The impacts of the Balearic Island’s in ‘abolishing’ the eco-tax and recommend alternative strategies to compensate for its effects

The purpose of the essay is to identify the potential impacts of the Balearic Island's in ‘abolishing' the eco-tax and recommend alternative strategies to compensate for its effects. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to shed some light on both positive and negative impacts concerning the tourists, host community, hoteliers and the environment. Reasons for eliminating the eco-tax will be highlighted, whilst also concerning its consequent effects on the Balearic Islands. It is fundamental to understand the term ‘eco' which is basically, concerns of the environment. One way it can be described is through eco-tourism, which according to Honey & Stewart (2002) is: â€Å"†¦responsible travel to natural areas, which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people† This suggests that tourists should be aware of the environment and its residents in order to minimise the negative effects their tourism can have on a community. Honey (2002) believes that tourism can create negative ecological externalities in the form of environmental damage. The tourism industry is suggested to damage the natural resources that form the basis for eco-tourism. Eco-tourism can therefore enhance the opportunities for better management of natural resources whilst providing a satisfying experience for the visitor. It is also vital to understand the term ‘tax', which according to Mak (2004) is â€Å"an involuntary payment to the government that does not entitle the payer to receive a direct benefit of equivalent value in return† In simple the aim of introducing the payment of a tax is to ensure everyone is supported. The Balearic Islands achieved this by introducing an eco-tax on 1st May 2002 in order to help restore the environmental damage caused by tourism. The hoteliers were responsible for collecting the payment of approximately 62p a day for each person at a three star hotel of persons over 12 years old. This meant that almost à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½35 was added to an average family holiday. (www.bbc.co.uk) An article from Tourism Concern (2002) ‘Balearics eco-tax gets the vote' stated that the eco-tax was reinforced to reduce environmental impacts; nevertheless the revenue earned would be used on â€Å"cleaning up the beaches, estates restored, heritage sites maintained, cycle and walking routes developed, rural economies boosted, and hotels encouraged to implement energy and water conservation measures.† The tax was set to bring in 25 million Euros from the 2002 visitors with subsequent years contribution predicted to top 45 million euros. An article by Palmer (2001) ‘Eco tax not enough to save the planet' suggests that â€Å"everyone will be paying ‘eco tax' or ‘environmental tax', happy in the knowledge that they are saving the planet† This article shows slight sarcasm, as although taxes are introduced, it may not be helping the environment. To some extent this can be valued as true, but surely paying a tax will mean maybe less people will travel to destinations hence less damage to the environment. The Balearic Islands have been recognised as a low cost, low quality package holiday destination. Therefore Spain, may have introduced the eco-tax to diminish this image and help re-educate the traveller; at the same time providing funds for conservation, which would directly benefit the economic development and help local communities. The Balearic Islands have a population of approximately 800,000 residents, yet nearly 11 million tourists visited each year. Therefore one can imagine the negative effects caused by the mass tourism. Hunter et al., (1996) believes that the impact of tourism upon the environment can be reported as short term or long term, direct, indirect or induced into two categories of negative and positive changes. An article by Morgan (2000) ‘A Taxing Time' suggested that the eco-tax was part of the electoral programme and most people saw it as a positive measure, recognising the importance of investing in the environment, restoring and conserving certain areas of special importance. Others assumed the tax would reduce the number of tourists wanting a cheap holiday and focus on having less, higher spending tourists. So, what were the reasons for the government of the Balearic Islands to abolish the eco-tax if the revenue received would benefit them? There are many different theories suggested a number of which will be discussed. A news extract from The Times stated that the â€Å"Government has decided to abolish the controversial eco-tax†, taking place on October 2004. The tourism Minister believed that in having the eco tax â€Å"did more harm than good†. An article from The Sun ‘Tax Axed for Holiday Isles', reinforced the † negative effect† on tourism. Suggesting that the eco-tax was not favourable for the Balearic Islands. Again supporting its abolition, .an article in the Express on Sunday Jeferies (2003) suggested about the eco-tax that â€Å"it is a move in the completely opposite direction to the one the government should be working in. They need to change strategy and adopt policies to revive and boost tourism† It is understood that the Balearic Islands need to introduce other ways in which the environmental damage is minimised and ensure that visitor numbers are increasing at the same time. Balearics Tourism office spokesman Jaun Vallespir suggested that the majority of tourists and foreigners were in favour of the tax, the drop in visitor numbers was down to economic problems in Europe and Post September 11th. Suggesting that there were a number of other reasons affecting tourism. Nevertheless a survey carried out by ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) found that 64% of tourists would be willing to pay an extra à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½25 to ensure environment standards, associated with their holiday were met. If such a high percentage of tourists were willing to pay why would the government still decide to abolish the tax? The Express on Sunday (2003) suggested that although the revenue obtained from the eco-tax could help protect the environment, it showed that visitor figures in 2002 were down by 900,000, creating a deficit of more than 800 million. Only 28 hotels out of the 100 were now staying open during the winter season. Spain's Balearic Islands have been internationally famous for having experienced rapid tourism development but were now suffering following the introduction of the eco-tax. â€Å"The islands depend on tourism for 84% of the Gross Domestic Product† (http://www.tourismconcern.org.uk. This indicates that the Balearic Islands have been heavily reliant upon tourism. Jaimw Puig suggested having an eco-tax gave an impression that the islands are in undesirable conditions. (http://www.ft.com) â€Å"The regional government gave the impression that the Islands were in a bad state of repair, that it is a terrible image to send abroad† This suggested that by having the eco-tax The Balearic Islands were portraying a bad image for the resorts by suggesting they needed money to improve their environment. However, this may be due to lack of knowledge and accessible information tourists require. Knight (2002) – http://www.observer.co.uk â€Å"†¦they are doing a lot to change their image but they are coming across as greedy.† Maybe the Balearic Islands could implement a tax for those tourists partaking in certain activities that are harmful to the environment. This is identified as a user charge, according to Mak (2004) it is â€Å"a price charged by governments to users to pay for specific government services or privileges† User charges are an appropriate way to finance public services when most or all of the benefits go to identifiable users, and non-payers can be excluded from using the services at a reasonable cost. By doing so, they would still have tourism coming in and revenue earned from taxes would be used to rejuvenate areas of that are environmentally damaged. According to Gilpin (2000) Belgium had imposed eco-taxes on products since 1993, applying them to goods considered to be harmful to the environment (Pittevils 1996- cited in Gilpin, 2000, pg 150) Alternatively the new ‘coach tax' levied in Venice is apparently an attempt by the city to reduce the number of motor coaches coming into the congested city. User charges used for such purpose are most effective when demand is price elastic. Westwood (2002- http://www.travel.telegraph.co.uk) â€Å"the tax could deprive the Islands economy of more than à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300 million per year if tourists go elsewhere† Balearic Islands are very dependent on tourism therefore need to implement something that is feasible. The Gambia Tourism Authority has introduced a tourism development levy of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 per tourist from the 1st November 2002. The tax would be used to develop green areas, improve lighting in tourist areas, security and training for employees within the tourism sector. According to Barrett (2002) ‘Unfair yob tax or fair pay?' suggested that people were annoyed with the extra costs. The Sunday Times reported, â€Å"hotels are less than 40% full† there has been a huge fall in visitor numbers that the tourism industry are blaming on the eco-tax. Travel Trade Gazette – cited in Tourism Concern 2002 reported that hotels were handing out food and drink tokens to pacify the guests. The tax was unpopular with holidaymakers as it added an extra cost on holidays. The hoteliers didn't agree with the idea, as they were responsible for collecting the tax and tour operators felt that it had caused a decline in visitor numbers. Therefore maybe abolishing the tax would help resolve some of the problems, but at the expense of the environment. Increased competition from tour operators has led to cheaper flights. There is a direct flight that British Airways have recently started, from UK to Menorca costing approximately 125 euros (www.bbc.co.uk). Having cheaper flights to Balearic Islands will mean an increase in numbers to the destination hence have a knock on effect on the environment. The tax is being abolished yet more and more competition between airlines, means a huge increase in the number of visitors. To exploit this, an alternative solution would be to have customers pay an airline tax instead. According to an article from Friends of the Earth (FOE), they believe that if a charge for the UK flights was left unaltered but the charge of flights to Europe increased by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 and other international flights by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 the longest and damaging journeys would be taxed more heavily. This would raise an extra à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½700 million per year. www.foe.co.uk, by including tax via flights it would seem part of the cost rather than an additional payment. Whilst, also reducing friction between guest and hoteliers. Additional alternative strategies could be to ensure that the carrying capacity is under control. Mathieson and Wall (1982:21 – cited in Holden 2000 pg. 138) â€Å"carrying capacity is the maximum number of people who can use a site without unacceptable alteration in the physical environment and without an unacceptable decline in the quality of the experience gained by the visitors† If the carrying capacity is controlled in the Balearic Islands this could minimise the environmental damage. This could be instead of the eco-tax and may not result in the fall of visitor numbers. However environmental impacts will continue, therefore they could carry out environmental impact assessments (EIA), which would be beneficial to the destination, as they can assess certain areas affected. In conclusion, in order for the Balearic Islands to remain in the competitive market of tourism certain changes need to be addressed. Abolishing the eco-tax means that the alternative strategies put in place need to be carefully planned to ensure they are customer friendly, cost effective and not economically damaging. Clearly the eco-tax was introduced to provide financial support for the damage caused through tourism. Yet it failed to predict the decline of visitors, which in the long term would have a more adverse effect on its economy, yet a promising effect on its environment. Due to the fact the Balearic Islands relied heavily on its tourism income it would be seen as a positive measure to abolish the eco-tax. However this meant other solutions would be required to conserve the environment. As suggested airline taxes, user charge and carrying capacity are just some of the strategies suggested to alleviate the problems. As these have just been newly developed it will still require time and research to see their success in relation to the Balearic Islands. Therefore whilst these measures have been recommended as solutions to the abolishment of the eco-tax one will have to wait and see its success.

Qwl Journal of Management and Business Research

Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume 12 Issue 18 Version 1. 0 Year 2012 Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal Publisher: Global Journals Inc. (USA) Online ISSN: 2249-4588 & Print ISSN: 0975-5853 Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh By Mohammad Baitul Islam East West University (EWU, BD) Abstract – Quality of work life is a critical concept with having lots of importance in employee’s life.Quality of work life indicates a proper balance both in work and personal life which also ensure organizational productivity and employee’s job satisfaction. This research study attempted to find out the factors that have an impact and significance influence on quality of work life of employees in private limited companies of Bangladesh. To begin with the factors are identified through literature review and current context of Bangladesh. Seven factors were found and a quantitative research was done. After developing a questionnaire, survey was conducted among 100 employees.The outcome of the research is that six out of seven factors (work load, family life, transportation, compensation policy and benefits, working environment, working condition and career growth) have significant influence on quality of work life. The study concluded that an appropriate organization culture, compensation policy, career growth and relative facilities can leads to a satisfied employee mindset which ensure the overall organization productivity. Keywords : Quality of work life, Job satisfaction, Organization Productivity, Career, Organization Culture, Relative Facility.GJMBR-A Classification : FOR Code: 150305, 150311 JEL Code: J28, O15 Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of:  © 2012. Mohammad Baitul Islam. This is a research/review paper, dis tributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3. 0 Unported License http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc/3. 0/), permitting all non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Business Management Study GuideFactors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh Mohammad Baitul Islam Abstract – Quality of work life is a critical concept with having lots of importance in employee’s life. Quality of work life indicates a proper balance both in work and personal life which also ensure organizational productivity and employee’s job satisfaction. This research study attempted to find out the factors that have an impact and significance influence on quality of work life of employees in private limited companies of Bangladesh.To begin with the factors are identified through literature review and current context of Banglad esh. Seven factors were found and a quantitative research was done. After developing a questionnaire, survey was conducted among 100 employees. The outcome of the research is that six out of seven factors (work load, family life, transportation, compensation policy and benefits, working environment, working condition and career growth) have significant influence on quality of work life.The study concluded that an appropriate organization culture, compensation policy, career growth and relative facilities can leads to a satisfied employee mindset which ensure the overall organization productivity. Keywords : Quality of work life, Job satisfaction, Organization Productivity, Career, Organization Culture, Relative Facility. II. Background of the Study n Bangladesh a good number of people are working in private sector and they contribute a certain level of valuable time to their companies.In there, they give their best effort to get an appreciation and for company’s goodwill. But quality of work life is such a concept which needs a certain balance both in professional and personal life. This research is all about identifying the factors that directly affects one’s quality of work life. It is very important to have a positive quality of work life experience if someone wants to give his or her 100 percent effort to the company.Quality of work life is a philosophy or set of principals which holds that people are trustworthy, responsible and capable of making valuable contribution to the organization (Rose, Beh, Uli & Idris, 2006). However, quality of work life is directly influenced by job satisfaction and external environment and personal like. There should have be a proper level of balance in work life and total life space. In my research, I have identified some major factors that Author : BBA (Marketing & HRM) & MBA (HRM), East West University (EWU, BD).PGD (Marketing Management), Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM, BD). E-mail : [email  prote cted] com I I. Introduction It is very important for employees to have a sound mindset in their work field in order to utilize their full potential and to add value to the organization. A satisfied employee is an asset for a company as he or she will ensure the full productivity. To begin with, quality of work life is such a concept that directly related to the satisfaction.According to Dolan, Garcia, Cabezas and Tzafrir (2008), quality of work life is a major concern for employees and how organizations compact with this issue is both of academic and practical consequence. Therefore, job satisfaction and satisfaction in private life both are important for having a positive quality of work life experience. Mostly the quality of work life considers the work life and it is to change the climate at work along with human-technological-organizational interface (Luthans, 1995).According to (Davis & Cherns, 1975; Sashkin & Burke, 1987), quality of work life is not only enhancing the company ’s productivity but also employee identification and a sense of belonging and pride in their work. Based on various researches we can identify some determinants of quality of work life which are – adequate and fair compensation, safe and health work environment, opportunity for career growth and security, social integration in the work organization which relates to freedom of speech, work and total life space and the social relevance to the work. 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XVIII Version I may directly affect the quality of work life experience and the factors are, work load, working condition and career growth, compensation and benefits, working environment which are directly influence the job satisfaction. These factors are controllable by the company. Besides, family life and transportation facilities are the other factors that directly influenced individual’s mental motivation in Banglade sh.However, the meaning of quality of work life may vary to different people. So the primary objective of this research is to test the reliability of identified factors that influenced the quality of work life and the insights are captured from the employees of private limited companies of Bangladesh. Based on the primary objective and data evaluation, a recommendation has been drawn in my research. Year 2012 23 Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh 24 2Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XVIII Version I In Bangladesh candidate’s supply is more than the demand therefore it is difficult to find one’s suitable job in the market. Though the private companies are increasing but employee satisfaction is still a major concern for quality of work life. Along with that, in Bangladesh employee satisfaction can be hampered by private life also. Transportation engagement is a maj or part of private life and in Bangladesh lack of transportation facility is a vital issue for late coming in the office.In this study I have included family life and transportation facility in to the quality of work life concept. These two factors are also related to mental health of employees and a sound mental health is very important to gain enthusiasm in the work. However, I have also included some other factors which works inside the organization and also related to quality of work life of employees. In the context of quality of work life, organizations have policies and benefits for proper employee valuation.Quality of work life is often considered in two direction, one is to removal of negative aspects of work and working conditions and other direction is the modification of work and working conditions to enhance the capability of employees and to promote behavior which important for individual and society (Kotze, 2005). According to Dessler (1981), quality of work life was seen as the level to which employees are able to satisfy their personal needs not only in terms of material matters but also of self respect, contentment and an opportunity to use their talents make contribution and for personal growth.So it is very important for an organization to provide employees proper valuation which will satisfy them and will ensure the productivity. III. ? Research Objectives a) Broad Objectives Determining the Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh. b) Specific Objectives ? ? ? ? Determining the variables that affect the quality of work life of employees. Determining which variable plays the most significant role on quality of work life.Establishing hypothesis on the basis of the research work. Drawing a qualitative and quantitative conclusion on the basis of the survey. IV. Literature Review Based on researchers analysis numerical articles have been written on quality of work life. In case of Bangladesh the research article on quality of work life is very few. In this study I have tried my best to introduce some concerning factors that affects the quality of work life of those people who are working in private sector of Bangladesh.I do believe several advantages are associated with my study. Quality of work life is such a concept that indicates a balance both in personal and professional life of an individual. Therefore; it can be hampered if someone is not satisfied with his or her work life or family life. However; positive quality of work life experience is very important and it is directly interrelated with job satisfaction and productivity. It is a fact which also controls the mental health.According to Plug, Louow & Gouws (1991) mental health is a state of relative good alteration that is escorted by feeling of satisfaction, a zest for life and the actualization of potential skills as well as absence of psychopathological conditions. So to have a positive quali ty of work life experience, a good quality of life is very important. Mendola and Pellingrini (1979) summarized quality of life as it is the individual’s accomplishment of a satisfactory social situation within the limits of apparent physical ability.Every human has a concern about their life and quality comes out when it the concentrations ends with some specific points. According to Shin and Johnson (1978) Quality of life is the ownership of resources necessary for the satisfaction of individual needs, wants and desires, participation in the activities permitting personal development and self actualization and satisfactory comparison between oneself and others. Moreover, a proper balance in quality of work life can generate more productivity for an organization. A satisfied employee can give more than 100 percent contribution to his or her company.If we consider the whole organization as an internal environment then it becomes very important to have optimum work pressure, a ccurate benefits and enough facility along with career development within the company. All of these interrelated with the job satisfaction and therefore quality of work life. Besides, if we consider the external environment then family life, social status and transportation will be the vital factors. So having a proper balance in these areas is also important. In Bangladesh a great amount of people are working in private limited companies and the number of private company is increasing day by day.Considering the large number of population, in Bangladesh the human resource supply is more than the demand. Therefore, the bargaining power is more for company where candidates are having less bargain power. On the other hand, lots of employees are not running on their suitable jobs. It seriously affects their career development. Most of the employees consider compensation package and benefits, position, work load and career development as their satisfaction benchmark. However, in Banglade sh transportation facility is another very important factor that directlyYear 2012  © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh affects employee’s mental health. Based on this, some upper level company like Grameenphone limited, Robi, Unilever Bangladesh, Nestle Bangladesh, Banglalink, some private banks, private universities has develop their own culture and working environment. Besides, a good compensation package and benefits are offered by them. All of these are important for job satisfaction and finally quality of work life.In Bangladesh, companies are mainly performance oriented and their organizational culture and work pressure may be the reason of dissatisfaction in quality of work life. As human supply is more so high turnover rate and high competition is also a major concern regarding quality of work life. Quality of work life has been defined in various ways. Accordin g to Rose, Beh, Uli and Idris (2006); quality of work life is a philosophy or set of principals, which holds that people are trustworthy, responsible and capable of making a valuable contribution to the organization.It also involves respect and the elements that are relevant to an individual quality of work life include task, working environment, organizational culture, administrative system and the relationship between on the job and off the job life. Serey (2006), define quality of work life as it is a certain and best meet the existing work environment along with meaningful and satisfying work. It also includes: a. an opportunity to implement one’s talents and abilities to face challenges that require independent initiative and self direction. b. an activity thought to be valuable by the individual’s involvement. c. n activity in which the role of individual in achievement of some overall goals is understandable. d. a sense of taking pride in what one is doing and i n doing it well. Lau, Wong, Chan and Law (2001) measures quality of work life as the favorable working atmosphere that chains and promotes satisfaction by giving employees with rewards, job security and career development opportunity. Therefore quality of work life and its relationship with employee health and performance has become an explicit objective for many of the human resource policies in modern organizations (Dolan, Saba, Jackson & Schuler, 2007).Heskett, Sasser and Schlesinger (1997) summarize quality of work life as the outlook that employees have towards their job, colleagues and organization that light a chain leading to the organization’s growth and profitability. Quality of life is such a concept which is basically associated with satisfaction mainly in the work life and Mirvis and Lawler (1984) highlighted that salary, working hours, working condition, safe working environment and opportunities for advancement describes- the basic components of a good quality of work life.Hackman and Oldhams (1980) suggest the V. Conceptual Framework A conceptual framework has been developed (Figure 1) that is one of the relative construct of this study. VI. Hypotheses Development 1= Word load has an impact on quality of work life of the employees 2 = Family life affects the quality of work life of the employees 3 = Transportation facilities affect quality of work life of the employees 4 = Compensation and benefits affects quality of work life of the employees = Colleagues and supervisor relationship affects quality of work life of the employees 6 = Working environment has an impact over quality of work life of the employees 7 = Working condition and career growth opportunities affects quality of work life of the employees VII. Based on research question following hypotheses has been developed for the study- Research Methodology The type of research used in this article is of descriptive nature. Through this descriptive research, the article sough t to determine the answers to why,  © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XVIII Version I constructs of quality of work life in relation to the interaction between work environment and personal needs. Along with structural modification good relation between supervisor and subordinates is important for a good quality of work life (Bertrand and Scott, 1992). Quality of work life refers the quality of life that is associated with job characteristics and work conditions as well as capability of shaping a job with an employee’s option, interest and needs (Lawler 1982; and Beukema 1987; Datta 1999).Katzell et. Al (1975) defined quality of work life more broadly as an individual’s valuation of the outcome of the work relationship. They observed employee can have positive quality of work life if he has positive feelings towards his job, if he is motivated with his private life and if he has a balance between the t wo terms of his personal values. To conclude, most of the studies on quality of work life are focused on personality and job satisfaction in where some studies also focused on motivation, organization culture and individual’s needs and desire.In the context of Bangladesh the most important factors that directly affect the quality of work life are work load, compensation and benefits, colleagues and supervisor, working condition and career development, working environment, family life and transportation facilities. After evaluation of studies and considering the nation these factors individually has an impact on quality of work life. 25 Year 2012 Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh 26 2 Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XVIII Version I hat, where and how questions of the existing employees in public sector of Bangladesh and their expectations. It also involves collecting i nformation that explain people’s beliefs, knowledge, attitude and behavior (Fink, 1995, Sommer & Sommer, 1996). Primary data was collected through telephone and online survey for analysis and secondary data was be used as a support tool. A total of 100 sample size considered to be adequate for my study. Each and every response is checked thoroughly for incomplete and missing response. The questionnaire has two parts in were the first part contains some demographic information.Table 1 gives a proper summary of this sort of information. In the second part, the questionnaire contains 32 items to construct the seven independent variables along with a dependent variable in my study. The selected independent variables are: work load, compensation and benefits, colleagues and supervisor, working environment, working condition and career growth, family life and transportation. A five point Likert scale (1= Strongly Disagree to 5= Strongly Agree) was used to collect data from the resp ondents. The questionnaire was outlined in English and understandable.Reliability analysis was done to identify the reliability of my study. Beside this, regression analysis, hypothesis testing was done for a proper justification and to draw an appropriate recommendation in my study. VIII. mean scores of the factors of QWL with standard deviation also shown (Table 4) in my study. i. Hypotheses Testing To conduct the hypothesis test a regression analysis has been done and seven factors which have an effect in quality of work life are considered. However, details of the influence of independent variable over dependent variable have been shown in Table 7.First hypothesis was 1 , Word load has an impact on quality of work life of the employees. According to the analysis, the significance value for the hypothesis is 0. 000, which is less than level of significance ? = 0. 05. So, null hypothesis is rejected and 1 is accepted. Second hypothesis was 2 , Family life affects the quality of work life of the employees. According to the analysis, the significance value for the hypothesis is 0. 000, which is less than level of significance ? = 0. 05. So, null hypothesis is rejected and 2 is accepted.Third hypothesis was 3 , Transportation facilities affect quality of work life of the employees. In this case, the significance value for the hypothesis is 0. 007, which is less than level of significance ? = 0. 05. So, null hypothesis is rejected and 3 is accepted. My fourth hypothesis was 4 , Compensation and benefits affects quality of work life of the employees. Here, the significance value for the hypothesis is 0. 000, which is less than level of significance ? = 0. 05. So, null hypothesis is rejected and 4 is accepted.My fifth hypothesis was 5, Colleagues and supervisor relationship affects quality of work life of the employees. According to the analysis, the significance value for the hypothesis is 0. 332, which is greater than level of significance ? = 0. 05. So , null hypothesis is accepted and H5, is rejected. Sixth hypothesis was 6, working environment has an impact over quality of work life of the employees. The significance value for the hypothesis is 0. 014, which is less than level of significance ? = 0. 05. So, null hypothesis is rejected and is accepted. Final hypothesis was 7 working condition and career growth opportunities affects quality of work life of the employees. The significance value for the hypothesis is 0. 009, which is less than level of significance ? = 0. 05. So, null hypothesis is rejected and 7 is accepted. ii. Regression Analysis From the regression analysis (Table 5), I found the R square value to be 0. 425 meaning 42. 5% of the variability in the quality of work life of employees in the private limited companies in Bangladesh can be explained by these seven independent factors.In this case the independent variables are work load, family life, transportation, compensation policy and benefits, colleagues and supervisor, working environment and working condition and career growth. From the ANOVA table we see that the significance value is 0. 000 (Table Year 2012 Data Analysis and Findings My study contains 69% male respondent and 31% female respondent (Table 1). Among them 94% respondent’s age is in between 21-30 years and rest of 6% respondents is under 31-40 years of age. However, 44% respondents already have 2-3 years of professional experience in where 27% respondents have 3-5 years of experience.Moreover, some fresher’s are having 1-2 years of experiences are also included in my study and the percentage is 23%. A reliability analysis is commonly used to identify the internal consistency of the variables. However, Cronbach’s alpha is commonly used to test the reliability and the range of alpha coefficient value is in between 0 to 1. The higher value indicates the higher reliability (Hair, et al. , 1992). A value more than . 70 is significantly good measure for su fficient scale of reliability (Cronbach, 1951, Nunnally, 1987).According to the Cronbach’s alpha test the value of alpha in my study is 0. 732 (Table 2 & Table 3) which is higher than minimum acceptable value. Therefore, 73. 20% of data are reliable in my study. This reliable analysis has been done for all dependent and independent variables and so far I am satisfied. Besides, this reliability test contains 32 items based on which I make my hypothesis test. A  © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) a) Demographic Data Analysis b) Secondary Data Analysis Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh ), thus proving that the model is valid and significant. However, among 7 factors six of them (work load, family life, transportation, compensation policy and benefits, working environment, working condition and career growth) have positive and significance influence on quality of work life. Only single factor named colleagu es and supervisor has no significance impact on quality of work life. Probably, respondents have given less notice on it. iii. Limitation This research study has some limitation and the major limitation factor for this report is complexity of the topic.Since the survey will be conducted on questionnaire therefore it is a great challenge to ensure the actual validity of the response. In some cases, the topics were not understood by the employees who have minimal idea about the quality of work life. Respondents are selected only from Dhaka city; therefore this research does not reflect the perception of employees of each corner of Bangladesh. However unwillingness of respondents was another limitation of my study. Moreover, R Square (0. 425) is comparatively low which means that other factors can also influence the quality of work life of employees in private limited companies of Bangladesh. v. References References Referencias 1. Arts, E. J. , Kerksta, J. and Van der Zee (2001) Quali ty of Working Life and Workload in Home Help Nordic College of Caring Sciences, 12-22. 2. Baptiste, N. R. (2008). Tightening the link between employee well-being at work and performance: A new dimension for HRM. Management Decision, 46(2), 284-309. 3. Bertrand, J. (1992). Designing quality into work life. Quality Progress, 12, 29-33. 4. Carayon, P. (1997). Temporal Issues of Quality of Working Life and Stress in Human Computer Interaction. International Journal of HumanComputer Interaction, 9(4), 325-342. 5. Carayon, P. , Hoonakker, S. & Scwarz, J. (2003). Job Characteristics and Quality of Working Life in the IT workforce: The role of gender, ACM SIGMIS CPR Conference. Edited by E. Trauth, April. 10-12, 2003, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: ACM Press, 5863 6. Cooper, C. L. (1991). Stress in organizations. In M. Smith (Ed. ), Analysing Organisational Behaviour. London: MacMillan. 7. Cummings, T. G. , & Molly, E. S. (1997). Improving Productivity and the Quality of Work Life. New York: P raeger Publishers. 8. Danna, K. , & Griffin, R. W. (1999). Health and wellbeing in the workplace: A review and synthesis of the literature. Journal of Management, 25(3), 357384. . Davison, Efraty, D. , & Sirgy, M. J. (1990). The effects of quality of working life (QWL) on employee behavioural responses. Social Indicators Research, 22, 31-37. 10. Elizur, D. , & Shye, S. (1990). Quality of work life and its relation to quality of life. Applied Psychology: International Review, 39(3), 275-291. 11. Fisher, C. D. , Schoenfeldt, L. F. and Shaw, J. B. (2004) Human Resources Management. Biztantra: New Delhi. 12. Goodman, P. S. (1980), ? Quality of Work Life Projects in 1980’s? Industrial Relations Research Association: pp-487-494  © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) 27 Conclusion and RecommendationThis research study is tried to examine the factors that have an impact on quality of work life of employees of private limited companies in Bangladesh. The seven factors are work load, fami ly life, transportation, compensation policy and benefits, colleagues and supervisor, working environment and working condition and career growth. The outcome of the research indicates that six out of seven factors (work load, family life, transportation, compensation policy and benefit, working environment and working condition and career growth) have significant influence on quality of work life and the remaining factor (colleagues and supervisor) has no ignificant influence on quality of work life. From the finding, it can be recommended that quality of work life is such a critical concept that might be disturbed due to dissatisfaction of mind set. However, the companies can focus on their employee’s welfare by providing them a better and attractive compensation policy, optimum work load and by providing a superior work environment. The private companies should create a career growth opportunity within their environment that may lead to a better performance and therefore a better productivity.Moreover, participation management will increase the enthusiasm of employees as they will have an opportunity to participate with their ideas. So the private companies of Bangladesh can focus on it. On the other Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XVIII Version I Year 2012 hand, transportation is such a factor which is seriously involve in mental satisfaction. Therefore, if the companies can provide a transportation facility then they might grab a positive impression from employees and the employees may not need to harass by external environment.However, the government of Bangladesh can take some steps to provide adequate and affordable transportation facilities for the local people. Finally, I think if the company could manage our work life along with the transportation facility, our family or private life could be managed as we will be mentally happy. Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Li mited Companies in Bangladesh 28 2 Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XVIII Version I 13. Glasier, E (1976), ? State of the Art, Questions about Quality of Work Life? Personnel. 14. Hanlon, M. D. and Gladstein, D. L. (1984) Improving the Quality of Work Life in Hospitals: A Case Study, Hospital Health Service Administration, 29(5), 94107. 15. Havlovic, S. J. (1991) Quality of Work Life and Human Resource Outcomes, Industrial Relations, 30(3), 469-479. 16. Khan, A. A. (2008). Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations (2nd Edn. ). Abir Publications: Dhaka. 17. Loscocco, K. A. and Roschelle, A. R. (1991) Influences on the Quality of Work and Non- Work Life: Two Decades in Review, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 39(2), 182-225. 8. Lambert, S. J. (1990). Process linking work and family: A critical review and research agenda. Human Relations, 43, 239-257. 19. Lawler, E. E. (1975). Measuring the psychological quality of working life: The why and ho w of it, in L. E. Davis and A. B. Cherns (Ed. ), The Quality of Working Life, Vol. 1 (pp. 123-133). New York: Free Press. 20. Periman, S. L. (2006), â€Å"Human Resource Innovators, integrating quality of work life into organizational performance†, http://www. quaiindia. com [accessed 15 Jan 2010]. 21. Rose, R. C. , Beh, L. S. , Uli, J. , Idris, K. 2006) Quality of Work Life: Implications of Career Dimensions, Journal of Social Sciences, 2(2), 61-67. 22. Saraji, G. N. & Dargahi, H. (2006), â€Å"Study of Quality of Work Life (QWL)†, Iranian Journal of Publication Health 35(4), 8-14. 23. Walton, R. E. (1975), Criteria for Quality of Working Life, in Davis, L. E. & Cherns, A. B. (eds. ), The quality of working life, New York: The Free Press, pp. 99104. 24. Wyatt, T. A. & Wah, C. Y. (2001), â€Å"Perceptions of QWL: A study of Singaporean Employees Development†, Research and Practice in Human Resource Management 9 (2), 59-76 Year 2012  © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh Figure 1 : A Conceptual frame work of Factors affecting Quality of Work Life. Family Life Transportation Private Life Quality of Work Life 29 Work Life Work Load Compensation and Benefits Working Environment Colleagues and Supervisor Working Condition and Career Growth Table 1 : Demographic Profile of Respondent. Gender Male Female (%) 69. 00 31. 00 Age 21-30 years 31- 40 years 40 years an (%) 94. 00 6. 00 0. 00 Position Executive Sr. Executive Officer Sr. Officer Asst. Manager Manager Merchandiser Asst.Territory Officer Territory Manager Management Trainee Teacher Specialist Total 100. 00 Total 100. 00 Total (%) 48. 00 4. 00 19. 00 4. 00 6. 00 2. 00 2. 00 3. 00 3. 00 2. 00 4. 00 3. 00 100. 00 Total 100. 00 Year of 1-2 Years 2-3 Years 3-5 Years 5-7 Years 8 Years and (%) 23. 00 44. 00 27. 00 4. 00 2. 00  © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) Global Journal of Management and B usiness Research Volume XII Issue XVIII Version I Year 2012 Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh Table 2 : Reliability Statistics. Cronbach's Alpha . 32 Cronbach's Alpha Based on Standardized Items . 786 N of Items 32 Table 3 : Reliability Tests. Factor’s Name Items 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Values 0. 796 0. 60 0. 825 0. 526 0. 821 0. 927 0. 809 0. 471 Quality of Work Life (Dependent) Work Load (Independent) Family Life ((Independent)) Transportation (Independent) Compensation Policy and Benefits (Independent) Colleagues and Supervisor (Independent) Working Environment (Independent) Working Condition and Career Growth (Independent) Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XVIII Version I Year 2012 30 2 Table 4 : Mean Scores of the Factors of QWL.Factors Workload Family Life Transportation Compensation Policy Colleagues and Supervisor Working Environment Working Condition and Career Growth Mean 3. 0800 3. 4350 3. 4900 2. 5325 4. 0325 3. 8700 3. 4850 Std. Deviation . 50861 . 94054 . 86524 1. 02473 . 74845 . 76581 . 64630 Table 5 : Regression Analysis. Model 1 R . 652(a) R Square . 425 Adjusted R Square . 381 Std. Error of the Estimate . 48606 a. Predictors: (Constant), Working Condition and Career Growth, Work Load, Transportation, Compensation Policy, Family Life, Colleagues and Supervisor, Working Environment Table 6 : ANOVA.Model Regression 1 Residual Total Sum of Squares 16. 072 21. 735 37. 807 df 7 92 99 Mean Square 2. 296 . 236 F 9. 718 Sig. .000(a) a. Predictors: (Constant), Working Condition and Career Growth, Work Load, Transportation, Compensation Policy, Family Life, Colleagues and Supervisor, Working Environment b. Dependent Variable: QWL  © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) Factors Affecting Quality of Work Life: An Analysis on Employees of Private Limited Companies in Bangladesh Table 7 : Hypothesis Testing. Coefficients (a)Model (Constant) Work Load Famil y Life Transportation Compensation Policy Colleagues and Supervisor Working Environment Working Condition and Career Growth Unstandardized Coefficients B 3. 425 . 577 . 287 -. 218 -. 245 -. 104 . 309 -. 308 Std. Error . 604 . 123 . 073 . 078 . 058 . 107 . 123 . 115 . 475 . 436 -. 305 -. 407 -. 126 . 382 -. 322 Standardized Coefficients Beta 5. 668 4. 705 3. 943 -2. 782 -4. 206 -. 974 2. 518 -2. 682 . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 . 332 . 014 . 009 . 007 t Sig. 1 a. Dependent Variable: QWL  © 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US) Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XVIII Version I Year 2012 31

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Breadfruit Religion Anglican The Church of England was the state church from the time the English took Jamaica from the Spaniards in 1655, until the church was disestablished in 1872. Originally the church of England, the term Anglican was used from the  19th Century. During the 1960s , the church of England in Jamaica was renamed the Anglican church of Jamaica in the province of the west indies. Jamaica was divided By the English colonists into parishes, having each establish a parish church. Dominated as it was by the sugar planters and English government officials, the Church was described as an ornamental adjunct to the state, making little effort To the majority of the population, which consisted of free blacks and coloured People. The church’s supremacy was challenged from the 18th century by the Arrival of the non-conformists, which was naturally hostile to these efforts. Such Hostility reached a climax following the slave revolt of 1831-1832 when renegade Anglican clergymen and churchmen formed the colonial church union to destroy Non-conformist chapels and to send them off the island to prevent emancipation, But unfortunately failed. Nevertheless, some planters took interest in the slaves And bishop of London sent a bishop to the island who was appointed in 1825, to Undertake administration and the affairs of the church which resulted in the Revitalization of the church in the later years and new membership. St. Andrew Parish Church,Half-Way-Tree Methodist The church was founded by Charles Wesley, a missionary, within the Anglican Church to fortify and supplement the work of that church. Wesley and his assoc- Iates were known for their Methodist way in which people followed and observed Their principles; which eventually they became known as ‘Wesleyan Methodists’. The Methodists then established Missionary Societies in the American colonies, Breaking with the Anglican church but was not fully established as the Methodist Church. Until after Wesley’s death, when Dr. Thomas Coke, Superintendent of the American Methodists established the first church (Coke Church) and organized for Missionaries to come and preach to the non-white population in Jamaica despite numerous obstacles. Coke Church,Kingston Moravian The Moravians were the first Christian missionaries to come to the island with The express purpose of Christianizing the slaves. They were not very successful at First: arriving in 1754, by 1800 they had baptised less than 1,000 Africans in the Island. The sect was founded by Count Nikolaus Von Zinderdorf in Moravia in Central Czechoslovakia. They began ministering to the slaves in the West Indies in 1732 and came to Jamaica at the invitation of two landowning brothers in St. Elizabeth by the names of Joseph Barham and William Foster, where they contin- Ued preaching and ministering to people and eventually, started establishing Moravian churches in Jamaica. Salem Moravian Church,Beeston Spring, Westmoreland Presbyterian A protestant church governed by presbyters or by elders and adhering to varying Modified forms of Calvinism, the church had its beginnings in the preaching of John Knox in Scotland. In 1688 the Church of Scotland became the Presbyterian Church of Scotland but there were many breakaway groups, brought by the Scots To which they migrated. In 1813, the many residing Scots in Kingston began a drive To build a church and the island’s first Presbyterian church was opened on April 4, 1819 as the Scots Kirk, later renamed St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk. Not attached to any Mission board abroad, the congregation asked the Church of Scotland to send a Minister and the Revd John Brown arrived and became the first minister for the Church. St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk United Church, Kingston Architecture Jamaican Georgian Architecture From the 1750s until the1850s, Jamaican Georgian Architecture was the most Popular style in the country. It combined the elegance of British Georgian architec- Ture with functional objectives appropriate to tropical climate, built to withstand Heat, earthquakes, humidity, hurricanes and insects. Some common features to This style include ballus trades, ornate and deep fascia boards, contrasting lattices And pineapple shaped finials located above  rooflines and comices. This style quickly Became the default style across the island and was used to design major public Buildings, from railway stations to simple domestic houses. Individually, houses Differed according to the architect’s personality and the owner’s taste and wealth. In contrast to other houses in the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, Jamaican houses were elevated using stilts or plinings to give room to air circulat- Ion. This was an effective to prevent rot, keep the ground cool, and to prevent Insects, scorpions, rats and snakes from entering living areas. Devon House in Kingston is a classic example of Georgian Style of architecture with its neoclassical Form, symmetry and wide, sweeping stairways. Devon House,Kingston Jamaican Vernacular Architecture In the 18th century, however, not yet everyone could afford to build buildings in The Georgian style. When the owner’s incomes were low or the construction sites Were too demanding, smaller and less fancy houses were built in a style that was More appropriate to the situation. The Jamaican Vernacular architectural style Was common among tenant farms and servants, but also by the children of freed Slaves. These houses were typically positioned in such a way to prevent kitchen Smoke,fromreaching the living spaces and had very large inner spaces, must like The bothies of 18th scotland and until today, these houses attracted then attention Of critics as they are very well designed, appropriately placed and make intultive Use of inferior space.

Group Progression in Society Essay Example for Free

Group Progression in Society Essay The pressures of society force humans into groups, whether to change something, unite, or to feel a sense of belonging. Nonetheless, it can be difficult to find what groups you may fit into and these groups can change as you transform into a more critical thinker. Studs Terkel tells the story a of Ku Klux Klan member turned school board activist, C.P. Ellis, in his essay, â€Å"C.P. Ellis.† Ellis’ struggles and realizations prove what critical thinking and self-examination can do. Mike Rose’s essay, â€Å"I Just Wanna Be Average† also displays the importance of growing through groups and how changing mental habits can help transform one into a more efficient critical thinker, therefore allowing one to surpass the cultural myths placed upon them. Gary Colombo enlightens readers by defining and giving advice on how to transform oneself into a critical thinker in his essay, â€Å"Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths†. Colombo argues that by thinking critically and challenging the norms of our society we can fight to be the people we truly want to be. Humans form into groups subconsciously as well as consciously. Consequently, these groups we cast ourselves into are the very things that can hold us back from becoming true individuals. By reexamining old ways and becoming active critical thinkers, members of society can participate in groups in a manner which will allow them to grow intellectually and outlast the cultural myths that is society has placed upon them. Groups have a large impact on society since they are constructed to allow humans to do more than they would be able to as mere individuals. However, groups can often hinder the thought process of individuals and may cause people to settle for less than what they are actually capable of. The â€Å"cultural myth† of belonging in society can cause individuals to become immersed in a group’s ideas wholly instead of blending them with their own beliefs. Ellis recalls when his former Klansmen called him after he started working for integration on the school board with Ann Atwater, African American women. â€Å"My old friends would call me at night: ‘C.P, what the hell is wrong with you? You’re selling out the white race.’ This begin to make me have guilt feelin’s. [. . .] My mind was beginnin’ to open up. I was beginnin’ to see what was right and what was wrong. I don’t want the kids to fight forever† (405). Had Ellis remained a narrow-minded member of the Ku Klux Klan his judgments and perceptions would have continued to be overly influenced by the Klan’s extremist beliefs. By expanding his mind Ellis was able to work on non-Klan related issues and overcome his racist tendencies thus transforming him into a more independent thinker. Critical thinking such as this is essential in being able to think independently opposed to being over powered by a group’s point of view and opinions. Colombo defines critical thinking as â€Å"a matter of dialogue and debate – discovering relationships between apparently unrelated ideas, finding parallels between your own experiences and the ideas you read about, exploring points of agreement and conflict between yourself and other people† (9). By applying these skills Ellis talked through the issues on the school board and reexamined his relationship with Ms. Atwater which in turn matured his critical thinking abilities. These critical mental skills will enable one to choose which groups they truly belong to instead of merely becoming a drone in order to fulfill their own senses of belonging. However, not all group enrollment and involvement is by the choice of its members. Some are pieced together by members whose superiors have placed them in said groups. In some cases, placement into these groups can impede on the development of critical and independent thinking. Mike Rose’s unjust placement into his school’s vocational is a prime example of this forced-group hindrance. Colombo states that â€Å"[c]ultural myths become so closely identified with our personal beliefs that rereading them means rereading ourselves, rethinking the way we see the world. Questioning long-held assumptions can be an exhilarating experience, but it can be distressing too† (8). By rethinking the groups’ society places us in we can gain a better understanding of ourselves as well as a better perception of the cultural myths that hold our true identities down. Rose tells about that the defenses mechanisms that he and his classmates built up to deal with the below average, self-image that the vocational track gave them, â€Å"[they] to twist the knife in [their] own grey matter† in order to stand up to the mental wear-and-tear of the vocational schooling process. Rose delves further into this process: You’ll have to shut down, have to reject intellectual stimuli or diffuse them with sarcasm, have to cultivate stupidity, have to convert boredom from a malady into a way of confronting the world. Keep your vocabulary simple, act stoned when you’re not or act more stoned than you are, flaunt ignorance, materialize your dreams. It is a powerful and effective defense – it neutralizes the insult and the frustration of being a vocati onal kid. (Rose 162) Defenses like the ones used in Rose’s essay cause individuals to do the bare minimum and do not allow individuals to grow within the group but rather the opposite; it stunts their identities and makes them complacent rather than questioning the world around causing a lack of internal expansion. By questioning the cultural myths of society and expanding the mind to think more critically individuals will be able to broaden their intellectual and social horizons. Ellis reminiscences at the end of the essay about his person growth by saying that â€Å"our troubles are over with. They say the older you get, the harder it is for you to change. Since I changed, I’ve set down and listened to tapes of Martin Luther King. I listen to it and tears come to my eyes’ cause I know what he’s sayin’ now. I know what’s happenin’† (408). By progressing through groups (the Ku Klux Klan and school board) Ellis was able to become a critical thinker and overcome the many cultural myths of his life. Similarly, Rose progressed to become a critical thinker. By going from vocational track to college prep, Rose was forced to reassess his self in order to become the type of student and person he wanted to be upon entering college prep. â€Å"I’d been mediocre for too long and enjoyed a public redefinition. And I suppose the inner workings of my mind, such as they were, had been private for too long† says Rose on regards to his switch and achievement in college prep (166). Both of these experiences show that by reevaluating the cultural myths in society and growing through different groups individuals can become critical thinkers and redefine themselves as the people they want to be. Society is filled with cultural myths and pre-assigned groups for its members. Only by overcoming these myths and growing intellectually can individuals become who they want to be rather than what society decrees them to. The experiences of Rose and Terkel show what critical thinking and group progression can do to one’s true self. Since Colombo defines critical thinking in his essay, the two experiences of Rose and Terkel allow the idea to be brought to life and put his work into context. Upon building critical thinking skills and experiencing group progression throughout life, individuals will be able to gain a multifaceted understanding of their true selves. This understanding will allow individuals to delve into the critical thinking and lead them to constantly challenge the world and groups around them. Works Citied Colombo, Gary. â€Å"Thinking Challenging Critically, Cultural Myths.† Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Eds. Colombo, G., Cullen, R., and Lisle, B. Boston: Bedfortd/St. Martin’s, 2010. 1-15. Print. Rose, Mike. â€Å"I Just Wanna Be Average.† Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Eds. Colombo, G., Cullen, R., and Lisle, B. Boston: Bedfortd/St. Martin’s, 2010. 157-169. Print. Terkel, Studs. â€Å"â€Å"C.P. Ellis.†.† Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Eds. Colombo, G., Cullen, R., and Lisle, B. Boston: Bedfortd/St. Martin’s,

Analysis of Singapore Integrated Resorts

Analysis of Singapore Integrated Resorts 1 Introduction Singapore is a small island city with a total population of about 4.98 million. The local population consists of approximately 74.2% ethnic Chinese, 13.4% Malays and 9.2% Indians. The remainder 3.2% is made up of Eurasians and other foreign workers. It is a relatively young population with only 217,000 or 7% of the population currently over the age of 65. This is set to change dramatically from now to 2030 when 800,000 or 18.7% of the population will be aged 65 years and above. The proportion of those between 15 and 45 years currently make up nearly half the population (Singapore Facts and Figures, 2009) The objective of the Integrated Resorts is to strengthen the leisure and entertainment options to enhance Singapores reputation as a must-visit destination for leisure and business visitors. The Integrated Resorts will be part of a larger spectrum of tourism products and are developing to enhance our destination appeal, and will enhance the tourism industry and economy. (Ministry of Trade and Industry, 2010) The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Singapore expanded at an annual rate of 24.00 percent in the last reported quarter. From 2007 until 2010, Singapores average quarterly GDP Growth was 7.62 percent reaching an historical high of 45.70 percent in March of 2010 and a record low of -12.50 percent in June of 2008. Singapore along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan is one of the Four Asian Tigers. Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, information technology products, pharmaceuticals, and on a growing service sector. This page includes: Singapore GDP Growth Rate chart, historical data and news. (Trading Economics, 2010) There are over 7,000 Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) with operations based in Singapore, 4,000 of which are regional headquarters (Singapore Facts and Figures, 2009). Definition of Socio Economics In most cases, socio economists focus on the social impact of some sort of economic change, which is basically a study of the relationship between the economic activity and social life (Davis et al, 2008). Involve both economic and social factors. 1.2 Objectives of the Research The main objectives of this research are to understand the Socio-Economic Perspective of the Singapore Integrated Resorts. This research deals with the socio-economic factors that have potential impact of the Singapore Integrated Resorts. Its focus is to investigate and analyze the socio-economic impact. Identify and evaluate the significance of the social and economic factors of the Integrated Resorts. For instance gambling addiction, money laundering, Revitalizing of Singapore Tourism Industry and Boost in Singapore Tourism and Economy. The objective of this research to understand the socio economic perceptive of Singapore Integrated resorts, would they have bad or good effect to Singapore and understand the factors how these factors have positive or negative effect on Singapore. 1.3 Research Focus The Focus of this research is to understand the Socio-Economic perceptive of the Singapore Integrated Resorts. The main aim to understand how, the impacts of the Singapore Integrated Resorts can play a vital role in the socio and economic ways. Revitalizing Singapore Tourism Boost for Singapore Tourism and Economy Compulsive Gambling 1.4 Research Questions In this report we have to invest the socio economic- perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts and the effects of these socio and economic perceptive could be negative and positive. How the Integrated Resorts would help in Revitalizing Singapore Tourism. How the Integrated Resorts would help in boosting Singapore Tourism and Economy How the Integrated Resorts could cause Compulsive Gambling Chapter 2 Literature Review The purpose of literature review is to make sure that we analyze the Socio Economic- Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts and the purpose of the literature review is to select promising measure, methods (Mamchak and Mamchak, 1994) The Integrated Resort (IRs) is undoubtedly a necessary step to Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s future economic viability. As Singapore has no natural advantages, it must capitalize its ability to stay at the front of the global economy, with focus to attract foreign investors, tourists and talent. Surveys have suggested that Singapore is seen as unexciting compared to other travel destinations, and has been labeled as conservative, moderate and stale; concentrating on traditional cultural projects like the Asian Village, Tang Dynasty and Haw Par Villa, and failing to move on with new innovations (Straits Times, 2005). Identify and highlight the important variables and document the significant results of earlier research that will serve as the basis on which the theoretical framework of the investigation can be built and the hypothesis developed (Sekaran, 2003). Based on the research objectives, the researcher will provide relevant concepts in the review of current literature in this chapter. Revitalizing Singapore Tourism Singapore achieved good growth in visitor arrivals of 4.6% during Jan-May 2008, visitor arrivals to Singapore started to decline from June 2008 coinciding with the economic downturn. September/October saw a slight pickup in arrivals due to the 2008 FORMULA 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix. Stronger arrivals from West Asia (+15.5%), South Asia (+5.6%), Oceania (+6.6%) and Europe (+4.5%) also helped to cushion the downward pressure on arrivals. As a result, Singapore ended the year with a marginal decline of 1.6% in arrivals to reach a total of 10.1 million visitor arrivals. Visitor arrivals to Singapore fell by 4.5% year-on-year in July 2009 to reach 881,000 visitors. Visitorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s days were estimated at 4.6% million days, year-on-year decrease of 11.6% in comparison of July 2008 (923,000), The decline in tourism is certainly a concern for Singapore and the solution is to revitalize Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s tourism and create a unique Singapore niche. There is little po int in selling Singapore as a country rich in heritage and culture; rather, the Integrated Resorts will market the modern entertainment, vibrant city life, and a constantly changing environment Singapore can best call her own (Singapore Tourism Board, 2009). Figure 1 Decline in tourism in 2008 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsdrop in numbers.png Source: Singapore Tourism Board, 2010 Singapore Tourism Boards (STB) can see the potential attraction of the Integrated Resort as an economic case to revitalize the tourism attractions which have become luster over the years. The two Integrated Resorts can bring more prospective investors and they could invest up to some $5 billion and create about 35,000 jobs for the whole economy. (Ministry of Home Affairs, 18th April, 2005) The integrated Resorts played an important role and the visitor arrivals to Singapore registered 18.4% growth to reach 947,000 in September 2010, the highest number of arrivals received in the month of September. This also marks the tenth consecutive month of record visitor arrivals. This monthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s visitor arrivals can be partly attributed to the hosting of the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s only Formula One night race and the draw of the many leisure and entertainment events under the Grand Prix Season Singapore 2010 (Singapore Tourism Board, 2010). China is ranked third among the top 15. There is good potential for the Chinese tourists market. With the rise of China and the influx of middle-income Chinese tourists the segment with the largest growth potential, in which most are willing to gamble at the gaming tables, the IRs would become more crucial than ever. The Feedback Unit itself has ascertained that Singapore wants an iconic destination resort that offers world-class entertainment and leisure facilities not a mere gambling facility like Macau. Figure 2 Visitors arrival 2009/10 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsvisitors arrivals.png Source: STB 2010 Figure 3: Visitors arrival top 15 markets 2010 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsvisiots arrival 2010.png Source: STB 2010 Figure 4 Visitors arrival 2007/08 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSnag itVisitordec 07,dec08.png Source: STB 2010 The socio economic perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts have really revitalized the tourism sector of Singapore as shown in the figure above and the tourism industry has grown rapidly as there are a lot of visitors coming to Singapore to check out the new Integrated Resorts, leisure and recreation purpose. Singapore had rapid hotel growth and development over the past two years with the openings of The St. Regis Singapore (April 2008), Capella Singapore (March 2009), Integrtaed Resorts and the Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore. The hotels are doing very good business as their occupancy rate has really grown up and they are performing well. The new hotel openings come at a time when visitor arrivals numbers to Singapore are seeing an increase. The destination saw visitor arrival numbers increase by 30.3 percent to 946,000 visitors total in May 2010, compared to the same period last year, which saw 726,000 visitor arrivals. May marked the sixth consecutive month during which Singapore saw record tourism arrival numbers. The country expects to reach its goal of at least 11.5 million total visitor arrivals by the end of 2010 (Travel Age West, 2010) Average Occupancy Rate (AOR) posted a 5.2 percentage point increase over September 2009 to reach 82% in September 2010. (STB, 2010) Figure 5 Hotels average occupancy 2009/10 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factshotel occupancy in 2010.pngSource: STB, 2010 Average Room Rate (ARR3) increased by 13.1% over September 2009 to reach an estimate of S$233 in September 2010. Figure 6 Average Room Rate 2009/2010C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factshotel arr.png Source: STB 2010 2.2 Boost Singapore Tourism and Economy The Integrated Resorts brings in entertainment and conventions, hospitality and retail outlets, which will help to increase the demand for hotel services, greater patronage at restaurants and heightened convention and exhibition activities. Studies and surveys have shown that tourism numbers and spending increase with the development of IRs. The Integrated Resorts in Singapore is not like the gambling facilities in Macau or Australia, which mainly cater to local patrons. One possible model for Singapore is a premium themed mega-resort, which has a large scale development that takes advantage of beach and marina settings to create a truly get-away holiday feel for visitors and locals Supporters of Integrated Resorts have claimed that touristà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s duration and repeated visits would also increase. Singapore Tourism Board also supports the project, as it believes that the IRs has help to boost the tourism industry and enhance Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s attractiveness as a tourism destination. Being among the top-three visitor-generating markets, China (with increasing number of middle-class), and Japan (with existence of high rollers), serve as attractive target segments for Singapore (Singapore Tourism Board, 2009). There has been a great change from the paradigm over the past century. Governments and developers around the world have caught on the race to mastermind, create and develop Integrated Resorts and Entertainment which creates positive value propositions and potential growth to the countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s image and economic strength of Singapore. Between 1993 and 2002, tourismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s contribution to GDP dropped from 6.1% to 3%, and our share of the Asia Pacific tourist flow fell from 8% in 1998 to 6% in 2002. Extremely moderate. Figure 7: Assessing the Economic Impacts Integrated Resort: Assessing the Economic Impacts Total Revenue of about $ 270 million, of which $212 million are derived from gaming activates Contribution to GDP of about $500 million, which is 0.4 of Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s 2003 GDP Employment of people of 3600 Source: Forecast by Assoc Prof Winston Koh, Singapore Management University The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has forecasted its tourism industry for 2010, predicting that between 11.5 million to 12.5 million visitors will arrive, with S$12.6 billion ($9 billion) to S$13.3 billion ($9.52 billion) in tourism receipts. The forecast can be attributed to Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s dramatic transformation as a result of multibillion-dollar investments in new tourism infrastructure (Singapore Tourism Board, 2010). The Integrated Resorts play a vital role in attracting the visitors through Casinos, Shopping Centers, Universal Studios, different types of Hotels, Convention halls and restaurants. Singapores two integrated resorts are a major boost to the countrys economy, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The Prime Minister said he is glad that visitors are generally happy with the IRs as such attractions make the economy more vibrant and the city more colorful. He added that the IRs have created buzz and both were packed with visitors on their opening days, creating many jobs in the hospitality and tourism sector. According to media reports, nearly 200 bus loads of Malaysian tourists a day are visiting the IRs. (Channel News Asia, 2010) Asia in particular is fuelled by rapid growth, economic interest for the business and leisure group. Plenty of investors both local and foreign are becoming aware that Integrated Resorts are now becoming the of city life with important socio economic implications. (Integrated resorts and Entertainment 2010) Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s growth accelerated to a record 18.1 percent pace in the first half of 2010, spurring the currency and putting the island on course to overtake China as Asiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s fastest-growing economy this year. Gross domestic product expanded at a 26 percent annualized pace in the second quarter from the previous three months, after a revised 45.9 percent gain in January to March, the trade ministry said today. Growth in the first half was the fastest since records began in 1975, prompting the government to predict GDP will rise 13 percent to 15 percent in 2010 (Bloomberg,2010) Figure 8 Singapore GDP Growth rates 2007/2010C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore facts11-10-2010 1-48-36 PM.png C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsgdp.png Source: Trading Economics (2010) Singapores two integrated resorts are a major boost to the countrys economy, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The Prime Minister said he is glad that visitors are generally happy with the IRs. He added that the IRs have created buzz and both were packed with visitors on their opening days, creating many jobs in the hospitality and tourism sector. (Channel News Asia, 2010) In the case of the tourist-related services, like Hong Kong, Singapore has enjoyed a big bounce in tourist arrivals during the first 5 months of 2010, and theres an extra boost from the Integrated Resorts opening. Jimmy Koh, head of Economic-Treasury Research, United Overseas Bank, said: Most of us are still expecting a moderate 5 to 6 more per cent growth for 2011. This will put Singapore on track to possibly becoming the worlds fastest growing economy, surpassing even China. On an annualized and seasonally adjusted basis, Singapore economy expanded 26.0 per cent in the April-June period (Channel news Asia, 2010) Figure 9, 10, 11 Visitors arrive 2009/10. 2008/09. 2009/10C:UsersDickeyDesktopSnag itjuly 2010 visitors.png C:UsersDickeyDesktopSnag itVisitor10-23-2010 2-22-36 PM.png C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsvisitors arrivals.png Tourism in Singapore is expected to experience a boom this year due to Integrated Resorts. Industry players say there are now over 950 travel agents in Singapore an increase of over 100 from previous year. Travel agents told Media Corp that there are now more queries on visiting Universal Studios Singapore, Casinos and Hotels. Some operators are also increasing investments to expand their businesses and gain a bigger share of the tourism dollar. The two integrated resorts are expected to bring in more tourists to Singapore in the next one to two years. (Channel News Asia, 2010) 2.3 Compulsive Gambling As reported in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? on 27 August, 2009, Singaporeans have a love for gambling. Singaporeans reportedly indulged in gambling, such as 4D, TOTO, and Football betting and horse-racing. Their growing appetite for gambling drove an increase of 3.6% in betting and sweepstakes duties, totaling S$1.4 billion (4D accounted for S$1.1 billion). Individuals claimed S$19 billion in reliefs (for example CPF, child, caregiver, maid levy, NS man); 218,600 people with assessable income of over S$20,000 did not have to pay tax (Today, 27 Aug, 2009). Figure 11 People Queuing outside Singapore Pools C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsSingapore pools.png Source: Today 2009 PM Lee Hsien Loong at Parliament Sitting, 18 April 2005. Integrated Resorts (IRs) are a significant proposal to boost our tourism industry. The government has been studying this idea for over years. The issue has been debated intensely, both among the public and within the government, because the IRs has a gaming component that is a casino. Many Singaporeans have spoken up both for and against. One of the key issues would be compulsive gambling as a social impact of having a casino in Singapore. So there will be the casino regulator. The Ministry of Home Affairs set up a new regulatory agency to regulate the casino. The casino regulator will put in place a strict regulatory to ensure that the casino remains free from criminal influence and that illegal activities on the premises are kept under control. Singaporeans love for gambling could be issue as people would have a compulsion for gambling. Casino gaming is becoming widely available around the world and Singapore, intention is not to develop a gambling attraction that compete in the gambling market (Lee, 2005). The Integrated Resorts in Singapore will not be like the gambling facilities in Macau or Australia, which mainly cater to local patrons. One possible model for Singapore is a premium themed mega-resort, which has a large scale development that takes advantage of beach and marina settings to create a truly get-away holiday feel for visitors. The Integrated Resorts are having issues raised included concerns that the casinos is resulting in increased compulsive gambling and undesirable activities linked with gambling such as loan sharks and organized crime.  In what is said to be one of the biggest losses yet at a Singapore casino, a local businessman lost $26.3 million over three days of gambling in June 2010. This included a staggering $18 million that he lost in one day alone. (Today, June 2010). These are the signs of compulsive gambling. Singapore love for gambling can become a compulsive gambling issues and casino industry in Asia has been booming over the years, both legally and illegally, despite moral and religious barriers in legalizing and operating gambling facilities for recreation. Now the Integrated resorts being operating in Singapore which gives the residents of Singapore to gamble but with a levy charged upon entry. Singapore has being the hub for gambling for several years as shown in the figure below before the Integrated Resorts even, but now it is legally allowed by law to gamble with responsible gambling. Figure 12 Gambling Participation Rates by Type of Games (%) C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore facts11-15-2010 10-17-29 PM.png Source: Gambling Survey 2008 2.4 Theoretical Framework Based on the theoretical framework the theoretical framework is there to test the validity of an existing theory. It is easier to understand the theoretical framework if it is viewed as the answers to the collected interrelated concepts. Revitalize Singapore Tourism IV 1 Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts DV Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism IV 2 Compulsive Gambling IV 3 2.5 Hypothesis Development Hypothesis development is necessary as it shows a relationship between two or more variables expressed in the form of testable statement. (Sekaran, 2003: pg 103). Based on the research topic the final independent variable and dependant variable are as follows. Revitalize Singapore Tourism. (IV 1) Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism. (IV 2) Compulsive Gambling. (IV 3) Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts. (DV) 2.6 Null hypothesis Addressed by: = 0 Finding: There is no relationship between the IVs and DV The null hypotheses represent that the independent variable (IVs) and do not have effect on the outcome of Dependent Variable DV. Table of Null Hypotheses H1 = Hypothesis 1. Revitalize Singapore Tourism H2 = Hypothesis 2. Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism H3 = Hypothesis 3. Compulsive Gambling = 0 => = Ho H1= Ho There is no significant effect of Revitalize Singapore Tourism on Social Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts H2= Ho There is no significant effect of Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism on Social Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts H3= Ho There is no significant effect of Compulsive Gambling on Social Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts Alternative Hypothesis Addressed by: à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   0 meaning that à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho Finding: There is either negative or positive relationship between the IVs and DV Procedure : The alternative hypotheses represent that the outcomes are different from zero; in particular, it could be greater (positive) or lesser (negative). As a result, IVs positively relate to the DV if alternative hypotheses greater than zero and negatively relate to the DV if alternative hypotheses lesser than zero. To find out how significant IVs positively or negatively relate to DV, Alternative Hypotheses are measured. The alternate hypothesis  which is the opposite of the null is a statement expressing a relationship between two variables or indicating differences between groups. (Sekaran Bougie, 2003) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   0 => à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho H1à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho There is either positive or negative effect of Revitalize Singapore Tourism on Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts H2à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho There is either positive or negative effect of Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism on Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts H3à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho There is either positive or negative effect of Compulsive Gambling on Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts Research Design The main aim of this research is to conduct a descriptive study and a correlation study. Descriptive research is used to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomena to describe what exists with respect to variables or conditions in a situation. The methods involved range from the survey which describes the status, the correlation study which investigates the relationship between variables, to developmental studies which seek to determine changes over time. (Key, 1997) In this research the researcher wants to relate the independent variables and the dependent variables. Descriptive study and a correlation study would help in identifying the information, design a procedure to gather the information and analyze the information with the help of the IVà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s and DV. 3.1 Research Methodologies In order to collect the data for my research it is necessary to get an understanding of the data collection methods. There are many research methods but according to the topic nature we are doing a qualitative study. Qualitative research is unstructured exploratory in nature based on small samples and may utilize popular qualitative techniques such as group interviews, word association asking respondents to indicate their first responses to stimulus words and interviews For the purpose of this research the survey questionnaire of quantitative research is more effective in collecting and analyzing a huge amount of data. Furthermore the time to collect and study the answers from questionnaire is shorter as well. As a result the survey questionnaire of quantitative is the most suitable method to this research. (Malhotra, 2007) 3.2 Data Collection Methods According to the research design we are going to the following methods Secondary Data: Secondary data are the existing sources which were produced by earlier researchers for some specific purposes. According to the research topic we are using secondary data collections ways as it is from existing sources. (Blaxter et al, 2001) Primary Data: Primary data are original information collected by researchers to fulfill numerous purposes of research. The investigators could collect primary data by using various methods such as direct interviews, interviews through telephone, questionnaires, observations and others. (Macneill and Chapman, 2005) In this research, secondary data will be collected through magazines, journals, newspaper reports, company manuals, brochures and annual reports. 3.3 Data Collection Methods In this research, the researcher uses a questionnaire to gather data due to questionnaire is an effective data collection mechanism when the researcher knows exactly what is required and how to measure the variables of interest (Sekaran, 2003). Data would be collected through magazines, journals, newspaper reports, and brochures. To capture data, questionnaires are designed accordingly to specific information needed. In order to be precise, the question will be set as simple as possible. The number of question is small and the words are simplified. Before the questionnaire is practiced, they should be pre-tested to see how it works and improved if there is any mistake. 3.4 Data analysis The researcher needs an effective data analysis tool to examine the chosen hypothesis at the beginning step. SPSS which stands for Statistics Package of Social Science is considered the best method in statistical analysis. This software allows researchers to enhance their perception of the data and interpretation of the output. (Weinberg and Abramowitz, 2002) The main jobs of researcher are to decide the needed variables before entering the input to the software, to select correct statistical tests to analyze data and to interpret the final output results. (Bryman and Bell, 2007) 3.5 Pilot-Testing The purpose of doing pilot testing is to detect weaknesses in design and content in the instrument before it is reach final steps. (Fink, 2003), 12 peoples are required to be tested. The pilot tested should monitor the ease with which respondents complete the questionnaire, and also the ease with respondents to complete the questionnaire (Fink, 2003). 4 Ethical issues While conducting survey and interview for the research, the researcher should consider the code of ethical issue. The major responsibility of the researcher is to inform clearly and accurately the surveyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s purpose and content to respondents so that they can make decision whether they wish to participate. The researcher should also show the respect to the participants by keeping their answers confidential based on the guidelines of the university. Furthermore researcher need to guarantee the data must be used only for this particular report. No Content Month Nov, Dec 2010 Jan Feb 2010 Mar Apr 2010 Week 1,2 3,4 1,2 1,2 1,2 3,4 1,2 3,4 1,2 3,4 1,2 1 Problem Identification 2 Literature Review 3 Research Design 4 Choice of Methodology 5 Data Sources 6 Data Collection 7 Data Analysis 8 Writing up Draft 9 Editing 10 Final Document 11 Binding of Document 5 Schedules Figure 13: Singapore Population .Source: Singapore department of Statistics C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore facts11-10-2010 2-07-49 PM.png Analysis of Singapore Integrated Resorts Analysis of Singapore Integrated Resorts 1 Introduction Singapore is a small island city with a total population of about 4.98 million. The local population consists of approximately 74.2% ethnic Chinese, 13.4% Malays and 9.2% Indians. The remainder 3.2% is made up of Eurasians and other foreign workers. It is a relatively young population with only 217,000 or 7% of the population currently over the age of 65. This is set to change dramatically from now to 2030 when 800,000 or 18.7% of the population will be aged 65 years and above. The proportion of those between 15 and 45 years currently make up nearly half the population (Singapore Facts and Figures, 2009) The objective of the Integrated Resorts is to strengthen the leisure and entertainment options to enhance Singapores reputation as a must-visit destination for leisure and business visitors. The Integrated Resorts will be part of a larger spectrum of tourism products and are developing to enhance our destination appeal, and will enhance the tourism industry and economy. (Ministry of Trade and Industry, 2010) The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Singapore expanded at an annual rate of 24.00 percent in the last reported quarter. From 2007 until 2010, Singapores average quarterly GDP Growth was 7.62 percent reaching an historical high of 45.70 percent in March of 2010 and a record low of -12.50 percent in June of 2008. Singapore along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan is one of the Four Asian Tigers. Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, information technology products, pharmaceuticals, and on a growing service sector. This page includes: Singapore GDP Growth Rate chart, historical data and news. (Trading Economics, 2010) There are over 7,000 Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) with operations based in Singapore, 4,000 of which are regional headquarters (Singapore Facts and Figures, 2009). Definition of Socio Economics In most cases, socio economists focus on the social impact of some sort of economic change, which is basically a study of the relationship between the economic activity and social life (Davis et al, 2008). Involve both economic and social factors. 1.2 Objectives of the Research The main objectives of this research are to understand the Socio-Economic Perspective of the Singapore Integrated Resorts. This research deals with the socio-economic factors that have potential impact of the Singapore Integrated Resorts. Its focus is to investigate and analyze the socio-economic impact. Identify and evaluate the significance of the social and economic factors of the Integrated Resorts. For instance gambling addiction, money laundering, Revitalizing of Singapore Tourism Industry and Boost in Singapore Tourism and Economy. The objective of this research to understand the socio economic perceptive of Singapore Integrated resorts, would they have bad or good effect to Singapore and understand the factors how these factors have positive or negative effect on Singapore. 1.3 Research Focus The Focus of this research is to understand the Socio-Economic perceptive of the Singapore Integrated Resorts. The main aim to understand how, the impacts of the Singapore Integrated Resorts can play a vital role in the socio and economic ways. Revitalizing Singapore Tourism Boost for Singapore Tourism and Economy Compulsive Gambling 1.4 Research Questions In this report we have to invest the socio economic- perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts and the effects of these socio and economic perceptive could be negative and positive. How the Integrated Resorts would help in Revitalizing Singapore Tourism. How the Integrated Resorts would help in boosting Singapore Tourism and Economy How the Integrated Resorts could cause Compulsive Gambling Chapter 2 Literature Review The purpose of literature review is to make sure that we analyze the Socio Economic- Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts and the purpose of the literature review is to select promising measure, methods (Mamchak and Mamchak, 1994) The Integrated Resort (IRs) is undoubtedly a necessary step to Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s future economic viability. As Singapore has no natural advantages, it must capitalize its ability to stay at the front of the global economy, with focus to attract foreign investors, tourists and talent. Surveys have suggested that Singapore is seen as unexciting compared to other travel destinations, and has been labeled as conservative, moderate and stale; concentrating on traditional cultural projects like the Asian Village, Tang Dynasty and Haw Par Villa, and failing to move on with new innovations (Straits Times, 2005). Identify and highlight the important variables and document the significant results of earlier research that will serve as the basis on which the theoretical framework of the investigation can be built and the hypothesis developed (Sekaran, 2003). Based on the research objectives, the researcher will provide relevant concepts in the review of current literature in this chapter. Revitalizing Singapore Tourism Singapore achieved good growth in visitor arrivals of 4.6% during Jan-May 2008, visitor arrivals to Singapore started to decline from June 2008 coinciding with the economic downturn. September/October saw a slight pickup in arrivals due to the 2008 FORMULA 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix. Stronger arrivals from West Asia (+15.5%), South Asia (+5.6%), Oceania (+6.6%) and Europe (+4.5%) also helped to cushion the downward pressure on arrivals. As a result, Singapore ended the year with a marginal decline of 1.6% in arrivals to reach a total of 10.1 million visitor arrivals. Visitor arrivals to Singapore fell by 4.5% year-on-year in July 2009 to reach 881,000 visitors. Visitorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s days were estimated at 4.6% million days, year-on-year decrease of 11.6% in comparison of July 2008 (923,000), The decline in tourism is certainly a concern for Singapore and the solution is to revitalize Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s tourism and create a unique Singapore niche. There is little po int in selling Singapore as a country rich in heritage and culture; rather, the Integrated Resorts will market the modern entertainment, vibrant city life, and a constantly changing environment Singapore can best call her own (Singapore Tourism Board, 2009). Figure 1 Decline in tourism in 2008 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsdrop in numbers.png Source: Singapore Tourism Board, 2010 Singapore Tourism Boards (STB) can see the potential attraction of the Integrated Resort as an economic case to revitalize the tourism attractions which have become luster over the years. The two Integrated Resorts can bring more prospective investors and they could invest up to some $5 billion and create about 35,000 jobs for the whole economy. (Ministry of Home Affairs, 18th April, 2005) The integrated Resorts played an important role and the visitor arrivals to Singapore registered 18.4% growth to reach 947,000 in September 2010, the highest number of arrivals received in the month of September. This also marks the tenth consecutive month of record visitor arrivals. This monthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s visitor arrivals can be partly attributed to the hosting of the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s only Formula One night race and the draw of the many leisure and entertainment events under the Grand Prix Season Singapore 2010 (Singapore Tourism Board, 2010). China is ranked third among the top 15. There is good potential for the Chinese tourists market. With the rise of China and the influx of middle-income Chinese tourists the segment with the largest growth potential, in which most are willing to gamble at the gaming tables, the IRs would become more crucial than ever. The Feedback Unit itself has ascertained that Singapore wants an iconic destination resort that offers world-class entertainment and leisure facilities not a mere gambling facility like Macau. Figure 2 Visitors arrival 2009/10 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsvisitors arrivals.png Source: STB 2010 Figure 3: Visitors arrival top 15 markets 2010 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsvisiots arrival 2010.png Source: STB 2010 Figure 4 Visitors arrival 2007/08 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSnag itVisitordec 07,dec08.png Source: STB 2010 The socio economic perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts have really revitalized the tourism sector of Singapore as shown in the figure above and the tourism industry has grown rapidly as there are a lot of visitors coming to Singapore to check out the new Integrated Resorts, leisure and recreation purpose. Singapore had rapid hotel growth and development over the past two years with the openings of The St. Regis Singapore (April 2008), Capella Singapore (March 2009), Integrtaed Resorts and the Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore. The hotels are doing very good business as their occupancy rate has really grown up and they are performing well. The new hotel openings come at a time when visitor arrivals numbers to Singapore are seeing an increase. The destination saw visitor arrival numbers increase by 30.3 percent to 946,000 visitors total in May 2010, compared to the same period last year, which saw 726,000 visitor arrivals. May marked the sixth consecutive month during which Singapore saw record tourism arrival numbers. The country expects to reach its goal of at least 11.5 million total visitor arrivals by the end of 2010 (Travel Age West, 2010) Average Occupancy Rate (AOR) posted a 5.2 percentage point increase over September 2009 to reach 82% in September 2010. (STB, 2010) Figure 5 Hotels average occupancy 2009/10 C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factshotel occupancy in 2010.pngSource: STB, 2010 Average Room Rate (ARR3) increased by 13.1% over September 2009 to reach an estimate of S$233 in September 2010. Figure 6 Average Room Rate 2009/2010C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factshotel arr.png Source: STB 2010 2.2 Boost Singapore Tourism and Economy The Integrated Resorts brings in entertainment and conventions, hospitality and retail outlets, which will help to increase the demand for hotel services, greater patronage at restaurants and heightened convention and exhibition activities. Studies and surveys have shown that tourism numbers and spending increase with the development of IRs. The Integrated Resorts in Singapore is not like the gambling facilities in Macau or Australia, which mainly cater to local patrons. One possible model for Singapore is a premium themed mega-resort, which has a large scale development that takes advantage of beach and marina settings to create a truly get-away holiday feel for visitors and locals Supporters of Integrated Resorts have claimed that touristà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s duration and repeated visits would also increase. Singapore Tourism Board also supports the project, as it believes that the IRs has help to boost the tourism industry and enhance Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s attractiveness as a tourism destination. Being among the top-three visitor-generating markets, China (with increasing number of middle-class), and Japan (with existence of high rollers), serve as attractive target segments for Singapore (Singapore Tourism Board, 2009). There has been a great change from the paradigm over the past century. Governments and developers around the world have caught on the race to mastermind, create and develop Integrated Resorts and Entertainment which creates positive value propositions and potential growth to the countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s image and economic strength of Singapore. Between 1993 and 2002, tourismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s contribution to GDP dropped from 6.1% to 3%, and our share of the Asia Pacific tourist flow fell from 8% in 1998 to 6% in 2002. Extremely moderate. Figure 7: Assessing the Economic Impacts Integrated Resort: Assessing the Economic Impacts Total Revenue of about $ 270 million, of which $212 million are derived from gaming activates Contribution to GDP of about $500 million, which is 0.4 of Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s 2003 GDP Employment of people of 3600 Source: Forecast by Assoc Prof Winston Koh, Singapore Management University The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has forecasted its tourism industry for 2010, predicting that between 11.5 million to 12.5 million visitors will arrive, with S$12.6 billion ($9 billion) to S$13.3 billion ($9.52 billion) in tourism receipts. The forecast can be attributed to Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s dramatic transformation as a result of multibillion-dollar investments in new tourism infrastructure (Singapore Tourism Board, 2010). The Integrated Resorts play a vital role in attracting the visitors through Casinos, Shopping Centers, Universal Studios, different types of Hotels, Convention halls and restaurants. Singapores two integrated resorts are a major boost to the countrys economy, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The Prime Minister said he is glad that visitors are generally happy with the IRs as such attractions make the economy more vibrant and the city more colorful. He added that the IRs have created buzz and both were packed with visitors on their opening days, creating many jobs in the hospitality and tourism sector. According to media reports, nearly 200 bus loads of Malaysian tourists a day are visiting the IRs. (Channel News Asia, 2010) Asia in particular is fuelled by rapid growth, economic interest for the business and leisure group. Plenty of investors both local and foreign are becoming aware that Integrated Resorts are now becoming the of city life with important socio economic implications. (Integrated resorts and Entertainment 2010) Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s growth accelerated to a record 18.1 percent pace in the first half of 2010, spurring the currency and putting the island on course to overtake China as Asiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s fastest-growing economy this year. Gross domestic product expanded at a 26 percent annualized pace in the second quarter from the previous three months, after a revised 45.9 percent gain in January to March, the trade ministry said today. Growth in the first half was the fastest since records began in 1975, prompting the government to predict GDP will rise 13 percent to 15 percent in 2010 (Bloomberg,2010) Figure 8 Singapore GDP Growth rates 2007/2010C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore facts11-10-2010 1-48-36 PM.png C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsgdp.png Source: Trading Economics (2010) Singapores two integrated resorts are a major boost to the countrys economy, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The Prime Minister said he is glad that visitors are generally happy with the IRs. He added that the IRs have created buzz and both were packed with visitors on their opening days, creating many jobs in the hospitality and tourism sector. (Channel News Asia, 2010) In the case of the tourist-related services, like Hong Kong, Singapore has enjoyed a big bounce in tourist arrivals during the first 5 months of 2010, and theres an extra boost from the Integrated Resorts opening. Jimmy Koh, head of Economic-Treasury Research, United Overseas Bank, said: Most of us are still expecting a moderate 5 to 6 more per cent growth for 2011. This will put Singapore on track to possibly becoming the worlds fastest growing economy, surpassing even China. On an annualized and seasonally adjusted basis, Singapore economy expanded 26.0 per cent in the April-June period (Channel news Asia, 2010) Figure 9, 10, 11 Visitors arrive 2009/10. 2008/09. 2009/10C:UsersDickeyDesktopSnag itjuly 2010 visitors.png C:UsersDickeyDesktopSnag itVisitor10-23-2010 2-22-36 PM.png C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsvisitors arrivals.png Tourism in Singapore is expected to experience a boom this year due to Integrated Resorts. Industry players say there are now over 950 travel agents in Singapore an increase of over 100 from previous year. Travel agents told Media Corp that there are now more queries on visiting Universal Studios Singapore, Casinos and Hotels. Some operators are also increasing investments to expand their businesses and gain a bigger share of the tourism dollar. The two integrated resorts are expected to bring in more tourists to Singapore in the next one to two years. (Channel News Asia, 2010) 2.3 Compulsive Gambling As reported in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? on 27 August, 2009, Singaporeans have a love for gambling. Singaporeans reportedly indulged in gambling, such as 4D, TOTO, and Football betting and horse-racing. Their growing appetite for gambling drove an increase of 3.6% in betting and sweepstakes duties, totaling S$1.4 billion (4D accounted for S$1.1 billion). Individuals claimed S$19 billion in reliefs (for example CPF, child, caregiver, maid levy, NS man); 218,600 people with assessable income of over S$20,000 did not have to pay tax (Today, 27 Aug, 2009). Figure 11 People Queuing outside Singapore Pools C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore factsSingapore pools.png Source: Today 2009 PM Lee Hsien Loong at Parliament Sitting, 18 April 2005. Integrated Resorts (IRs) are a significant proposal to boost our tourism industry. The government has been studying this idea for over years. The issue has been debated intensely, both among the public and within the government, because the IRs has a gaming component that is a casino. Many Singaporeans have spoken up both for and against. One of the key issues would be compulsive gambling as a social impact of having a casino in Singapore. So there will be the casino regulator. The Ministry of Home Affairs set up a new regulatory agency to regulate the casino. The casino regulator will put in place a strict regulatory to ensure that the casino remains free from criminal influence and that illegal activities on the premises are kept under control. Singaporeans love for gambling could be issue as people would have a compulsion for gambling. Casino gaming is becoming widely available around the world and Singapore, intention is not to develop a gambling attraction that compete in the gambling market (Lee, 2005). The Integrated Resorts in Singapore will not be like the gambling facilities in Macau or Australia, which mainly cater to local patrons. One possible model for Singapore is a premium themed mega-resort, which has a large scale development that takes advantage of beach and marina settings to create a truly get-away holiday feel for visitors. The Integrated Resorts are having issues raised included concerns that the casinos is resulting in increased compulsive gambling and undesirable activities linked with gambling such as loan sharks and organized crime.  In what is said to be one of the biggest losses yet at a Singapore casino, a local businessman lost $26.3 million over three days of gambling in June 2010. This included a staggering $18 million that he lost in one day alone. (Today, June 2010). These are the signs of compulsive gambling. Singapore love for gambling can become a compulsive gambling issues and casino industry in Asia has been booming over the years, both legally and illegally, despite moral and religious barriers in legalizing and operating gambling facilities for recreation. Now the Integrated resorts being operating in Singapore which gives the residents of Singapore to gamble but with a levy charged upon entry. Singapore has being the hub for gambling for several years as shown in the figure below before the Integrated Resorts even, but now it is legally allowed by law to gamble with responsible gambling. Figure 12 Gambling Participation Rates by Type of Games (%) C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore facts11-15-2010 10-17-29 PM.png Source: Gambling Survey 2008 2.4 Theoretical Framework Based on the theoretical framework the theoretical framework is there to test the validity of an existing theory. It is easier to understand the theoretical framework if it is viewed as the answers to the collected interrelated concepts. Revitalize Singapore Tourism IV 1 Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts DV Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism IV 2 Compulsive Gambling IV 3 2.5 Hypothesis Development Hypothesis development is necessary as it shows a relationship between two or more variables expressed in the form of testable statement. (Sekaran, 2003: pg 103). Based on the research topic the final independent variable and dependant variable are as follows. Revitalize Singapore Tourism. (IV 1) Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism. (IV 2) Compulsive Gambling. (IV 3) Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts. (DV) 2.6 Null hypothesis Addressed by: = 0 Finding: There is no relationship between the IVs and DV The null hypotheses represent that the independent variable (IVs) and do not have effect on the outcome of Dependent Variable DV. Table of Null Hypotheses H1 = Hypothesis 1. Revitalize Singapore Tourism H2 = Hypothesis 2. Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism H3 = Hypothesis 3. Compulsive Gambling = 0 => = Ho H1= Ho There is no significant effect of Revitalize Singapore Tourism on Social Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts H2= Ho There is no significant effect of Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism on Social Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts H3= Ho There is no significant effect of Compulsive Gambling on Social Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts Alternative Hypothesis Addressed by: à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   0 meaning that à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho Finding: There is either negative or positive relationship between the IVs and DV Procedure : The alternative hypotheses represent that the outcomes are different from zero; in particular, it could be greater (positive) or lesser (negative). As a result, IVs positively relate to the DV if alternative hypotheses greater than zero and negatively relate to the DV if alternative hypotheses lesser than zero. To find out how significant IVs positively or negatively relate to DV, Alternative Hypotheses are measured. The alternate hypothesis  which is the opposite of the null is a statement expressing a relationship between two variables or indicating differences between groups. (Sekaran Bougie, 2003) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   0 => à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho H1à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho There is either positive or negative effect of Revitalize Singapore Tourism on Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts H2à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho There is either positive or negative effect of Boost Singapore Economy and Tourism on Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts H3à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   Ho There is either positive or negative effect of Compulsive Gambling on Socio Economic Perceptive of Singapore Integrated Resorts Research Design The main aim of this research is to conduct a descriptive study and a correlation study. Descriptive research is used to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomena to describe what exists with respect to variables or conditions in a situation. The methods involved range from the survey which describes the status, the correlation study which investigates the relationship between variables, to developmental studies which seek to determine changes over time. (Key, 1997) In this research the researcher wants to relate the independent variables and the dependent variables. Descriptive study and a correlation study would help in identifying the information, design a procedure to gather the information and analyze the information with the help of the IVà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s and DV. 3.1 Research Methodologies In order to collect the data for my research it is necessary to get an understanding of the data collection methods. There are many research methods but according to the topic nature we are doing a qualitative study. Qualitative research is unstructured exploratory in nature based on small samples and may utilize popular qualitative techniques such as group interviews, word association asking respondents to indicate their first responses to stimulus words and interviews For the purpose of this research the survey questionnaire of quantitative research is more effective in collecting and analyzing a huge amount of data. Furthermore the time to collect and study the answers from questionnaire is shorter as well. As a result the survey questionnaire of quantitative is the most suitable method to this research. (Malhotra, 2007) 3.2 Data Collection Methods According to the research design we are going to the following methods Secondary Data: Secondary data are the existing sources which were produced by earlier researchers for some specific purposes. According to the research topic we are using secondary data collections ways as it is from existing sources. (Blaxter et al, 2001) Primary Data: Primary data are original information collected by researchers to fulfill numerous purposes of research. The investigators could collect primary data by using various methods such as direct interviews, interviews through telephone, questionnaires, observations and others. (Macneill and Chapman, 2005) In this research, secondary data will be collected through magazines, journals, newspaper reports, company manuals, brochures and annual reports. 3.3 Data Collection Methods In this research, the researcher uses a questionnaire to gather data due to questionnaire is an effective data collection mechanism when the researcher knows exactly what is required and how to measure the variables of interest (Sekaran, 2003). Data would be collected through magazines, journals, newspaper reports, and brochures. To capture data, questionnaires are designed accordingly to specific information needed. In order to be precise, the question will be set as simple as possible. The number of question is small and the words are simplified. Before the questionnaire is practiced, they should be pre-tested to see how it works and improved if there is any mistake. 3.4 Data analysis The researcher needs an effective data analysis tool to examine the chosen hypothesis at the beginning step. SPSS which stands for Statistics Package of Social Science is considered the best method in statistical analysis. This software allows researchers to enhance their perception of the data and interpretation of the output. (Weinberg and Abramowitz, 2002) The main jobs of researcher are to decide the needed variables before entering the input to the software, to select correct statistical tests to analyze data and to interpret the final output results. (Bryman and Bell, 2007) 3.5 Pilot-Testing The purpose of doing pilot testing is to detect weaknesses in design and content in the instrument before it is reach final steps. (Fink, 2003), 12 peoples are required to be tested. The pilot tested should monitor the ease with which respondents complete the questionnaire, and also the ease with respondents to complete the questionnaire (Fink, 2003). 4 Ethical issues While conducting survey and interview for the research, the researcher should consider the code of ethical issue. The major responsibility of the researcher is to inform clearly and accurately the surveyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s purpose and content to respondents so that they can make decision whether they wish to participate. The researcher should also show the respect to the participants by keeping their answers confidential based on the guidelines of the university. Furthermore researcher need to guarantee the data must be used only for this particular report. No Content Month Nov, Dec 2010 Jan Feb 2010 Mar Apr 2010 Week 1,2 3,4 1,2 1,2 1,2 3,4 1,2 3,4 1,2 3,4 1,2 1 Problem Identification 2 Literature Review 3 Research Design 4 Choice of Methodology 5 Data Sources 6 Data Collection 7 Data Analysis 8 Writing up Draft 9 Editing 10 Final Document 11 Binding of Document 5 Schedules Figure 13: Singapore Population .Source: Singapore department of Statistics C:UsersDickeyDesktopSingapore facts11-10-2010 2-07-49 PM.png