Friday, January 31, 2020

Marketing plan to promote the music album & EP Essay

Marketing plan to promote the music album & EP - Essay Example Tiago Cerqueira: Tiago is the rock star of the classic, ballad and R&B. His ideas are wild, borderline insane, but it always hits the spot. He doesn’t follow rules and certainly doesn’t teach them. The digital generation, although extremely open on different ideas, is also extremely selfish. They may give you five seconds of their time but the only way they will give you the sixth second and the succeeding one is when it becomes about them. Launch the Participation Project. â€Å"The Most Amazing Video† project will be launch. I am not sure what his first single is going to be. I just assumed it’s the song he sang in the video. The idea is to ask people to submit a photo, a message, or a video of the people they think are amazing in their life and explain why. They can do it by emailing, tagging the artist on facebook or Twitter. Those photos, videos and messages will be used for the first official music video of Mike L.’s first single. Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone has ever done a video like this so I can’t provide a peg but that means the idea is original. For Tiago, the concept of the video should follow his first single. For example, if his first single is about failures, then he can create a video featuring the most painful moments of people. It doesn’t have to call for submissions. He can harvest data from the web. For example, harvest tweets of different people talking about failures, or photos featuring failures (again, that is if his first single is about failure. The theme will adjust accordingly). Forums like radiomute.com, musicbanter.com, keepmusicalive†¦ just make sure that you establish your identity early before posting links to the album or the mods will delete and ban your IP. You might need to pay someone to do this but forums are major traffic drivers. There are online marketers who have accounts to different forums, you can pay them to mention you on these sites and drive interest towards the

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Henrik Isbens A Dolls House :: A Dolls House Essays

A DOLL’S HOUSE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Believe it or not money is a big thing in a couples relationship. One of the themes in the play, A Doll’s House, was about money. In the play, money had a lot to do with the breaking of a relationship. The relationship was between Nora and Torvald a married couple. Their was a big thing that had to do with money that I will be discussing later in this essay.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On page 5, Torvald is asking the question, â€Å"What are little people called that are always wasting money?† Nora then answers, â€Å"Spendthrifts†. Nora by no means I think was truly a spendthrift. She was only given enough money by her husband at any given time to get only what she needed. She couldn’t go and get what she really wanted. She had to go out and get the necessities a family needed like clothes. I’m not saying she didn’t want to go out and spend money. Mostly only the men worked in this time period so its not like it was easy to get extra money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Torvald was the man of the family. The man of the family was mostly the sole income of the family. He didn’t like wasting or spending money. He really cared about money and invested it in the right ways. He was so happy when he found out he was getting a promotion for a better job and salary with the bank. That meant a better appearance and a lot more money. He thought everything was going to be perfect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nora had a secret that whole play that Torvald didn’t know about. Nora saved his life by taking him out on a long vacation away from everything so he could clear his mind at a very bad time. She told Torvald the money really came from her Papa. The money really came from a loan she took out from Kogstad that was forged. Krogstad was a former bank employee and long friend of Torvald’s. Torvald was very angry when he first found out of this because he was scared of his appearance, but when Krogstad met a old girl friend of his he didn’t worry about the loan. Henrik Isben's A Doll's House :: A Doll's House Essays A DOLL’S HOUSE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Believe it or not money is a big thing in a couples relationship. One of the themes in the play, A Doll’s House, was about money. In the play, money had a lot to do with the breaking of a relationship. The relationship was between Nora and Torvald a married couple. Their was a big thing that had to do with money that I will be discussing later in this essay.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On page 5, Torvald is asking the question, â€Å"What are little people called that are always wasting money?† Nora then answers, â€Å"Spendthrifts†. Nora by no means I think was truly a spendthrift. She was only given enough money by her husband at any given time to get only what she needed. She couldn’t go and get what she really wanted. She had to go out and get the necessities a family needed like clothes. I’m not saying she didn’t want to go out and spend money. Mostly only the men worked in this time period so its not like it was easy to get extra money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Torvald was the man of the family. The man of the family was mostly the sole income of the family. He didn’t like wasting or spending money. He really cared about money and invested it in the right ways. He was so happy when he found out he was getting a promotion for a better job and salary with the bank. That meant a better appearance and a lot more money. He thought everything was going to be perfect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nora had a secret that whole play that Torvald didn’t know about. Nora saved his life by taking him out on a long vacation away from everything so he could clear his mind at a very bad time. She told Torvald the money really came from her Papa. The money really came from a loan she took out from Kogstad that was forged. Krogstad was a former bank employee and long friend of Torvald’s. Torvald was very angry when he first found out of this because he was scared of his appearance, but when Krogstad met a old girl friend of his he didn’t worry about the loan.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards Essay

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 of Republic Act No. 6713, otherwise known as the â€Å"Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees†, approved Dn February 20, 1989, and which took effect on March 25, 1989, conformably to Section 17 thereof, the following Rules are hereby adopted in order to carry out the provisions of the said Code: Rule I Coverage Section 1. These Rules shall cover all officials and employees in the government, elective and appointive, permanent or temporary, whether in the career or non-career service, including military and police personnel, whether or not they receive compensation, regardless of amount. Over the past 35 years, the number of government employees grew at a faster rate than did the population. Philippine population grew 160% between 1960 to 1997 but total government personnel more than doubled in size from the 360,000 employed in 1960. Expressed in terms of ratio to the total population, the growth in the size of the Philippine government personnel lends some firm basis for the popular perception of a bloated bureaucracy. In 1970, the ratio of government personnel to the total population is 1:90. By 1990, the ratio stood at 1:52. The most telling indicator of the period of rapid expansion of the bureaucracy is reflected in the growth rate of government’s cash disbursements for personal services. Yearly incremental rates between 1980 to 1991 were in double figures, averaging 21% during the 11-year period, and grew as high as 35.8% in 1984-1985. In the immediately preceding years, the increase in government expenditures for personal services is accounted for by th e implementation of the second phase of the Salary Standardization Law which provided for yearly increase in basic salaries of government personnel over four years. This is because since  1992, growth in size has been arrested due to the combined effects of a number of right-sizing initiatives which include: the 5-year effectivity of RA 7041 or the Attrition Law; agency-specific streamlining programs; changes in budgetary allotments which funded only the filled positions; and to some extent, the exit of positions in the disposed or privatized units of government. In the last four years, increases in number of personnel have been attributed to the population-based personnel teachers and policemen and to the local government units, the last due to devolution by the national government of certain functions and activities. Outside of those classes of personnel, the increase in national employees (NGAs) and those employed by government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs) has switched into a decelerating mode. The size, distribution, and general profile of government are given in statistical data derived from the yearly inventory of government personnel conducted by the Commission. The inventory is based on actual occupancy of positions at the end of each year. Rule II Interpretation Section 1. These Rules shall be interpreted in the light of the Declaration of Policy found in Section 2 of the Code: â€Å"It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest.† Ethics is gaining prominence in the discourse about governance today. There is a perception that standards in public life are in decline. This raises questions about the costs of misconduct on the part of those who have been entrusted with guarding public interest and resources. These costs are losses in trust and confidence in public institutions and losses in precious resources which were meant to support the economic and social development of  nations and peoples. There is a move worldwide to restore a measure of trust and integrity in public institutions and officials, to safeguard democracy and promote better governance. It could be argued that the perception of a fall in public standards is linked to the shifting role of the state, which is undergoing tremendous reform. Globalization, technological advances, spreading democratization and fiscal crises are challenging states to deal with strong external forces, be smart in serving its citizenry, devolve power, and divest itself of obsolete activities. As a result, the public service, as an institution, is under pressure to transform itself to respond to these changes. As public servants are asked to take on new and sometimes conflicting roles, there is a need for a cost-effective structure and an encouraging culture to enforce standards and guide their behavior. Under a democracy such as in the Philippines, the people’s fundamental faith in the integrity of political institutions is what holds the system together even under the most difficult times. The present situation in the Philippines is a test of this principle. Whether or not the test is passed with success is a matter yet to be seen. However, at this stage, what could be gainfully learned from present experience is the knowledge that people’s trust seems to lie on the existence of ethics and accountability mechanisms and infrastructure. As shown and proven with quite a measure of success by many studies, ethics and accountability are keys not only to effective government but also to effective governance. The following discussions deal with some of the infrastructures and initiatives in the Philippines. The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines provides the basis of ethical and accountable behavior in the public sector. Section 1 of Article XI states that: Public office i s a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives. This provision requires every public official and employee to exhibit and live certain values while in government service. In addition, the State has been mandated by the Constitution to â€Å"maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive and  effective measures against graft and corruption†. In 1989, the Philippine legislature passed Republic Act No. 6713, a law embodying the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. The Code spells out in fine detail the do’s and don’ts for government officials and employees in and out of the workplace. These do’s and don’ts are encapsulated in the eight norms of conduct to be observed by all government officials and employees. These norms or standard s are: †¢ Commitment to public interest †¢ Professionalism †¢ Justness and sincerity †¢ Political neutrality †¢ Responsiveness to the public †¢ Nationalism and patriotism †¢ Commitment to democracy †¢ Simple living The Code, likewise, introduced some reforms in the administrative systems like giving heads of agencies the responsibility of ensuring there is a value development program for their employees; continuing studies on work systems and procedures with the end in view of improving the delivery if public services; and, mandating the designation of a resident Ombudsman in every department, office and agency. Incentives and rewards system has also been put in place. Another comprehensive law passed to address and curb the commission of malfeasance in government is Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. In Section 1 of this law, it states that: It is the policy of the Philippine Government, in line with the principle that a public office is a public trust, to repress certain acts of public officer and private persons alike which constitute graft and corrupt practices which may lead thereto. This law specifies eleven (1 1) instances of corrupt practices in addition to acts or omissions already penalized by existing laws. The legal infrastructure that prescribes ethical conduct of; public servants is reinforced by political commitment. This political commitment, while difficult to benchmark, has been demonstrated by some policy pronouncements.  Quite significant are the ten-point action agenda of the present Administration and the Medium-Term Development Plan (2000 2004) or Angat Pinoy 2004 which embody the framework for the country’s socioeconomic development. The agenda and the MTDP place the implementation of a sustained training and orientation program on anti-graft and corrupt practices and laws, and on the Ethical Standards Act of Public Officials and Employees among the Administration’s priorities to reduce graft and corruption and exact high standards of ethics in government. Proceeding from this, departments and agencies of the executivebranch have set up and implemented various programs that aim to eliminate bureaucratic red tape. One-stop action centers are now being promoted and institutionalized in the agencies. The legal infrastructure and political commitment are supported and complemented by the existence of oversight institutions. The creation of the oversight institutions that deal with issues of ethics, accountability, graft and corruption are mandated by the Constitution. The common feature of these institutions is they enjoy a substantive degree of fiscal autonomy in the sense that they are not subject to the fiscal controls of the executive. The budget is directly released to these institutions and the heads are authorized to realign savings from their budget. They also have quasi-judicial powers in that they can adjudicate and decide cases and enforce their own decisions, including the imposition of sanctions which may include suspension from office or even dismissal from government service. In the Philippines, the three constitutionally mandated oversight institutions are the Civil Service Commis sion, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit. The Civil Service Commission is the central personnel agency of the government. Under Section 3, Article IX-B of the Constitution, the CSC is mandated to â€Å"establish career service and adopt measures to promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, progressiveness, and courtesy in the civil service.† It is also tasked to â€Å"institutionalize a management climate conducive to public accountability.† CSC’s effort involves in enforcing ethics and accountability of line agencies basically involves three approaches. One approach is regulatory, the other, corrective, and the last one, developmental. The first approach addresses compliance of-agencies with policies and standards on HRD systems set by the CSC. For instance, CSC prescribes qualification standards for  each and every position in the Philippine government. Non-compliance with the QS by agencies in the processing of appointments of their staff results in the disapproval by the CSC of such ap pointments.But, apart from the substantive requirements for practically all kinds of personnel actions such as the publication requirement and the promotion and selection board processes. Non-compliance with the procedural requirements constitutes ground for corrective or even punitive action. The second approach deals with disciplinary actions against official or employee for infractions committed in relation to the performance of his/her official functions. The Administrative Code of 1987 or Executive Order No. 292 outlines the various acts that are subject to administrative disciplinary proceedings. However, administrative discipline is not a function within the exclusive jurisdiction of CSC. Agency heads as well as the Office of the Ombudsman also have the authority to proceed against erring government officials and employees. The third approach is developmental and will be discussed later in the succeeding paragraph. The Office of the Ombudsman acts as a prosecutor against those charged with the violation of RA 3019, RA 6713 and the law against ill-gotten wealth, among others. It is mandated to investigate and prosecute the criminal liability of public officials and employees involved in graft and corruption. The Commission on Audit is the fiscal watchdog of the government. COA is responsible for ensuring legal and proper disbursement of public funds and preventing irregular, unnecessary, or extravagant expenditures or usage of public funds. It also has quasi-judicial powers. All these oversight institutions enforce accountability ethic in government. There have been numerous initiatives in promoting ethics and accountability in the public sector. As shown in the earlier discussions, all the above mechanisms focus on exacting as well as developing ethics and accountability consciousness in government officials and employees. The other approach that will be given emphasis in the discussion are the various developmental initiatives, which are within the area of knowledge and competence of the CSC. Rule III Reforms on Public Administrative Systems Section 1. Every department, office and agency shall, as soon as practicable and in no case later than ninety (90) days from the effectivity of these rules, start conducting value development programs for its officials and employees in order to strengthen their commitment to public service and help promote the primacy of public interest over personal interest in the performance of their duties. Such programs and other parallel efforts on value development shall include, among other things, the following subjects: (a) Ethical and moral values; (b) Rights, duties and responsibilities of public servants (c) Nationalism and patriotism; (d) Justice and human rights; (e) Democracy in a free and just society; (f) Philippine history. Culture and tradition; and (g) Socio-economic conditions prevailing in the country, especially in the depressed areas, and the need for a code of Conduct and Ethical Standards. Continuing refresher courses and seminars and/or workshops to promote a high standard of ethics in public service shall be conducted. Section 2. Professional, scientific, technical trainings and education programs shall enhance to the highest degree, professionalism, excellence, intelligence and skills in the performance and discharge of duties and responsibilities of officials and employees. These programs shall be conducted in all offices of the government and may include subjects that are enumerated in the preceding section. Section 3. It is the responsibility of every head of department, office and agency to ensure that officials and employees attend the value development program and participate in parallel value development efforts. Section 4. Every department, office and agency shall conduct continuing studies and analyses of their work systems and procedures to improve delivery of public services. Towards this end, such studies and analyses shall: (1) identify systems and procedures that lead or contribute to negative bureaucratic behavior; (2) simplify rules and procedures to avoid red tape; and (3) devise or adopt systems and procedures that promote official and employee morale and satisfaction. Each department, office or agency shall develop a service guide or its functional equivalent which  shall be regularly updated and made available to the transacting public. A workflow chart showing procedures or flow of documents shall likewise be posted in conspicuous places in the department, office or agency for the information and guidance of all concerned. Upon request, the Department of Budget and Management shall assists departments, offices and agencies in the evaluation and adoption of work systems and procedures that will institutionalize a management climate conducive to public accountability. Section 5. Every department, office and agency shall consult the public they serve for the purpose of gathering feedback and suggestions on the efficiency, effectiveness and economy of services. They shall establish mechanisms to ensure the conduct of public consultations and hearings. Section 6. Every department, office and agency shall continuously conduct research and experimentation on measures and adopt innovative programs which will provide motivation to officials and employees in raising the level of observance of public service ethical standards. Section 7. Every department, office and agency shall, appoint or designate a resident Ombudsman, who shall act immediately on all request for public assistance referred to him by the Ombudsman and his Deputies. He shall be held accountable for the disposition of all requests for assistance. Section 8. Government officials shall make themselves available to their staff for consultations and dialogues. In any industry the success of an organization is extremely dependent on its human resources. Although there are many other factors that play a key role, a company must have effective employees in order to stay financially solvent and competitive. In order to maintain this valuable commodity, organizations must be aware of employee satisfaction and retention. Many companies make the mistake of assuming that employees are only seeking financial benefits for their jobs. This assumption overlooks the high importance many people place on the intrinsic benefits of their careers. It is not only a mistake for employee satisfaction and retention, but it also has negative business consequences. Organizations must have employees who are able to quickly adapt to an ever-changing world market. Companies need to invest in on-going employee development in order to both keep employees and be successful. Employee development programs clearly play a significant role in employee satisfaction, which helps lead to employee retention. The Gallup study shows a clear link between training and job satisfaction. When people receive relevant and valuable training, they are generally happier in their jobs. When that training is carried to the next level and becomes overall development, employees tend to feel even more valued by their employers. They are not only given the tool to do their jobs well, but they are also given opportunities to develop new skills and attain career goals. Companies that invest in their employees and clearly communicate the importance of employees will keep employees. Although there are other factors that are important to job satisfaction and many reasons that employees may leave companies, development programs can still make a positive difference. They can make people feel like they are contributing to the organization’s success, which gives them intrinsic motivation to go to work everyday and do a good job. Companies that offer employee development programs enjoy the luxury of higher employee satisfaction and lower turnovers than those that do not invest in such endeavors. Although it is an investment, it is worthwhile for the returns. Employee Development programs benefit individuals as well as companies. Companies that do not offer on-going learning will not be able to keep with those that do. They may see times of financial gain, but they will lose in the race for intellectual capital. A company can only move as fast as its employees, so the ones that train and develop people will move much more quickly. Many companies view training as a time consuming burden that takes away from the time for employees to complete their job tasks. This concern may be true for companies that offer training in a vacuum and do not support it. However, those companies that offer employee development that is engrained throughout the organizational culture know that the money they put into training will hardly compare to the benefits they get out of it. Employee development can be viewed in two distinct ways. Either its primary purpose is to benefit the company and it is a side bonus that individuals get something out of it, or its primary purpose is to benefit individuals and it is a side bonus that the company gains from it. Either way, everyone wins. The ideal approach is to have equal emphasis on benefit to the company  and benefit to the employees because they are ultimately mutually beneficial to each other.

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Ecotourism Local Singapore - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 14 Words: 4089 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? A Case study of: Pulau Ubin Island, Singapore Introduction Background Many developing countries frequently use ecotourism as an excellent tool for promoting sustainable development. In many instance, ecotourism is suitable way to protect natural environment and create socio and economic benefit for the local community. What David Weaver says that interest in ecotourism is rationalized among tourism planners and marketers by number of potential assumption regarding sectors environmental, economic and socio cultural benefits (Weaver 1999). There are some ecotourism projects that support to the local community. On the other hand, many ecotourism projects have failed to address some fundamental issues and dont generate the very benefits that are expected to provide by ecotourism. Economic gain of ecotourism may turn into social and environmental damages when inadequately planned and implemented it. Anyhow, ecotourism has continued to gain popularity over the two decades and has developed into worldwide phenomena that show no signs of slowing down. The fact is that ecotourism is one of the rapid growing sectors in the tourism industry (Sharpley 2003). The demand for ecotourism is increasing at an annual rate of 10 to 30 percent (TIES 2000). In this circumstance, it is important to recognize possible physical environment, socio-cultural and economic impacts and its effectiveness as a strategy for sustainable development. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Ecotourism Local Singapore" essay for you Create order Problem statement There are lot of negative impact on the environment and local community due to unsustainable planning and management of ecotourism (Honey 1999). In rural areas, managing and controlling the development of ecotourism may be somewhat complex because of lack of experiences on the subject of the carrying capacity of the host destination. Therefore, it is necessary to have an assessment of potential physical environmental, socio-cultural, and economic impact of ecotourism for the planning of sustainable ecotourism development in an area. Further Analyzing the potential of ecotourism as a strategy for sustainable development of a particular area is important to carry on development activities in future. In that way, Pulau Ubin doesnt experience rapid urbanization like other parts of Singapore. Still it has its own nature and unspoiled environment. But, Singapore government implements several ecotourism development projects on this small island right now. Those projects are so much problema tic and controversial. There are strong voices regarding environmental protection of the Island. Thus, indentifying potential impacts of ecotourism and its compatibility for sustainable development must be studied in Pulau Ubin Island Singapore. Justification of the study According to available literature, ecotourism is growing rapidly in Singapore (Herbig). At the same time, one of the problems regarding ecotourism is that it is developed without satisfying knowledge of the impacts on local environments. It is a rather new type of tourism and yet there are few clear papers written in this field particularly about Pulau Ubin. Therefore, it is better studying about potential physical environmental, economic and socio-cultural impact of ecotourism and its compatibility for sustainable development in Pulau Ubin Island Singapore. Therefore this research attempts to fulfill these objectives as much as possible. Objectives of the research and research question Objectives of this research are To assess possible physical environmental, economic and socio-cultural impacts of ecotourism To investigate the potential of ecotourism as a strategy for local sustainable development. The following research question will be used to address the purposes of the research What kind of impacts are on the physical environment, economic and socio-cultural due to development of ecotourism? What sort of factors should be taken into account before introducing ecotourism in the Pulau Ubin Island? How ecotourism can be utilized as a tool for local sustainable development Study Area Pulau ubin is the second the largest, first one is Pulau Tekong, offshore island of Singapore. It is located in the strait of johor just opposite to Changi. Pulau Ubin has been described as being boomerang shaped. Pulau Ubin is about 8 Km length and 1.3 to 1.7 Km breadth with the area of 10.3 Km2. It is almost flat land. The highest point is Puaka hill. It is around 74m height from sea level. Pulau Sekudu or Frog Island (opposite Chek Jawa), and Pulau Ketam (opposite Ubin Lagoon Resort) are the two major offshore islets which are very near to the Pulau Ubin. There are several rivers which are meandering through Pulau Ubin in which Sungei Besar and Sungei Mamam are the main rivers. Pulau Ubin is made up mostly of granite. This controls the much of the activities of the island. Especially the name Pulau Ubin arises from this crucial geological structure. Pulau Ubin doesnt experience rapid urbanization and industrialization like main land of Singapore. Still it has its own traditional w ay of living. Most of the people inhabit with the scattered settlement model. Major portion of the population around two third is Chinese and rest is Indians and malays. Major activities of income are subsistence farming, commercial fishing and net-cage fisheries, prawn farming, coconut plantations and so on. This small island is very popular for leisure and recreation activities among local and international tourist. (https://www.wildsingapore.com/ubin/places/geography.htm). Figure 01 Map of the Study Area Methodology Research design Research design helps researcher to decide research approach. That is to say, either qualitative or quantitative or the combination of both. Further, research design put a basic for analyzing the collected data. This will lead the researcher to think of time availability, practical problems and so on (Kitchin and Tate 2000). There are no specific rules and regulations as to how to develop research design. When Kitchin and Tate (2000) point out regarding research design, it is very difficult to give a guideline as to how to design a research. Most of the time, research design is the outcome of the knowledge and imagination of the researcher (Kitchin and Tate 2000). This means, research design comes from researchers own view and judgment. Selection of the research methods will vary according to the nature of the research. Besides, a research method depends on the research problem, research question and experiences of researcher. Accordingly, I adopt qualitative methods in this research to perform well. A literature review will be done to get more information regarding this study. In fact, Secondary data will be used as a supportive data to the primary data. In this research, qualitative methods will be used as key method to get information since this is going to deal with environmental, Economic and socio cultural impact of the ecotourism. Most part of the research may deal with community based activities. Justification of the methodology The qualitative method that I choose in my research is based on the nature of the study. This research partially deals with social aspect. Therefore, qualitative method is considered more suitable to assess possible physical environmental, economic and socio-cultural impacts of ecotourism. Crang (2002) points out that Qualitative approaches have enabled the study of, and emphasized the importance of, seeing economic activity as a set of lived practices, assumptions and codes of behavior. Further, Qualitative method is used to understand the lived experience and to reflect on it and sharing the meaning of everyday social world and realities (Limb and Dwyer 2001). In addition, qualitative method is used to collect about the activities, behavior and problems that the people face in their daily context. Further, qualitative methodology is considered as good to study about the diverse view of the stakeholders in the ecotourism since it involves with many different stakeholders interest. W hen we are more stick on the multiple meaning, representation then qualitative methodology is useful one (Limb and Dwyer 2001). Further, qualitative methods will help me to make sure the date that I am going to obtain from different interview in the field. In fact, qualitative methods have its unique features as I mentioned above. But there are certain limitations in the qualitative methods. For instance, sometimes it may be bias. That is to say, there is possibility to have researchers influence in the finding of the research. When many researchers use qualitative methods in their research, theme may be same, but interpretation of the same theme will be in different point of view according to researchers background. When Kvale (1996) points out regarding researchers bias, he says that, there is lack of objectivity in the qualitative research. Objectivity means here is freedom from being bias. There is another critique about qualitative methods that, information for the research use to collect from very small amount of respondents. Therefore it will not represent whole population or the society. Data Types, Sources and Collection This research will be contained both primary and secondary data. Most of the researches and other articles which are related to the study will be reviewed as secondary data. For instance, previous research about the Pulau Ubin Island. Basically, both primary and secondary data will be used to prove the objective of the research. Secondary data will be functioned as more supportive data to the primary data. Methodology of research Methodologically, this study will be carried out in three phases. Phase I concerns the literature reviews. This will be accomplished through searching literature on tourism and ecotourism to discover the possible impacts of ecotourism on visited destinations. The literature review covers books, articles, and website data which will be systematically assessed to identify the three major areas of economic, socio-cultural, and physical environmental impacts on eco-tourist destinations and ecotourism as a strategy for local sustainable development. Primary factors of above mentioned areas will be identified that influence of ecotourism developments and their impacts on the local levels. Phase II applies the factors elaborated upon in Phase I to assess the Pulau Ubin Island. This will be done by using the data that I am going to collect in Pulau Ubin Island during the summer of 2008. The data collection will include observations, interviews with elected officials and some governmental and private business entities, tourists (if possible both international and national tourist) and some secondary data sources. Phase III these data will be assessed according to the identified factors for two purposes: first, to assess possible physical environment, Economic and Socio-cultural impacts of ecotourism in Pulau Ubin Island; second, to look into the potential of ecotourism as a strategy for local sustainable development. Sample selection Respondents will be selected by using snowball sampling methods to address the research question and objective of the study. Snowball sampling methods will help the researcher understanding of the problem and research question. For example, key informants will be selected based on their professional status to get more and more relevant information. Tourists will be selected randomly including local tourist. This will diminish some kind of inconveniences to the researcher. Primary data will be collected through around 30 semi-structured interviews that will conduct with 30 people from June 15th to August 15th 2008. These interviews include: 14 villagers, 3 owners of restaurant, 2 employees of the restaurant, 4 employees from companies that are working in the study area, a person from central environmental authority of Singapore, a person from Ministry of Environment of Singapore and 5 tourists (both international and local). Therefore a total of 30 interviews will be conducted and analyzed as part of this research. Semi-structured Key informant and individual interviews In this research, primary and data will be gathered by using semi structure interview and direct observation. Semi structured interviews will be used to collect data from both individual and key informants. Semi structured interviews acts as an effective tool for collecting basic information stakeholders regarding ecotourism. Qualitative methods are methodologically appealing because they allow a wide range of experiences to be documented, voices to be heard, representations to be made and interpretations to be extracted. Open ended qualitative interviews are, after all, the obvious way of allowing people to speak for themselves about their own view and experiences of the world (Limb and Dwyer 2001). When we have interviews it generates lots of information very quickly. So it helps researchers to handle lot of topics of the research at a time. Sometimes, qualitative interview helps us to clarify the problems raised by the interviewer. Always interviews are really good for studying pe oples understanding of meaning, describing their experiences, clarifying their own perspective on their day to day live (Kvale 1996). There are certain critiques on the in-depth and semi structured interviews. That is to say, in-depth and semi structured interviews are very much dependent on the skill of the interviewer. This means, amount of the expected data is based on the expression of the interviewer and how interviewer interacts with informant. In many instance, interview may divert into another direction due to the skill of argument or interest of the informant and sometime there is chance to mislead the interviewer by the key informant (Mikkelsen 2005). This is also one of the disadvantages of having interviews. In the in-depth interviews, it is very difficult to keep important question from omitting that can address our research objectives. Always researcher has to be very careful on the topic and related question when he conducts interviews. Good interviews require expertise in both subject matter and interaction (Kvale 1996). In addition, flexibility of researcher in sequences and words of the interview may affect the result of the informant namely there may be different answers from the different perspective (Mikkelsen 2005). All interviews in this research will be carried out with take into account all of these strength and weakness of the interview. Interview guides are formulated to conduct these interviews (see appendix 01). Participant Observation Other than interviews, participant observation will also be engaged. Participant observation activities contain living with a family in the community, working with them and spending time to understand their activities, behaviors and so on (Laurier 2003). In that way there are possibilities to attain in tourism activities, and meetings of local residents in Puau Ubin Singapore. Participant observation will be used to harmonize and support the interview process in three ways; first, it yields insights that assist in the formulation of questions for interviews. Second, it makes easy relationships with local residents. Finally, participant observation offers the opportunity to confirm or question the information gained through interviews. When Smith (2001) points out there are lots of thing that can only be obtained through participant observation. Participant observation and interviews are not separate activities, but mutually informative methods. When Kitchin and Tate (2000) point out that direct observation is an inductive method to obtain fruitful information. It is important to note, however, that in this research the interviews are the primary source of data, while participant observation plays a supporting role. Data analysis Data of this research will be analyzed according to the theoretical frame work and objective and research questions of this research. The collected data in this study will also be analyzed according to the theoretical framework of the research. The collected date from interviews will be transcribed and coded into theme in relation to the concept, theory and interviewees response and researchers observations. In addition, secondary data will be analyzed by using text analysis. Use of the secondary date will help us to get more understanding of ground situation of the field. Validity and reliability In qualitative research, validity and reliability are two most important factors that should be taken into account when designing, analyzing and evaluating quality of the research. Conclusion of the qualitative research should be very strong and natural to accept it without further doubt or confusion (Kitchin and Tate 2000). There should not be bias in order to get validity and reliability in qualitative research. Validity in qualitative research is a tool to make sure the logical order, foundation, and soundness of the research (Kitchin and Tate 2000). Validity depends on the nature of the theme that we investigated in the field (Kvale 1996). Normally, validity in qualitative research means that true and certain of findings. It can be motioned in anther way that validity measures the truthful of how far reached its intended objectives. Researcher uses series of question to maximize the validity of the research. Each question should be justified in relation to the objectives and rese arch questions of the research to establish validity. Most of the time, validity interlink with empirical knowledge of the subject and area of the research. Reliability is some sort of trustworthiness of the research and findings. Validity and reliability are the two side of a coin because there is no reliability without validity. Presentation of validity will be good enough to reliability later. Patton (2002) says that ability and skill of the researcher in a qualitative research will have major influence on the validity and reliability. In addition reliability will depend on the respondents answer. Form instance, some informant will be reluctant to answer for some sort of question and sometimes they give sort of wrong or biased information. Therefore this will reduce the level of reliability of the study. I have planned to use a combination of qualitative methods to minimize the risk of bias. I will use both semi structured and direct observation to collect primary data. It helps me to crosscheck the data that I am going to collect in the field. I will keep my position as research student and try my best to convince my respondents. And also I will follow the ethical concept of conducting research. Further, snowball sampling method that I am going to use in this research will help me to get more correct or useful informant. This will increase validity and reliability of this research. Besides, there may be some kind of short comes in the date collection and interpretation. It is extremely not easy to avoid some unexpected incidents in the field. I as a researcher will try my best to keep validity and reliability of this research. Limitations Since Ecotourism and sustainable development is a broad topic, it is difficult to include all aspects. Therefore this research has been limited to identifying potential environmental, social and economical impacts of ecotourism and also, analyzing the potential of ecotourism as a strategy for local sustainable development. The study area has been limited to an Island to have in-depth study. Field work period is limited to two months. Researcher (me) may face some kind of language barrier in the field. Most of them speak Chinese. But there are people who speak either Tamil or English. Therefore, I hope that I would be able to manage it. Since the study area is very new for the researcher, it may consume few days to get familiar with the area and people. Reference Crang, M. (2002) Qualitative methods: the new orthodoxy? Progress in Human Geography 26, 5 pp. 647-655. Honey, M. (1999). Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise? Washington, D.C.: Island Press. Kitchin, R. and Tate, N. J. (2000). Conducting Research in Human Geography: Theory, Methodology and Practice, Pearson Education Limited, Essex. Kvale, S. (1996). Interviews: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing, Sage Publications, Lund. Legends of Ubin [Online]// Wildsingapore web site. 2003. 03 15, 2008. https://www.wildsingapore.com/ubin/places/geography.htm. Limb, M. and Dwyer, C. (2001). Qualitative Methodologies for Geographers: Issues and Debates. Oxford University Press, New York. Mikkelsen, B, (2005). Methods for Development Work and Research: A new guide for practitioners, SAGA Publications, New Delhi. Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (3rd ed.), Sage Publication, London. Paul Herbig, P( ?) CULTURE Influlences ON ECOTOURISM PARTICIPATION Marketing and the Environment Lecture Series Lecture 4: available at www.herbigandsons.com/lecture/Ecotourism.doc reviewed on 2008/04/21. Sharpley, R. (2003). Tourism: Tourists Society, ELM publication,Cambridgeshire. Smith, V. L., and Eadington, W. R. (ed) (1992). Tourism Alternatives: Potentials and Problems in the Development of Tourism, New York, John Wiley. The International Ecotourism Society, (2000) Ecotourism Statistical Fact Sheet, Journal of Travel Research. Available at https://www.ecotourism.org/WebModules/WebMember/MemberApplication/onlineLib/MemberApplication/onlineLib/Uploaded/Ecotourism%20Factsheet%202000.pdf reviewed on 2008/04/21. Weaver, D. B. (1999). Magnitude of Ecotourism in Costa Rica and Kenya, Annals of Tourism Research, 26(4), 792-816. Appendixes Appendix I Interview guide Individual Interview guide 01 Individual questions Your occupation? Your age? How long you are living in this area? What kind of economic benefits you gain from ecotourism in this island? What is your experience with ecotourism? Are you working in the tourism industry in this island? What economic activities are undertaken by your family members? What is your average income per month? How does ecotourism support you to improve standard of living? What is your perception on ecotourism in this island? General questions Is there any impact in this island due to ecotourism? Is there unemployment problem in this island? Could you observe any impacts on local employment in this island after set up ecotourism? How do the economic benefits from ecotourism support the services to the island? Most villagers are involved in which aspects of ecotourism? How do the villagers utilize their natural resources to support tourism? What are the local attitudes about sustainable ecotourism? What does the island still need to support sustainable ecotourism? How has the villagers quality of life been influenced by the advent of tourism? What are the negative impacts caused by tourism on the island? Key informant Interview guide 02 Individual questions When was these hotels established here? Why did you decide to establish ecotourism here? What is your experience with ecotourism? Have you observed any conflict related to community conservation? Do you think local people benefit from Ecotourism? How? General questions Who is the management authority? What is the source of funding for management of these hotels? What are the potential tourist attractions here? Where do visitors come from? International or local? What are the good and bad things about Ecotourism on the Pulau Ubin Island? Who is in charge of Ecotourism activities on the Pulau Ubin Island? What are the benefits and challenges about running ecotourism in this area? Does ecotourism contribute to the economic development on the Pulau Ubin Island? Does ecotourism contribute to conservation in the area? And How? What are the opportunities and constrains on livelihood or job in this area? What kind of challenges and opportunities are there in offering good services to the tourists? What types of outside influences are there in the ecotourism development? For instance political influence or public opinion on environment? Interview guide 03 For administrative officers What are the general objectives towards tourism? What are the specific objectives towards ecotourism development? What strategy (or policy) exists for ecotourism development in the Island? What legal documents exist to regulate tourism/ecotourism activities in the Island? What are the specific rules and regulations in these documents for tourism and ecotourism activities? What monitoring mechanisms have been put in place to monitor ecotourism development? What benefits have been realized in terms of ecotourism revenue (e.g. employment, conservation, services, other) for community development? What measures have been put in place to ensure that the local heritage is not threatened by the development of ecotourism in the area? Who are the major stakeholders involved in the management of the ecotourism in Pulau Ubin Island? What challenges have been faced with regard to ecotourism development in Pulau Ubin Island? What are the major constraints that inhibit ecotourism development in Pulau Ubin Island? What opportunities exist for ecotourism development in Pulau Ubin Island? What future plans exist for ecotourism development in this area? Interview guide for Tourist What are your motivations for visiting to this island? What did you like most during your stay on this island? What did you dislike about the stay here? What kind of gifts, souvenirs and services would you like to have available? What are you expectations from the trips to the island? Which elements of sustainable ecotourism do you believe the Island best meets? How did you travel to the area? What is your length of stay in this island? Number of people in your travel party to the island? How did you learn about the island ecotourism? Where are you from? What is your occupation? Who much money you are going to spend during your stay here? Age? Do you think you will travel to this island again? Do you have any other suggestion and comments of your visit? What do you think about ecotourism on the island? What are good things and bad things about ecotourism on the Pulau Ubin Island? Appendix II Work plan of report writing NO Program May 2008 June July August September October November December January February March April May June 2009 1. Proposal preparation X 2. Field work X X X 3. Literature review X X X X X X X 4. Writing outline X X 5. Organizing information X X 6. Analyzing X X X X 7. Organizing the report X X 8. First drat of the thesis X 9. Second draft of the thesis X 10. Finalizing the report X X 11. Submission of the report X 12. Preparation for viva X X