Tourism and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tourism and Development - Essay Example Regrettably, many environmentalists seem unaware of this fact. This once again points to the necessity, for policy makers, managers, and scholars alike, to subscribe to an integrated systemic approach. Within this integrated approach to the development system are the three critically important and interdependent subsystems: economy, environment (conservation), and culture (including society). Taken together, the expanded system illuminates and in practical terms largely equates with the total environment, the total ecosystem, or more precisely the human environment, as an operational system (Gartner 1999, 117; Smith & Eadington 1992, 92). To think narrowly of the human world order in terms such as the "natural environment perturbed by human agencies" omits so much, is unrealistic and artificial, destroys an integrated approach, and by its restrictiveness all but denies sustainability in its non-fundamentalist new sense (West 2004, 307). At the other extreme, to think narrowly in terms of tourist management concerned only with tourism supply, demand, infrastructure, and consumers, in other words "the industry," is to sadly misinterpret today's realities. To view development in the matrix of the development system does not dilute attention to the economy or natural environment; rather, it adds significantly by acknowledging previously missing elements. Under contemporary circumstances, the natural environment is being looked at much more seriously than before, but in a considerably wider context. In developing countries1, it is understood that long term survival means the conservation and enhancement of the resource base in a closely knit milieu of cultural needs and economic aspirations. I term this element in this context "conservation," but conservation in its widest sense. Poverty is considered a major element in environmental degradation in some countries (for precision in the use of the term "degradation," see Butcher, 2002, 80). Attempts to prevent poverty in some places, and in others to prevent degradation from other sources and to restore degraded landscape while maintaining acceptable living conditions, require both development and redevelopment to take new and more benign directions. Large numbers of the elements of more conventional development may remain, but they may not be extended as far as previously and they might now explore new directions while others are being reassessed (Butcher 2002, 45). The removal of negative externalities where serious environmental and social impacts exist would normally become an expected cost of production, and higher consumer costs would be a tradeoff for a nondeteriorating, overall human environment (Farrell 1992, 27). The use of higher priced, chemical-free meat and vegetables, perceived by numbers of tourists as already worthwhile, or higher room rates associated with lower tourist densities on environmentally sensitive land would be examples. But for the tourism operator, all would not be lost by any means. What might appear a setback in one area can be an unexpected surprise in another. Interesting tradeoffs may arise, such as specialized eco-tourism (Mowforth & Munt 2003, 112). Other examples include tourism protecting or reinforcing the protection of wildlife in Kenya, gorillas and chimpanzees in Zaire (World Wildlife Fund-Conservation Foundation 1988 cited in Smith 2003, 33), harp seals in Labrador, wetlands in

Evaluation of the Department of Homeland Security's Budgeting and Research Paper

Evaluation of the Department of Homeland Security's Budgeting and Cumulative Report - Research Paper Example The paper tells that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expected to provide federal recovery efforts and response in the event of natural disasters and/or other large-scale emergencies. Additionally, it provides primary responsibilities to ensure that emergency responses are made in a professional way and that the state is prepared for such situations. The DHS secures the federal states against all threats and in its actions, it has five main missions that include preventing terrorism and enhancing security, enforcing and administering immigration, securing and managing the borders of the United States, ensuring resilience to disasters, and safeguarding and securing cyberspace. The Department of Homeland Security has seven operational components that lead other departments in protecting the nation. The other components of the DHS provide analysis, resources, policy development, equipment, and support in ensuring that all other front organizations have all required resources and tools to accomplish the missions of the DHS. The DHS is headed by a secretary with a deputy. With same authority and responsibilities is the chief of staff who is reported to by executive secretariat and military advisor. The holder of these offices forms the executive steering committee. This committee was established during FY 2012 to implement the integrated Investment Life Cycle Management (IILCM) as a translational initiative towards integrating budget formulation as well as the execution of the strategies that drive the budget’s strategies. Budget Overview The department of homeland security usually provides annual performance report for each fiscal year. The year 2012 to 2014 annual performance report presents the measure of performance and applicable results (APR) for the department for the FY 2012. It should be noted that the FY 2012 can only be understood with respect to the performance that targeted FY 2013 and FY 2014. The information provided by these FYs pr ovides the priority goals for the organization as it prepares its budget. The APR of the FY 2012 to 2014 was submitted as part of FY 2014 of DHS congressional budget justification. Additionally, the budget justification is usually intended towards meeting the government performance and result act (GPRA). It is worth noting that the GPRA modernization act of the year 2010 required the department to publish their performance report as well as annual performance plan to enable understand and approval of such budgets. Budgeting Assessment The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) research portfolio has a significant increase in FY 2012 as compared to the enacted budget FY 2010 fiscal year. In the year FY 2010, requested $1.05 billion and the same increased by 18.8 percent of FY 2012 that translated to $167 million. From the same budget, nearly $109 million was used for the transformational research and development (R&D) programs. From the same budget, domestic nuclear detection office ( DNDO) was transferred science and technology Directorate (Department of Homeland Security, 2012). The FY 2012 budget recognized as the technical division of nuclear and radiology. Nonetheless, the R & D funding remained in the DNDO. This FY 2012 fund transfer leads to an increase in the science technology research and development funding; the funding of Directorate of the science and technology increased by 20.2 percent that reflected an increase of $173 million.