ladhari et al. (2008) investigated determinants of dining satisfaction and post-dining behavioural intentions, and concluded that perceived service quality influenced customer satisfaction through both positive and negative emotions, Customer satisfaction, in turn, influ enced recommendations, customer loyalty and willingness to pay more. Their results suggested that compared with food quality/reliability, physical design and price, service responsiveness was the most important contributor to customer satisfaction. ATMOSPHERICS Atmospherics is perceived as the quality of the surroundings space. According to Kotler (2006) it is the conscious designing of space to produce specific emotional effects in buyers that enhance their purchase probability. Atmospherics is made up of a set of elements, such as music, lighting, colour and scent. Research in environmental psychology has suggested that atmospherics has a powerful impact on peoples emotions, attitude and behaviour. Mehrabian and Russell (2005) first introduced a theoretical model to explain the impact of environmental stimuli on individual behaviour. The model claims that the physical environment could influence peoples emotional response (such as pleasure and arousal), which in turn elicits approach or avoidance behaviour toward the environment. The model has gained consistent support from the numerous empirical studies in different service settings, such as retail stores and hotels (Baker and Cameroon, 2006). In the restaurant context, Ryu and Jang (2007) explored the combined effect of multiple atmospheric variables on behavioural intentions in upscale restaurants. Their findings supported that ambience (example music, aroma, and temperature) and employee appearance had the most important influence n customers post dining behavioural intentions. OTHER FACTORS-PRICE FAIRNESS AND AUTHENCITY Besides food, service and atmospherics, perceived price fairness could be another factor that influences the customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions (Bei and Chiao, 2007). It is based on consumer internal reference prices, which could be generated by the last price paid, the price most frequently paid and the market prices in similar transactions (Kahneman et al.2006). This principle posits that firms are entitled to a reasonable profit and customers are entitled to a reasonable price. An increase in price is preserved to be fair if it is due to a cost increase. Otherwise, it is preserved to be unfair if the price is increased without any underlying cost increase. Perceived fairness of price is found to be positively related to customer satisfaction and loyalty (Bei and Chiao, 2007), whereas perceived unfairness of price can lead to immediate negative attitudinal and behavioural responses such as dissatisfaction, complaining and switching to other providers (Xia et al. 2005) . Authenticity is an attribute that could be specifically relevant to ethnic restaurants. Authenticity refers to whether the food and ethnic origin. In other words, the environment and cuisines are not adjusted to meet local tastes and customers who are familiar with the culture of the ethnic origin can be judging its authenticity (Ebster and Guist 2006). Compared with Americans restaurants, ethnic restaurants usually make use of ethnic art, decor, music and customers. Some scholars even describe ethnic restaurants as cultural ambassadors of the home country and the dining experience in an ethnic as culinary tourism (Wood and Munoz, 2006). Summary Based on the literature review, this study investigated customer perception of Chinese restaurant in terms of food related attributes service related attributes, atmosphere related attributes and other attributes (price and authenticity), and identified the key attributes affecting customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. Research Method Chapter: 3 Research Method Research Method Introduction: Methodology is the study of methods and it raises all sorts of philosophical questions about what it is possible for researcher to know and how valid their claims to knowledge might be (Fisher, 2007, p.40) The researcher has to consider the nature of the setting being studied or the ‘question being asked, as well as any possible limitations on the study, such as time and resources. Resources may be human being or monetary resources, or research tools such as computers or computer assisted telephone interviewing laboratories. There also needs to be to be a match between the study topic and methodology. For example, a research question that seeks to determine the size of the visiting friends and relatives market in an area would use a quantitative methodology, not a qualitative methodology, because the focus is on quantification. A methodology is a systematic and orderly approach taken towards the collection and analysis of data so that information can be obtained from those data. Data are raw, specific, undigested and therefore largely meaningless; information, in contrast, is what you get when data have been arranged in such a way that uncertainty is lessened, queries resolved, and questions answered. In the words of Jankowicz (2005, p.220) â€Å"Everything you do in your empirical work should be directed to the one end of gathering and presenting data from which information can be easily and simply derived†. Veal (2006, p. 125) The research approach: The author will use primary sources in the dissertation. Two interviews will be conducted: with one member of Dancing Dragon, Teesside (one of manager ) with one regular customer of Dancing Dragon restaurant The two chosen people one from Dancing Dragon and another from a regular customer of Chinese restaurant. Therefore, that customer will be capable of answering all questions and give new examples. The experience for the author is important because the answers will be based on true stories, examples and theories that are necessary for the dissertation. The interviews will be done by email and telephone, which could give the author an opportunity to gain some extra information if the interview exceeds the prepared questions and some new information will come from the interviews. Practicality of research: The interviews are a very good research method and are also practical. The information gained in the process is something new because it is primary source, then from secondary source, which must be checked. Primary source data can help the help to avoid incorrect or approximate information to learn and present further on, there is no need for the author to check it before including it in the dissertation. Also, Face to face interview can also help the author to conduct the interviews on time. The appointments must be made on time and dates are set, interviewees will not have chance to put off the interviews. Finally, it is an interesting process for the author. Sitting with a lot of books or magazine articles in the learning centre sometimes does not arise any interest in the author and the creativity in this case is poor, but to go out and to speak with people makes impressive ideas and final work can differ a lot. Five Codes of Ethics: The author of this dissertation will comply with five codes of ethics, and they will also be the limitations: will not collect information in such a way that participants are not aware of it will explain for what purpose information is required will choose to interview random individuals and will not exert pressure of any kind on them will not change information provided by participants will maintain confidentially at the request of participants The author will strictly follow the Five Codes of Ethics to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding that could develop between the author and interviewees. It is important to respect the interviewees wishes if they have them. It is the best way to say â€Å"Thank You† to respect for the time they have devoted and the knowledge for the author. Methodology: ‘Methodology is the philosophical framework with which the research is conducted or the foundation upon which the research is based. To word it differently, methodology is the rationale for the particular methods you use in your researching and in that type of research in general says Berman (2006, p. 12). That means that methodology is needed to provide the author with the means to find the research needed for the written dissertation. For the purpose of this research, the primary data will consist of two interviews and they will cover all three objectives, first, with one regular customer of ‘Dancing dragon restaurant and the second with one member of the Chinese restaurant. The interviews will be conducted through email and telephone , and will be formal. There will be 10 questions. The interviews will give advice from people who have substantial experience in the industry. Primary and Secondary Data: Data can be drawn from both primary and secondary sources. A secondary source of information already exists and has been gathered by someone else. Official statistics, previous studies, journal, magazine and newspapers articles are all sources of secondary information, and will be used in the research project for findings, analysis and recommendations. There are many styles of primary research experiments, ethnographic research and surveys. Bedford (2006, p.61) defines ‘primary data which comes from the source at the time of the event; it may be a report, newspaper article, film footage, or a live or recorded interview. That means that primary data are something that is not from sources that are already available to each student, but what he/she has studied or gained from the information by doing some research on his /her own. Many courses of study require students to engage in some form of primary research activity. In this dissertation, there will be questionnaires for people selected for the research. An advantage is that information which will be found is something new and unreached, but the limitations may be about the confidentiality of the interviewees if they ask for it. Quantitative and Qualitative Data: Quantitative data encompass a group of methods focusing on quantities and on numbers, ‘scientific research relies heavily on quantitative data. This means it focuses on changes or differences that can be measured. Standardised measurements are used such as number, time, weight, and length, says Cottrell (2008, p.206), so that results are easy to compare unbiased. This source of data is very important and is well appropriate for the project, but at the end ‘check and verify the results, looking for errors and odd results adds Moore (2006, p.139). However, qualitative research can also enhance the rigour and credibility of quantitative research. Qualitative research is ‘founded on the belief that social phenomenon (belief and experiences) can be explained with reference to the wider contexts of lived lives adds Burns (2008, p.231). He adopts the stance that people have knowledge of their own lives and that they can talk about those. Questionnaire and Interview Design: There are two types of interviews, which are classified according to the degree of flexibility. One is unstructured and the second one is structured. ‘The strength of unstructured interview is the almost complete freedom they provide in terms of content and structure. You may formulate questions and raise issues on the spur of the moment, depending upon what occurs to you in the context of the discussion explains Kumar (2005, p.123). A structured interview, continues Kumar (2005, p.126), is when ‘the researcher asks a predetermined set of questions, using the same wording and order of questions, using the same wording and order of questions as specified in the interview schedule is a written list of questions, open ended or close ended, prepared for use by an interviewer in a person to person interaction. In this project, there will be structured interviews with open ended questions, because there are only 20 questions to gain the information needed for the project. T his means that the research methods for this project are qualitative. Summary: Basically methodology is the rationale for the particular methods the researcher uses in the research to gather the needed information. For this report, author will obtain information from these methods primary Findings Chapter: 5 Research Findings Findings Introduction: Findings: Demographic profile of respondents: Source: mintel 2007 Table one show the results of the respondents demographic and dining profiles. Among the 284 valid respondents, females accounted for 52.5% of diners. The average respondent was 37 years old. The majority of respondents were Caucasian (60.2%), followed by Asian (32%) and other (7.8%). Respondents were most likely to go to a Chinese restaurant with their family (47.6%), followed by friends (27.1%) and relatives (15.2%) and were less likely to dine with business colleagues (2.1%) or by themsel Customer Satisfaction for Chinese Restaurants in the US Customer Satisfaction for Chinese Restaurants in the US Introduction: Aim of Project: Perception of Chinese restaurant in the U.S: What affects customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions? Objectives: To analyse the customers behavioural intentions for Chinese restaurant in U.S. To analyse the perception of Chinese restaurant in the U.S. To evaluate and analyse what affects customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. The United States is a multicultural and multiethnic nation and this national trend of diversity is expected to consistently increase (Josiam and Monteiro, 2004; Sukalakamala and Boyce, 2007). One reflection of this cultural and ethnic diversity is the variety and prosperity of ethnic restaurants in the American foodservice market. The U.S. ethnic food market generates $75 billion in annual sales, around 65% of which is attributed to the foodservice industry (US ethnic food market, 2005). Yet, the fast growth of ethnic restaurants is not driven entirely by the growing number of new immigrants. In fact, 75% of ethnic food consumption comes from non-ethnic customers (US ethnic food market, 2005). As lifestyles change and dining out becomes more and more commonplace, many customers desire new flavours and experiences. Along with this popularity is the rapid development of Chinese restaurants. According to Chinese restaurants news (2007), there are about 43,139 Chinese restaurants in the United States, which is more than the total number of all McDonalds Wendys and burger king domestic outlets combined. Chinese restaurants generate over $17.5 billion annual sales, accounting for about one fourth of overall annual sales generated by ethnic restaurants in the U.S. (Chinese Restaurant News, 2007). Known for its good taste and great value for the price, Chinese cuisine is among the â€Å"big three† most popular ethnic cuisines in the U.S. food service market (National Restaurant association, 1995). It is estimated that 90% of the American population has tried Chinese food and 63% of Americans eat Chinese food each month (George, 2001). Facing more sophisticated American consumers and increasing competition in the restaurant industry, Chinese restaurants can no longer succeed by depending on good taste or low price alone. According to National Restaurant Association (2000a,b), due to an increased familiarity with ethnic food. American consumers attitudes toward ethnic cuisine have recently changed. Today, an exotic experience is not enough to attract consumers to an ethnic restaurant. Customers are no longer willing to trade off inferior service or atmosphere for an opportunity to try new flavours. They prefer an excellent overall dining experience. Moreover, Chinese restaurants are facing increasing challenges from other emerging Asian restaurants and from the changing tastes of American customers who prefer healthy or spicy food. Therefore, a better understanding of the key attributes influencing customer satisfaction and post dining behavioural intentions in Chinese restaurants will provide important practical implications for Chinese restaurants operators. Literature review: At all stages in the elaboration of a dissertation, the author must exert control over both the content and the way it is organised. The literature review is what shows that the author understand the chosen topic and keeps to the aim. ‘In researching for your dissertation or project, you will generally be expected to source material for yourself says MacMillan (2007, p.61). Meanwhile, Swetnam (2005, p.76) gives examples and his definition is that ‘the literature review is central to the dissertation and in all styles of work. It has a number of functions, for example, it shows that you have read widely around your chosen topic, it demonstrates your critical understanding of the theory; it informs and modifies your own research. White (2006, p.83) gives a newer definition that the literature review ‘will help you to discuss the dissertation in its relevant context, together with any theoretical frameworks which may be involved. It may also trigger your imagination an d help you set the work in a new and different light because the author learns and understands more, which can stimulate further analysis. Research Method: The researcher need way to get the data will be from books, magazines, newspaper and through internet. As there are so many websites, no. of books, newspaper and magazines from where researcher will get updated information regarding the research. Through qualitative method the researcher will be able to find out easier way for doing research and by getting direct information related with the research. And the other thing is that in qualitative method accuracy rate is good not all time but, mostly.Quantitative method also very helpful to do the research. Code of Ethics: The world tourism organisation developed a code of ethics. This is recognition of the need to enshrine many of the principles of global action on the environment and the rights of tourists and workers. The basic principles inherit in the code are: 2 Table of contents Implementation of the principles of the code of ethics of hospitality. Mutual understanding and respect between peoples and societies. Restaurant as a beneficial activity for host countries and communities. Summary: This work will introduced the conceptual issues associated with the research of â€Å"customer satisfaction from Chinese restaurant in US† and also demonstrate what is happening with people of the local community. Chapter: 2 Literature Review Literature Review: An Introduction At all stages in the elaboration of a dissertation, the author must exert control over both the content and the way it is organised. The literature review is what shows that the author understand the chosen topic and keeps to the aim. ‘In researching for your dissertation or project, you will generally be expected to source material for yourself says MacMillan (2007, p.61). Meanwhile, Swetnam (2005, p.76) gives examples and his definition is that ‘the literature review is central to the dissertation and in all styles of work. It has a number of functions, for example, it shows that you have read widely around your chosen topic, it demonstrates your critical understanding of the theory, it informs and modifies your own research. White (2006, p.83) gives a newer definition that the literature review ‘will help you to discuss the dissertation in its relevant context, together with any theoretical frameworks which may be involved. It may also trigger your imagination an d help you set the work in a new and different light because the author learns and understands more, which can stimulate further analysis. Chapter: 1 Ethnic cuisine development and Chinese restaurants in the US. In the past few decades, with the influx of new immigrants as well as diversifying tastes of Americans, ethnic foods have become widely available and increasingly popular in the U.S. food service market (Josiam and monteiro, 2004). Traditional ethnic cuisines such as Italian, Mexican and Cantonese Chinese have become so familiar to American customer that they are perceived as mainstream American foods (Mills, 2000). In the meanwhile, many emerging ethnic cuisines such as Caribbean, Mediterranean and Pan Asian have also gained wide acceptance in recent years (US ethnic food market, 2005). Chinese cuisine arrived in the U.S. with the first railroad construction workers brought over to the west coast of the U.S. in the nineteenth century (Freeman, 2008). From the first Cantonese style Chinese restaurant opened in San Francisco in 1849, it rapidly penetrated towns and cities all over the U.S. and became part of the American experience (Chen and Bowen, 2001). Cantonese style cuisine, characterised by its light sweet and sour flavours, is the most popular Chinese cuisine in the U.S. In the recent years, other styles of Chinese cuisine have also become familiar to American customers, such as Szechwan, Hunan and Mandarin styles. The first two styles are famous for their hot and spicy flavours, while the last one is characterised by light, elegant and mildly seasoned foods (George, 2001). According to the National Restaurant Association (1995), customer perceived Chinese cuisine as a great value for the price, good for carryout, rich in flavour and difficult to prepare at hom e. Although there a few Chinese restaurant chains operating in the U.S. such as P. F. Changs China Bistro and Panda Express, most Chinese restaurant has a Chinese name outside, is decorated with Chinese styled pictures and artifacts, such as Chinese brush landscape paintings red lanterns, offers a menu printed in both Chinese and English, and provides Chinese characterised tableware, such as chopsticks and Chinese restaurants have been facing intense competition among themselves due to fast development and expansion in the U.S., as well as from other emerging Asian restaurants such as Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese ( Jang et al., 2009). Thus, maintaining customer satisfaction and repeat patronage may be more important for Chinese restaurants than ever before. Chapter: 2 Customer satisfaction and related theories The topic of â€Å"customer satisfaction† has held a significant position in the marketing literature over the decades since satisfied customers can be generate long-term benefits for companies, including customer loyalty and sustained profitability (Homburg et al., 2006). Researchers have explained the mechanism of customer satisfaction with number of distinct theories, such as expectancy-disconfirmation theory (Oliver, 1981), contrast theory (Howard and Sheth, 1969), assimilation or cognitive dissonance theory (Anderson, 1973), equity theory (Oliver and Swan, 1989), and value percept theory (Westbrook and Reilly, 1983). Among them, the most widely accepted theory is the expectancy disconfirmation theory. According to this theory, customers satisfaction judgements are the results of comparisons between customers expectations and perceived performance. If the perceived performance exceeds the expectation, the expectation is positively disconfirmed and the customer is satisfie d. On the contrary, if the perceived performance falls short of the expectation, the expectation is negatively disconfirmed and the customer is dissatisfied. Another influential theory for customer satisfaction is the equity theory. This theory suggests that satisfaction occurs when customers perceived that they have obtained more benefits compared to their cost (e.g. money, time and effort) and perceived value is an appropriate factor in measuring satisfaction (Oliver and Swan, 1989; Yuan and Jang, 2008). Another commonly used theory, the three factor theory, provides a basic explanation for the structure of customer satisfaction. This theory claims that three independent satisfaction factors influence customer satisfaction in different ways (Kano, 1984; Matzler and Sauerwein, 2002). Basic factors are minimum requirement for satisfaction. Failure to fulfil the minimum requirements causes dissatisfaction, whereas fulfilling or exceeding them does not necessarily lead to satisfaction. Excitement factors increase customer satisfaction if delivered but do not cause dissatisfaction if not delivered. Performance factors lead to satisfaction if performance is high and to dissatisfaction if performance is low (Fuller and Matzler, 2008). This theory has been validated empirical studies (e.g. Fuchs, 2004; Matzler et al., 2006) and could provide an additional perspective for understanding the effects of restaurant attributes on customer satisfaction. Basic factors can be seen as the prerequisite s for the satisfaction, signifying that customer take that for granted. Performance factors are a critical competitive area and directly related to customers explicit needs and wants. Excitement factors are unexpected by customers, so they can be a â€Å"surprise gift† that generates extra delight (Fuller and Matzler, 2008). Chapter: 3 Behavioural Intentions Behavioural intention can be defined as the degree to which a person has formulated conscious plans to perform or not perform some specified future behaviour (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980). According to the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975), behavioural intention is the motivational component of a volitional behavioural and is highly correlated with behaviour itself (Jang and Feng, 2007). Although there are still arguments about the level of correlation between behavioural intentions and actual actions, it seems to be generally agreed that behavioural intention is a reasonable variable for predicting future behaviour (Quelette and Wood, 1988). Thus, a good understanding of the determinants of favourable post-dinning behavioural intentions such as saying positive things about the restaurant, recommending the restaurant to others, and repeat purchasing can provide practical guidance for restaurant practitioners. Another construct that is highly related to behavioural intentions is customer satisfaction. It is regarded as one of the key antecedents of post purchase behavioural intentions because customer satisfaction has a positive effect on the customers attitude towards the product or service and can reinforce the customers conscious effort to purchase the product or service again in the future (Oliver, 1989, 1999). However, previous studies have also suggested that factors that influence customer satisfaction are not always in accordance with factors influencing customer behavioural intention, for example, Sulek and Hensley (2004) found that food, atmosphere, and fairness of the seating order were all significant predictors of a customers overall dining satisfaction, but only food quality predicted post-dining behavioural intention. In examining food quality in restaurants, Namkung and Jang (2007) reported that food temperature had a significant effect on customer satisfaction but no effec t on behavioural intention. Conversely, healthy options were a direct determinant of behavioural intentions but did not influence customer satisfaction. Therefore, there is a practical need to investigate the effects of restaurant attributes on both customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. Chapter: 4 Factors influencing customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions in restaurants Reuland et al. (1985) suggested that hospitality services consist of a harmonious mixture of three elements: the material product, the behaviour and attitude of the employees, and the environment. Berry et al. (2002) also proposed three categories of cues that present themselves in the service experience: functional cues (technical quality of service), mechanic cues (nonhuman elements in the service environment) and humanic cues (behaviour of service employees). Based on these propositions, the basic restaurant attributes can be said to be include food, service and environment. Though a literature review of dining satisfaction and behaviour intention, all three basic elements were found to directly or indirectly contribute to customers overall satisfaction with a restaurant experience and their post dining behavioural intentions. Chapter: 5 Food Quality As the core product of a restaurant, food plays a pivotal role in the restaurant experience. Food quality has been generally accepted as major factor influencing customer satisfaction and post dining behavioural intention. For example, Dube et al. (1994) measured the relative importance of seven restaurant attributes in repeat purchase intention in an upscale restaurant setting and found that food quality was far more important to restaurant customers than all others attributes, Sulek and Hensley (2004) investigated the relative importance of food and physical setting, and service in a full-service restaurant and found that food quality was the most important factor influencing satisfaction and the only factor predicting behavioural intention. Namkung and Jang (2007) evaluated the relationship of individual attributes that constitute food quality (e.g. food presentation, menu variety, healthy options, taste, food freshness and temperature) with customer satisfaction and behavioural i ntentions. The findings indicated that food presentation, taste and temperature were significantly related to customer satisfaction whereas food presentation, taste and healthy options (instead of temperature) were significant predictors of behavioural intention. Besides the above- mentioned six individual attributes, â€Å"food safety† is also an important cue for evaluating food quality. â€Å"Although food-safety defects are not always immediately apparent, customers do tend to notice undercooked food, food with an off taste, or foreign material in their food† (Sulek and Hensley, 2004). Thus, food may serve as the most basic and lowest standard when judging quality. Service Quality: In the service literature, perceived service quality is defined as the customers judgement of the overall excellence or superiority of the service (Zeithaml, 2008). It is the customers subjective evaluation, resulting from a comparison of expectations and perceived performance. SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al, 2008) is the instrument most often used for measuring perceived service quality in the marketing literature. It consists of five service dimension, namely, tangibles (physical facilities, equipment, and appearance of personnel), reliability (ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately), and responsiveness (willingness to help customers and provide prompt service), assurance (knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence) and empathy (caring, individualized attention the firm provides its customers). To adapt SERVQUAL to the restaurant industry, Stevens et al. (2005) modified several items from the original SERVQUAL and d eveloped DINESERV to measure perceived service quality in restaurants. In the restaurant industry, since customers not only evaluate the quality of food but also the service encounters during their dining experience, perceived service quality is seen as another core determinant of customers satisfaction and behavioural intention. For example Kivela et al. (2009) proposed a comprehensive model for dining satisfaction and return patronage. Their study indicated that the probability of return patronage was dependent on customers satisfaction with five aspects of a restaurant: first the last impressions, service quality, and ambience quality, food quality and feeling comfortable eating there and reservation and parking. Ladhari et al. (2008) investigated determinants of dining satisfaction and post-dining behavioural intentions, and concluded that perceived service quality influenced customer satisfaction through both positive and negative emotions, Customer satisfaction, in turn, influ enced recommendations, customer loyalty and willingness to pay more. Their results suggested that compared with food quality/reliability, physical design and price, service responsiveness was the most important contributor to customer satisfaction. ATMOSPHERICS Atmospherics is perceived as the quality of the surroundings space. According to Kotler (2006) it is the conscious designing of space to produce specific emotional effects in buyers that enhance their purchase probability. Atmospherics is made up of a set of elements, such as music, lighting, colour and scent. Research in environmental psychology has suggested that atmospherics has a powerful impact on peoples emotions, attitude and behaviour. Mehrabian and Russell (2005) first introduced a theoretical model to explain the impact of environmental stimuli on individual behaviour. The model claims that the physical environment could influence peoples emotional response (such as pleasure and arousal), which in turn elicits approach or avoidance behaviour toward the environment. The model has gained consistent support from the numerous empirical studies in different service settings, such as retail stores and hotels (Baker and Cameroon, 2006). In the restaurant context, Ryu and Jang (2007) explored the combined effect of multiple atmospheric variables on behavioural intentions in upscale restaurants. Their findings supported that ambience (example music, aroma, and temperature) and employee appearance had the most important influence n customers post dining behavioural intentions. OTHER FACTORS-PRICE FAIRNESS AND AUTHENCITY Besides food, service and atmospherics, perceived price fairness could be another factor that influences the customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions (Bei and Chiao, 2007). It is based on consumer internal reference prices, which could be generated by the last price paid, the price most frequently paid and the market prices in similar transactions (Kahneman et al.2006). This principle posits that firms are entitled to a reasonable profit and customers are entitled to a reasonable price. An increase in price is preserved to be fair if it is due to a cost increase. Otherwise, it is preserved to be unfair if the price is increased without any underlying cost increase. Perceived fairness of price is found to be positively related to customer satisfaction and loyalty (Bei and Chiao, 2007), whereas perceived unfairness of price can lead to immediate negative attitudinal and behavioural responses such as dissatisfaction, complaining and switching to other providers (Xia et al. 2005) . Authenticity is an attribute that could be specifically relevant to ethnic restaurants. Authenticity refers to whether the food and ethnic origin. In other words, the environment and cuisines are not adjusted to meet local tastes and customers who are familiar with the culture of the ethnic origin can be judging its authenticity (Ebster and Guist 2006). Compared with Americans restaurants, ethnic restaurants usually make use of ethnic art, decor, music and customers. Some scholars even describe ethnic restaurants as cultural ambassadors of the home country and the dining experience in an ethnic as culinary tourism (Wood and Munoz, 2006). Summary Based on the literature review, this study investigated customer perception of Chinese restaurant in terms of food related attributes service related attributes, atmosphere related attributes and other attributes (price and authenticity), and identified the key attributes affecting customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. Research Method Chapter: 3 Research Method Research Method Introduction: Methodology is the study of methods and it raises all sorts of philosophical questions about what it is possible for researcher to know and how valid their claims to knowledge might be (Fisher, 2007, p.40) The researcher has to consider the nature of the setting being studied or the ‘question being asked, as well as any possible limitations on the study, such as time and resources. Resources may be human being or monetary resources, or research tools such as computers or computer assisted telephone interviewing laboratories. There also needs to be to be a match between the study topic and methodology. For example, a research question that seeks to determine the size of the visiting friends and relatives market in an area would use a quantitative methodology, not a qualitative methodology, because the focus is on quantification. A methodology is a systematic and orderly approach taken towards the collection and analysis of data so that information can be obtained from those data. Data are raw, specific, undigested and therefore largely meaningless; information, in contrast, is what you get when data have been arranged in such a way that uncertainty is lessened, queries resolved, and questions answered. In the words of Jankowicz (2005, p.220) â€Å"Everything you do in your empirical work should be directed to the one end of gathering and presenting data from which information can be easily and simply derived†. Veal (2006, p. 125) The research approach: The author will use primary sources in the dissertation. Two interviews will be conducted: with one member of Dancing Dragon, Teesside (one of manager ) with one regular customer of Dancing Dragon restaurant The two chosen people one from Dancing Dragon and another from a regular customer of Chinese restaurant. Therefore, that customer will be capable of answering all questions and give new examples. The experience for the author is important because the answers will be based on true stories, examples and theories that are necessary for the dissertation. The interviews will be done by email and telephone, which could give the author an opportunity to gain some extra information if the interview exceeds the prepared questions and some new information will come from the interviews. Practicality of research: The interviews are a very good research method and are also practical. The information gained in the process is something new because it is primary source, then from secondary source, which must be checked. Primary source data can help the help to avoid incorrect or approximate information to learn and present further on, there is no need for the author to check it before including it in the dissertation. Also, Face to face interview can also help the author to conduct the interviews on time. The appointments must be made on time and dates are set, interviewees will not have chance to put off the interviews. Finally, it is an interesting process for the author. Sitting with a lot of books or magazine articles in the learning centre sometimes does not arise any interest in the author and the creativity in this case is poor, but to go out and to speak with people makes impressive ideas and final work can differ a lot. Five Codes of Ethics: The author of this dissertation will comply with five codes of ethics, and they will also be the limitations: will not collect information in such a way that participants are not aware of it will explain for what purpose information is required will choose to interview random individuals and will not exert pressure of any kind on them will not change information provided by participants will maintain confidentially at the request of participants The author will strictly follow the Five Codes of Ethics to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding that could develop between the author and interviewees. It is important to respect the interviewees wishes if they have them. It is the best way to say â€Å"Thank You† to respect for the time they have devoted and the knowledge for the author. Methodology: ‘Methodology is the philosophical framework with which the research is conducted or the foundation upon which the research is based. To word it differently, methodology is the rationale for the particular methods you use in your researching and in that type of research in general says Berman (2006, p. 12). That means that methodology is needed to provide the author with the means to find the research needed for the written dissertation. For the purpose of this research, the primary data will consist of two interviews and they will cover all three objectives, first, with one regular customer of ‘Dancing dragon restaurant and the second with one member of the Chinese restaurant. The interviews will be conducted through email and telephone , and will be formal. There will be 10 questions. The interviews will give advice from people who have substantial experience in the industry. Primary and Secondary Data: Data can be drawn from both primary and secondary sources. A secondary source of information already exists and has been gathered by someone else. Official statistics, previous studies, journal, magazine and newspapers articles are all sources of secondary information, and will be used in the research project for findings, analysis and recommendations. There are many styles of primary research experiments, ethnographic research and surveys. Bedford (2006, p.61) defines ‘primary data which comes from the source at the time of the event; it may be a report, newspaper article, film footage, or a live or recorded interview. That means that primary data are something that is not from sources that are already available to each student, but what he/she has studied or gained from the information by doing some research on his /her own. Many courses of study require students to engage in some form of primary research activity. In this dissertation, there will be questionnaires for people selected for the research. An advantage is that information which will be found is something new and unreached, but the limitations may be about the confidentiality of the interviewees if they ask for it. Quantitative and Qualitative Data: Quantitative data encompass a group of methods focusing on quantities and on numbers, ‘scientific research relies heavily on quantitative data. This means it focuses on changes or differences that can be measured. Standardised measurements are used such as number, time, weight, and length, says Cottrell (2008, p.206), so that results are easy to compare unbiased. This source of data is very important and is well appropriate for the project, but at the end ‘check and verify the results, looking for errors and odd results adds Moore (2006, p.139). However, qualitative research can also enhance the rigour and credibility of quantitative research. Qualitative research is ‘founded on the belief that social phenomenon (belief and experiences) can be explained with reference to the wider contexts of lived lives adds Burns (2008, p.231). He adopts the stance that people have knowledge of their own lives and that they can talk about those. Questionnaire and Interview Design: There are two types of interviews, which are classified according to the degree of flexibility. One is unstructured and the second one is structured. ‘The strength of unstructured interview is the almost complete freedom they provide in terms of content and structure. You may formulate questions and raise issues on the spur of the moment, depending upon what occurs to you in the context of the discussion explains Kumar (2005, p.123). A structured interview, continues Kumar (2005, p.126), is when ‘the researcher asks a predetermined set of questions, using the same wording and order of questions, using the same wording and order of questions as specified in the interview schedule is a written list of questions, open ended or close ended, prepared for use by an interviewer in a person to person interaction. In this project, there will be structured interviews with open ended questions, because there are only 20 questions to gain the information needed for the project. T his means that the research methods for this project are qualitative. Summary: Basically methodology is the rationale for the particular methods the researcher uses in the research to gather the needed information. For this report, author will obtain information from these methods primary Findings Chapter: 5 Research Findings Findings Introduction: Findings: Demographic profile of respondents: Source: mintel 2007 Table one show the results of the respondents demographic and dining profiles. Among the 284 valid respondents, females accounted for 52.5% of diners. The average respondent was 37 years old. The majority of respondents were Caucasian (60.2%), followed by Asian (32%) and other (7.8%). Respondents were most likely to go to a Chinese restaurant with their family (47.6%), followed by friends (27.1%) and relatives (15.2%) and were less likely to dine with business colleagues (2.1%) or by themsel