Mba essay
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
How to Conjugate Reconnaître (to Recognize) in French
Step by step instructions to Conjugate Reconnaã ®tre (to Recognize) in French At the point when you need to state I perceived or we will perceive in French, youll utilize the verbâ reconnaã ®tre. So as to transform it into the past or future tense, in any case, you should know its conjugations. This may not be the simplest French exercise, however we will tell you the best way to frame the basic structures ofâ reconnaã ®reâ that youll need. The Basic Conjugations ofà Reconnaà ®tre In French, there are simple action word conjugations and some that are to a greater degree a test. Reconnaã ®tre falls into the last classification. That is on the grounds that it is an unpredictable action word, so it doesn't adhere to a typical guideline in the conjugations. Be that as it may, about every French action word finishing off with - aã ®tre are conjugated along these lines. In the event that you study a couple of together, each can be somewhat simpler. Forâ reconnaã ®tre, the action word stem (or radical) isâ reconn-. To this, you will change it up of endings that coordinate both the subject pronoun and the strained. This diagram will assist you with learning the nuts and bolts, including the basic present, future, and defective past tenses. For instance, I perceive isâ je reconnaisâ and we will perceive isâ nous reconnaã ®trons. Rehearsing these in setting will assist you with retaining them. Present Future Defective je reconnais reconnatrai reconnaissais tu reconnais reconnatras reconnaissais il reconnat reconnatra reconnaissait nous reconnaissons reconnatrons reconnaissions vous reconnaissez reconnatrez reconnaissiez ils reconnaissent reconnatront reconnaissaient The Present Participle ofà Reconnaà ®tre Theâ present participleâ ofâ reconnaã ®treâ isâ reconnaissant. It is an action word, however there are a few conditions wherein you can utilize it as a descriptive word or thing also. Reconnaã ®treâ in the Compound Past Tense The compound past tense in French is called theâ passã © composã ©. It requires utilization of theâ past participleâ reconnuâ and the current state conjugate of the helper verbâ avoir. For instance, I perceived isâ jai reconnuâ and we perceived isâ nous avons reconnu. Progressively Simple Conjugations ofà Reconnaà ®tre When youre uncertain in the event that you perceive something, you may useâ the subjunctive action word disposition. Then again, if youll possibly perceive something if something different occurs, you can useâ the restrictive. In formal writing, you will discover either the passã © simpleâ orâ the blemished subjunctiveâ forms ofâ reconnaã ®tre. Subjunctive Restrictive Pass Simple Blemished Subjunctive je reconnaisse reconnatrais reconnus reconnusse tu reconnaisses reconnatrais reconnus reconnusses il reconnaisse reconnatrait reconnut reconnt nous reconnaissions reconnatrions reconnmes reconnussions vous reconnaissiez reconnatriez reconntes reconnussiez ils reconnaissent reconnatraient reconnurent reconnussent The French imperativeâ drops all custom and avoids the subject pronoun. When usingâ reconnaã ®treâ in direct proclamations, you can disentangle it fromâ tuâ reconnaisâ toâ reconnais. Basic (tu) reconnais (nous) reconnaissons (vous) reconnaissez
Saturday, August 22, 2020
CIPD Profession Map Essay
7 Interesting Facts About Labor Day That Will Surprise You This Monday, September third is Labor Day, in the United States. Families the nation over will celebrate with grills, picnics, games, and exercises on the sea shore. Itââ¬â¢s our last chance to appreciate the summerâ beforeâ it closes. This is the thing that Labor Day has generally been known for. Nonetheless, the historical backdrop of Labor Day is somewhat more perplexing thanâ picnics and grill festivities. Here are some intriguing realities about Labor Day that you probably won't have known were valid. Certainty #1The first Labor Day happened on September 5, 1882 in New York City.Fact #2Oregon was the main state to make Labor Day an official occasion in 1887.Fact #3The holidayââ¬â¢s inceptions stem back to the 1800s when the normal American worked 12-hours every day, 7-days per week. Kids ages 5-6 worked in production lines and mines.Fact #4People abstained from wearing white apparel after Labor Day as it informally denoted the finish of summer.Fact #5Labor Day started i n Toronto, Canada in 1872 however immediately advanced toâ the United States.Fact #6Labor Day started as an exhibition for laborers rights yet is currently observed as a chance to commend the most recent day of summer.Fact #7In different nations, May first (May Day) is the day working individuals are respected. Most of Europe observes May Day.Sources: [Forbes,à DoSomething.org,à CNN]
LAW FOR BUSINESS Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2
LAW FOR BUSINESS Assignment - Essay Example As a rule, pay for monetary misfortune coming about because of harm to property can be recouped. In that capacity, it is hard to plainly recognize unadulterated and noteworthy financial misfortune. This was exhibited in Spartum Steel and Alloys Ltd v Martin &Co, wherein, the respondent had by accident made harm an electronic link in the plaintiffââ¬â¢s processing plant. The result of this demonstration was a decrease in benefits, and a general deferral in the working of the production line. The court while granting harms for the unadulterated financial misfortune caused, dismissed the case for general harms (Speaight, 2009, p. 23). The remuneration was as to the financial misfortune that was the immediate result of the harm to property. The conduits contention has a few highlights. One of these fights that permitting recuperation for unadulterated financial misfortune in certain cases would bring about a plenty of claims, which would viably reduce the working of the courts. Be sides, the inconvenience of across the board risk would unreasonably and lopsidedly trouble a litigant. Furthermore, the respondent would be unable to evaluate his potential risk on making harm the impacts of an essential casualty (von Bar, Drobnig, and Alpat, 2004, p. 124). The quantity of auxiliary misfortune victims gets vague and relies upon each one of the individuals who have a financial enthusiasm for the essential victimââ¬â¢s property. ... 19). On a few events, the conduits contention has been utilized, so as to limit obligation. In this way, the House of Lords conceded this contention in Majrowski v Guys and St. Thomasââ¬â¢s NHS Trust. For this situation, it was held that a business could be regarded to be vicariously subject for an employeeââ¬â¢s break of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. Besides, in Conn v City Council of the City of Sunderland, the Appellate Court decided that characterizing a go about as provocation would rely on the spot and setting wherein it had occurred. Thusly, it excused the plaintiffââ¬â¢s guarantee of injury as the language utilized by the director had been what was typical in that industry. On account of Weller v Foot and Mouth Disease Research Institute, the incidental arrival of an infection from the defendantââ¬â¢s foundation, brought about a close to pandemic of foot and mouth sickness among the dairy cattle of that zone. Subsequently, the ranchers around there need ed to butcher their dairy cattle, and closeouts couldn't be directed. The salespeople made a case for harms. In its decision, the court held that the barkers had just experienced a roundabout money related misfortune, and were subsequently not qualified to guarantee harms (Harpwood, 2008, p. 87). In this way, the conduits contention has been effectively contained by the legal executive. This is obvious from the decision in the above refered to cases. Question Two: Extent of Accountantââ¬â¢s Liability to Non â⬠Clients An accountantââ¬â¢s risk, with respect to customers and non-customers was resolved through the judgment of the courts in the accompanying cases. A careless distortion, regardless of being straightforward, can bring about a case for harms. This holds great, regardless of whether there had been no agreement
Friday, August 21, 2020
Free Essays on CMI Case Analisys
Jacko Consulting, Inc. Cumberland Metal Industries Item Launch Analysis Abstract Jacko Consulting, Inc., having dissected Cumberland Metal Industriesââ¬â¢ (CMI) new item dispatch, has arranged this report enumerating the unrivaled presentation of twisted metal cushions. We accept that CMI has built up an item that will alter the heap driving industry. This twisted metal pad cushion will permit organizations to work considerably more proficiently, along these lines empowering organizations to improve execution and acknowledge critical time and cost reserve funds. Objective Set up in 1963, CMI is one of the countryââ¬â¢s biggest makers of twisted metal items. Be that as it may, as questions emerged with respect to the companyââ¬â¢s capacity to keep up its market strength, it was basic for CMI to broaden and extend its item offering. While necessary to the operational and specialized parts of the business, pad cushions were underestimated as no substitutes were accessible. Harm from warmth and stun, steady vacation required for changing the cushions, and potential wellbeing dangers coming about because of the utilization of asbestos cushions gave a chance to the presentation of a progressively appropriate other option. CMI has to be sure built up a reasonable option made of twisted metal which tends to these issues, in this manner expanding consciousness of the significance of pad cushions inside the business. With the capacity to withstand significant levels of stun and warmth, this inventive cushion will decrease harm to pounding hardware and to the heaps themselves. This cushion is likewise expected to outflank asbestos cushions both in life span and convenience. To guarantee the productsââ¬â¢ costs will be generally welcomed in the market, CMI put resources into the abilities of the expert staff at Jacko Consulting, Inc. to give a monetary worth included investigation and an advertising suggestion that will guarantee a fruitful item dispatch. Financial Value Analysis Before setting a cost for CMIââ¬â¢s cu... Free Essays on CMI Case Analisys Free Essays on CMI Case Analisys Jacko Consulting, Inc. Cumberland Metal Industries Item Launch Analysis Outline Jacko Consulting, Inc., having broke down Cumberland Metal Industriesââ¬â¢ (CMI) new item dispatch, has arranged this report itemizing the prevalent exhibition of twisted metal cushions. We accept that CMI has built up an item that will reform the heap driving industry. This twisted metal pad cushion will permit organizations to work considerably more productively, in this manner empowering organizations to improve execution and acknowledge huge time and cost reserve funds. Objective Set up in 1963, CMI is one of the countryââ¬â¢s biggest makers of twisted metal items. Notwithstanding, as questions emerged with respect to the companyââ¬â¢s capacity to keep up its market predominance, it was basic for CMI to differentiate and grow its item offering. While indispensable to the operational and specialized parts of the business, pad cushions were underestimated as no substitutes were accessible. Harm from warmth and stun, predictable personal time required for changing the cushions, and potential wellbeing dangers coming about because of the utilization of asbestos cushions gave a chance to the presentation of an increasingly reasonable other option. CMI has to be sure built up a reasonable option made of twisted metal which tends to these issues, consequently expanding attention to the significance of pad cushions inside the business. With the capacity to withstand significant levels of stun and warmth, this imaginative cushion will decrease harm to pounding h ardware and to the heaps themselves. This cushion is likewise expected to beat asbestos cushions both in life span and usability. To guarantee the productsââ¬â¢ costs will be generally welcomed in the market, CMI put resources into the capacities of the expert staff at Jacko Consulting, Inc. to give a monetary worth included examination and an advertising proposal that will guarantee an effective item dispatch. Financial Value Analysis Before setting a cost for CMIââ¬â¢s cu...
Albright, Madeleine
Albright, Madeleine Albright, Madeleine, 1937â", American government official, b. Prague, Czechoslovakia, as Maria Jana Körbel. Her family emigrated to the United States in 1948, and she attended Wellesley College (B.A., 1959) and Columbia Univ. (M.A., 1968; Ph.D., 1976). A lifelong Democrat, she was chief legislative assistant to Senator Edmund Muskie (1976â"78) and served on the staff of the National Security Council and the White House (1978â"81). When the Democrats lost the White House, Albright became a professor of international affairs at Georgetown Univ. (1982â"93); her Washington, D.C., home was an informal meeting place for prominent Democrats and international leaders. Albright was an adviser to Bill Clinton (1992), and the newly elected president appointed her U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1993. A forceful promoter of American interests, she encouraged increased U.S. participation in the United Nations, often in military actions. In 1997, President Clinton named her secr etary of state; serving during his second term, she was the first woman to hold the post. Upholding the administration's assertive multilateralism, Albright was a strong supporter of an expanded NATO and an advocate of an active U.S. foreign policy, including the use of U.S. forces to protect American interests and prevent genocide in foreign countries. See her memoir, Madam Secretary (2003); biographies by A. Blackman (1998) and M. Dobbs (1999). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies
Albright, Madeleine
Albright, Madeleine Albright, Madeleine, 1937â", American government official, b. Prague, Czechoslovakia, as Maria Jana Körbel. Her family emigrated to the United States in 1948, and she attended Wellesley College (B.A., 1959) and Columbia Univ. (M.A., 1968; Ph.D., 1976). A lifelong Democrat, she was chief legislative assistant to Senator Edmund Muskie (1976â"78) and served on the staff of the National Security Council and the White House (1978â"81). When the Democrats lost the White House, Albright became a professor of international affairs at Georgetown Univ. (1982â"93); her Washington, D.C., home was an informal meeting place for prominent Democrats and international leaders. Albright was an adviser to Bill Clinton (1992), and the newly elected president appointed her U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1993. A forceful promoter of American interests, she encouraged increased U.S. participation in the United Nations, often in military actions. In 1997, President Clinton named her secr etary of state; serving during his second term, she was the first woman to hold the post. Upholding the administration's assertive multilateralism, Albright was a strong supporter of an expanded NATO and an advocate of an active U.S. foreign policy, including the use of U.S. forces to protect American interests and prevent genocide in foreign countries. See her memoir, Madam Secretary (2003); biographies by A. Blackman (1998) and M. Dobbs (1999). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies
Friday, June 26, 2020
London Museums
The future of Londons museums The following research paper investigates the present condition of Londonââ¬â¢s museums, focusing upon three aspects: their historical development, their present issues and debates, and their strategies for ensuring future survival and prosperity. To ascertain these facts five senior management figures from five leading London museums were interviewed and asked to complete questionnaires discussing the themes mentioned above. The research focuses at much length upon the decision of the present Labour government to introduce free admission to Londonââ¬â¢s museums and to finance this policy with funds from the National Lottery. Another key aspect of the research was to determine the level of competition posed to Londonââ¬â¢s museums by European, American and other international museums; further, to discover how Londonââ¬â¢s museums might raise their performance to match this competition. In addition, another type of competition faced by Londonââ¬â¢s museums is that of domestic attractions perceived by tourists and the public to be more sensational and exciting than ââ¬Ëold-fashionedââ¬â¢ museums. Famous examples include the London Eye, Madam Taussards, and the Tower of London amongst others; these attractions fit well with the zeitgeist of modern British youth and it is a major problem for Londonââ¬â¢s museums as to how they will re-assert their prominence. A third central aspect of the research, viewed both from the sides of museum management and from the government, is the question of the strategies that Londonââ¬â¢s museums will pursue in the twenty-first century. The survival and success of Londonââ¬â¢s museums will very much depend upon the decisions made regarding such strategy and its efficacy once put into place. The present research assesses the likely efficacy of such strategies, and the consequences that their implementation will have upon the publicââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëmuseum experienceââ¬â¢. The results of the research paint double-sided picture: on the side, of optimism regarding the increased admissions figures witnessed since free admissions began, and, on the other side, a gloomy scene dominated by the London museumsââ¬â¢ lack of financial support and by the negative consequences of the government insistence of putting attendance figures before a qualitative artistic and cultural experience. Section 1: Introduction Since the foundation of the British Museum almost two hundred and fifty years ago, London has had an international reputation as the museum capital of the world, as the city with the finest collections, the best specialists and the most to offer the fascination of the public. In addition to the British Museum, London can boast the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the London Transport Museum, the Victoria Albert Museum and the Theatre Museum amongst numerous other world-class museum-experiences. In their early decades Londonââ¬â¢s museums flourished through the generosity of private donations and gifts, and through royal and government funding; these ample resources gave museums such as the British Museum unrivalled funds for the construction of magnificent architecture and the gathering of the most splendid specimens and pieces from across the globe. But by the early 1990ââ¬â¢s, and reflecting Britainââ¬â¢s changed economic circumstances, Londonââ¬â¢s museums found themselves in need of considerable new funds to pay for refurbishments and developments so as to keep pace with other museums in the capital cities of Europe and in America. The advent of the National Lottery in 1994, and the terms of its constitution whereby a majority of its funds would go to museums and galleries, apparently offered the very chance to bring about a revival in the fortunes and prosperity of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. Thus between 1994-2003 more than à £13 billion was given to good causes by the National Lottery and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) (Selwood Davies, 2005: p.3); à £1 billion was given to six hundred museums across the country (Selwood Davies, 2005: p.3). These funds were intended for the construction of new buildings and exhibition halls, and to compensate museums and galleries for the loss of revenue that they would incur once free admission was introduced. A few smaller museums were also enabled to open in London because of grants from the HLF. The next radical step in the recent history of Londonââ¬â¢s museums came when the Labour Party in their 1997 manifesto, promised that when elected they would introduce free admission into Londonââ¬â¢s museums a move that it was anticipated would greatly increase attendance from members of the general public. In the event, this prediction turned out to be just right, particularly in the two years immediately succeeding the introduction of free admission. The government minister then in charge of museums in 2001, Estelle Morris, spoke of 2000 as ââ¬Ëan unprecedented season of openings and flourishingââ¬â¢ (DOC, 2000) for London museums. The year 2000 witnessed nine major construction or refurbishment projects in Londonââ¬â¢s great museums and a total of à £379 million spent on this (à £193 million of which came from lottery sources) (Selwood Davies, 2005: p.4). The most spectacular of these projects was the construction by Norman Foster of the G reat Court at the British Museum costing à £110 million (of which à £47 million was derived from lottery sources) (Selwood Davies, 2005: p.5). All in all, it seemed that the lottery was proving a vital fertilizing force in the rejuvenation and restoration of Londonââ¬â¢s great museums. This optimism was very clearly reflected in the visitor figures following free admission. In 2001/2002 London museums that had previously received capital funding from lottery sources noticed a staggering rise in visitor numbers of 5.3 million when compared with the 1999/2000 season; in 2002/2003 this figure jumped again to 6.3 million extra visits compared with 1999/2000 (this representing an increase of 89%). In stark contrast London museums that did not receive lottery funding say they annual attendance figure drop by 7% in 2001/02 and 13% in 2002/03 when compared to the 1999/00 season. To take an individual instance, the Victoria Albert Museum witnessed an increase in attendance from 75, 773 in November 2000 to 132,882 in November 2001 (this figure even jumped 270% by March 2002). Likewise, attendance figures at the Science Museum rose by 120% and the National History Museum by 74% in the same period (All figures: Selwood Davies, 2005: pp. 6-10). Nonetheless, this stream of incessantly impressive and rising admissions figures masked a major concern unsettling many of the managers and directorââ¬â¢s of Londonââ¬â¢s leading museums. These figures of course welcomed lottery funding as a vital means of rejuvenating Londonââ¬â¢s museums and making them competitive with museums found in New York, Paris, Berlin and elsewhere. Nonetheless, the advent of free admission introduced at the same time a far greater degree of vulnerability and uncertainty in the financial arrangements and security of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. It was obvious to museum strategists and directors that a great deal of lottery money would be needed to compensate for the loss of revenue en dured once free admission was introduced. Crucially, it would be paramount that lottery contributions of the levels of 2001 would be sustained for the long-term; nothing would be worse that one spectacular year for two of prosperity and massive investment followed by ten or twenty years of under investment and decline. It is recent charge imputed by many museum directors against the government and the HLF directors that they were naà ¯ve in profoundly underestimating the levels of investment that would e required to sustain not only the rejuvenation of Londonââ¬â¢s museums but merely also their survival. The British Museum alone, for instance, according to its director Neil MacGregor stands to lose à £80 million over ten years from lost revenues and reclaimed VAT. Increased attendance figures are welcomed naturally by all museum directors on the absolute condition that sufficient funds are made available to pay the costs of this increased attendance. Selwood and Davies calcu lated that since the advent of free admission and 7.3 million extra visitors each of these visitors cost Londonââ¬â¢s museums on average à £3.56 per visitor à £3.56 extra that has to be found by the museums from non-lottery funding (Selwood Davies, 2003: p.8). Thus free admission has had a bitter sting in its tale, and it may be said that presently a great many of Londonââ¬â¢s famous museums find themselves in financial difficulties, unable to pay for restorations and improvements; unable to compete with American and European museums for the finest pieces and exhibitions, unable to attract the brightest researchers and curators and ultimately in danger of losing the great reputations that some have nurtured for as long as two centuries. It is clear to all, museum directors and government officials alike, that the present funding arrangements of Londonââ¬â¢s museums are precarious and that a serious strategy needs to be devised to offer such museums long-term financi al security and thus a platform to compete with the other leading museums of the world. This present dissertation conducted interviews, by way of questionnaires with five senior figures from five of Londonââ¬â¢s leading museums the British Museum, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the London Transport Museum and the V A museum to ascertain their thoughts and attitudes regarding the present state and the likely future state of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. These senior figures were questioned on their beliefs regarding the lottery funding of museums, on the advent of free admission, on the extent of government funding, on international competition, and on future strategy. The picture that emerges from these interviews is one of profound uncertainty over the future survival and prosperity of Londonââ¬â¢s museums; buffeted on the one side by the loss of revenue from free admission, and on other sides by the short-fall in promised lottery investment and the prese nt governmentââ¬â¢s obsession with the quantitative aspect of museum attendance at the expense of the quality of the visitorââ¬â¢s experience. Section 2: Literature Review It perhaps appropriate to preface this literature review with a few remarks about its undertaking. Often when undertaking research that refers to relatively recent events, the researcher finds that the academic world has not yet had time to catch-up in print and publish scholarly books and articles covering these events. With the present research however the proposition was entirely opposite; even though the subjects of lottery funding, free admission and so on are relatively recent, there is nonetheless an abundance of literature dealing with the specific question of the future of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. The task of the researcher was thus to sift this material so as to isolate its most pertinent and relevant parts. Another unusual aspect of this present literature review is its wide use of government documents and announcements. An overriding theme throughout the present paper is the intimacy of the relationship between the government and museum managers and directors. Natura lly, the government perspective upon events is not published through academic books and journals, but by speeches, white-papers, press releases and so on. This research of course made much use of the outstanding museum journals, pre-eminently Curator: The Museum Journal. Of the several articles from this journal used in this dissertation, one was of seminal importance in providing statistical and analytical evidence of the impact of lottery funding and free admission upon Londonââ¬â¢s museums, this being: S. Selwood and M. Davies (2005) ââ¬ËCapital Costs: Lottery Funding in Britain and Consequences for Museums. The article excellently articulates the dilemma that has crept upon Londonââ¬â¢s museums now that the inadequacy of lottery funding to meet extra visitors numbers has become apparent. There are hints in the above article to possible solutions to the funding crisis facing Londonââ¬â¢s museums, and these solutions are discussed in greater depth in R. Baronâ⠬â¢s ââ¬ËReinventing a State Program for Museum Fundingââ¬â¢ (2003). Question marks as to the thoroughness and efficacy in practice of the governmentââ¬â¢s free admissions policy is raised in several places: Freudenheimââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËThat Politics Problemââ¬â¢ (2005), Babbidgeââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËUK Museums; Safe and Sound? (2000) and Sharpââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËControversy and Challenge: British Funding Increases Nationally, But Not to National Museumsââ¬â¢ all echo the apprehensiveness and fear felt by many museum directors and staff towards the financial liabilities that would arise in the wake of free admissions (2006). Freudenheim, in particular, highlights a certain naivety in governmentââ¬â¢s attitude towards the workings of national museums; citing in particular the governmentââ¬â¢s inveterate insistence upon the increasing of admissions figures no matter what the effects of this upon either museum costs or the aesthetic museum-experience of visitors. The governmentââ¬â¢s position, and its obvious delight and sense of fulfilment at increased attendance figures since free admission, is given in a number of documents. Principally, the paper London Cultural Capital ââ¬â Realising the Potential of a World Class City published by the Londonââ¬â¢s Museums Agency (2004) establishes the governments intentions and strategy towards the future of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. The paper gives fifteen government policies, under the headers value, access, creativity, and excellence by which the governmentââ¬â¢s museum strategies will be delivered in future. The government, in association with the National Lottery, has written in several places of its satisfaction at the results of the introduction of the policy of free admissions. In particular, the paper One Year On Visitor Numbers Soaring At National Museums Following Abolition Of Entry Charges published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1 January 2003 gives a sense of the euphoria and achievement perceived by the government. Also, the paper Two Years On Free Admission to National Museums Draws Even Bigger Crowds again published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 9 March 2003 gives much the same impression. In each of these documents the government stresses its loyalty and commitment to the principle of free admission and to the extension of this principle as far as possible. At the same time, there is little reference in these documents to the nervousness and trepidation felt by museum directors and managers about the future prosperity of the institutions they preside over. It is in this absence of self-criticism, that the reader perceives the origins of the discrepancy between that governmentââ¬â¢s perception of the financial condition of Londonââ¬â¢s museums and the reality of their condition. The possible consequences of such as disparity increasing, and of a competition gap widening between Londonââ¬â¢s museums an d those in America and Europe, are well delineated in Cainââ¬â¢s article ââ¬ËMuseums and the Future of Collectingââ¬â¢ (2005). In short, the extant literature paints the present picture of Londonââ¬â¢s museums as a time of grave uncertainty with respect to their financial predicament and thus their world-class legacies and reputations. These sources also acknowledge the considerable benefits already brought by lottery funding and free admission, and point also to the great future potential of these schemes; they instil in the reader at the same time a warning that idealism must be checked by pragmatic considerations before Londonââ¬â¢s museums can attain the future they deserve. Section 3: Methodology The principal method of primary data collection for this research was the interviewing, by way of questionnaires, of several senior figures at five of Londonââ¬â¢s leading museums. The decision to interview senior management and directing figures, rather than members of the public, had the obvious advantage that the answers obtained would be the specialist opinions of people with an intimate knowledge of the subject matter of the research. Members of the general public, especially those living in London, often show much interest and curiosity towards the subject of the prosperity and fate of Londonââ¬â¢s museums, but at the same time are not professionals with direct experience of the key debates and consultations. To arrange these five meetings, the researcher wrote fifteen letters to major London museums. Of these fifteen requests for an interview, seven positive responses were returned to the interviewer, of which five eventually furnished the opportunity of an inter view. In requesting these interviews letters were sent to the director of each museum, irregardless of the sex, race, or religion of the person. Of the five eventual interviewees, three were men and two women; their ages ranged between forty-one and sixty-three. At the behest of interviewees, all of whom preferred to speak off the record due to the sensitivity of many of the issues of discussion, neither their names nor their titles are given in the final publication of this research. Thus, in the transcripts presented in the appendix of this research, each of the five interviewees are referred to as ââ¬Ëa senior figureââ¬â¢ and ascribed a coded number following the simple scheme 001-002-003-004-005. This sensitivity, arising from the various present tensions over funding between London museums, the HLF and the government, clearly raises certain ethical questions about the present research. Above all, is it permissible to expose senior figures to possible embarrassment o r worse, for the sake of the findings of this research. In answer to this question, the present researcher would say two things: firstly, that explicit consent for every interview was obtained by the researcher before the commencement of each interview, thus all interviewees participated at their own volition; secondly, following Utilitarian principles of seeking ââ¬Ëthe greatest good for the greatest numberââ¬â¢, the researcher decided that the possible positive benefits and improved public understanding of the topic that might arise from this research could justify the slight ethical risks associated with the carrying-out of this research. It is a belief of the researcher that by informing the academic community and the public of the chief issues and controversies now affecting Londonââ¬â¢s museums, that the debate generated from this knowledge will lead to greater consideration on all sides being shown towards the preservation and improvement of Londonââ¬â¢s world- famous reputation as a museum centre. A number of criticisms may be levelled at the methodology discussed in this section. Firstly, it might be asked, with some justification, whether or not the interviewing of only five museum figures can produce results characteristic of attitudes and opinions of Londonââ¬â¢s museums as a whole. Naturally, critics might ask how the researcher can infer from the collection of five opinions general trends governing the many hundreds and thousands of senior figures working for the management of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. Likewise, why does the report interview exclusively figures from museum management and not from the government or from the National Lottery? In response to the first question the reply must be that with limited resources and limited time, it seemed most prudent to the researcher to restrict the field of investigation to a narrow focus, where the results obtained could be subjected to a significant scrutiny and analysis someth ing which resource constraints would have rendered impossible had the field been extended much wider. Moreover, whilst only five persons were interviewed, these figures preside over Londonââ¬â¢s five largest museums which between them see greater attendance figures and government investment than all of Londonââ¬â¢s other museums combined. Thus the opinions of the figures interviewed actually are far more representative of London as a whole than would first appear likely. In response to the second question, a similar answer might be given: only museum directors were interviewed because they are the persons with the most intimate knowledge of the matters under discussion. If the present researcher were in future to extend the present research, then the opinions of others outside of museum management would certainly have to be included. As it was, the present report incorporates sufficient expert opinion, to make its findings relevant to the better academic and public understa nding of the issues affecting the future of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. Section 4: Results Analysis The aim of the present research was to investigate the likely future of Londonââ¬â¢s museums; this research was undertaken by way of interviews with five senior figures from five leading London museums. From the information gained from the literature review undertaken by the researcher it seemed most appropriate to question these museum directors on five main subjects: lottery funding, the advent of free admission, international competition, future strategy and the employment of new researchers and curators. The expectation of the researcher was that the general opinion of these senior figures would have initially been one of welcome to the proposed lottery funding, but that this initial welcome would have turned to mild scepticism in the wake of free admission and the provocation of severe uncertainty following the extra costs incurred by increased visitor numbers and lesser-than-expected lottery investment. What opinions then did these results produce in actuality? (1) L ottery Funding. The five interviewed senior figures unanimously (5 of 5) welcomed the original government proposals to aid Londonââ¬â¢s and Britainââ¬â¢s museums through funds made available by the national lottery. Museums such as the British Museum, with its newly built Great Court, was given considerable lottery funding amounting to à £47 million (Selwood Davies, 2003: p.3). Museum directors were quick to concede that such developments would have been impossible without these lottery funds or an extremely large, but unlikely, private donation. In short, museum directors were united in their praise for proposed lottery investment. (2) Free Admission. The chief feature of the respondentsââ¬â¢ answers to questions posed about free admission were twofold: on the one hand, respondents welcomed the opportunity to open their doors to ever greater numbers of people, thus disseminating cultural and scientific experience as far as possible; on the other hand, words such as à ¢â¬Ëapprehensionââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëscepticismââ¬â¢ were used liberally by nearly all of those interviewed. What most strongly prompted this apprehension was the ââ¬Ëtwiningââ¬â¢ of free admission introduction with the compensation for lost revenue by lottery funding. Directors confided that when allowed to charge admission fees their museums did at least have a degree of self-sufficiency and so could determine their own future strategies and successes. But lottery funding conditioned by the introduction of free admission policies has subjected Londonââ¬â¢s museums to a profound financial vulnerability and loss of independence. These museums, now depend upon the HLF for often as much a half of their income; if controversies or difficulties arise with the lottery directors or with the ministers directing them, then the museums are forced to abide by outside instruction and policy. Moreover, the great fear that lottery investment would not be sustained appears to have come true for all of the five museums whose for whom senior figures were interviewed for this research. So too, insufficient lottery funding has been made available to compensate for the extra costs incurred by the vastly increased visitor numbers experienced after the introduction of free admission. Interviewees hinted at a certain naivety and lack of preparation on the part of ministers and lottery managers with respect to the projected visitor increases following free admission and the costs that would be incurred by this. (3) International Competition. On the question of international competition there was further unanimity of opinion amongst the senior figures interviewed. Each respondent vigorously asserted that the collections of the museums he or she presided over as a manager were the equal of any equivalent museum anywhere in the world. Managers from the British Museum and the Natural History Museum, not to mention others, could rightly boast that their reputations wer e pre-eminent amongst international museums. At the same time, three of the figures interviewed (the exceptions presided over specialist museums with little international competition) confided that many American and European museums simply had far better funding and so purchasing-power than their own London museums. For the immediate future, this gap will mean that these international museums will continue to purchase new pieces of exceptional public interest whilst Londonââ¬â¢s museums will have to remain content with their existing impressive but static collections. In the medium- and long-term future, if this purchasing disparity continues then a qualitative difference will emerge ever more clearly between the museums of London and those of America and Europe. (4) Recruitment. When embarking upon the present research the researcher did not anticipate that ââ¬Ëthe difficulty of recruiting new researchers and curatorsââ¬â¢ would be a major concern to Londonââ¬â¢s mus eums regarding their futures. Nonetheless, as the searching through the literature review proceeded and as the topic came into better perspective this problem seemed to be a central concern for several of the major London museums. Specialist museums like the V A and the Theatre Museum do not, according to results, face such problems; but senior figures from the Natural History Museum, the British Museum and the Science museum may all face crises over recruitment in the near future. According to these figures the recruitment of new staff has been a subject neglected by the government in their ceaseless quest for higher admission figures and in ââ¬Ëmeasuring the valueââ¬â¢ of a museum-goersââ¬â¢ experience. The science museum can no longer attract top scientists and researchers because they are paid so little: à £20,000 as a starting salary, peaking at à £50,000 ( ). Commercial companies and American museums offer far better salaries and improved facilities. If this â⠬Ëbrain-drainââ¬â¢ continues for much longer, then it may prove to be the greatest of all dangers to the future prosperity of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. These institutions are sustained not only by their pieces and specimens, but by the care and expertise of their curators and other staff; it is this expertise and the respect that arises from it that gives these institutions their world-class reputations. If this expertise evaporates, then no amount of increased admission or funding or improved strategy will protect the legacies and future prosperity of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. But towards the re-capture and enticement of these experts the government and the lottery fund seem somewhat blinded; given the extent to which Londonââ¬â¢s museums now rely upon government funding, it is precisely with the government that the responsibility lies for providing sufficient funding for home-grown and international experts to crave as they used to the opportunity to work in the prestigio us museums of London. (5) Future Strategy. The senior figures interviewed for this research are nearly as one when they declare that future strategy has to be built around the attainment of financial stability; this is to be sought through an improved, more efficient and more effective relationship with the government and the HLF. A better balance has to be struck between the governmentââ¬â¢s ardent desire for ever increased admissions and the practical and pragmatic methods by which these extra admissions, dragging with them their extra costs, will be paid for. If a resolution and balancing is not achieved here then the obvious and inevitable path down which Londonââ¬â¢s museums must slide is that of ever greater debt and so lesser purchasing-power for new pieces and so a general decline in the standing and reputation of Londonââ¬â¢s museums. The reality of this predicament is brought home, even as this dissertation is written-up, by the announcement today of the Lon don Theatre Museum (BBC, 2006) that they face imminent closure unless a major cash injection from the lottery fund is received. The alternative strategies are these: firstly, an abrupt about-face by the museums whereby they begin to charge for admission. This path is unattractive as there are numerous legislative, ethical and civil obstacles to this policyââ¬â¢s reinstatement. Another alternative is increased public funding from a source other than the lottery; this however looks most unlikely in the short-term. Thus, setting aside the remote chance that a massive private donation will save them, museums must, in their strategising come to agreement with the government about how extra funding from the lottery may be obtained. In short, the results obtained from this present research point to two things: firstly, that senior figures from the five museums interviewed welcomed in general lottery funding as a means to achieve rejuvenation and restoration; secondly, that this op timism changed to apprehension and tentativeness once it became clear the extent to which lottery funding would be dependant upon free admissions policies. Thirdly, it is obvious from all the interviews, that Londonââ¬â¢s museums are at a cross-roads and a defining moment in their illustrious history. To the left, is the danger of an ever greater financial disparity caused by increasing visitor figures and inadequate lottery funding; to the right is offered a sound financial structure that will ensure the continuation and prosperity of Londonââ¬â¢s museumsââ¬â¢ world-class reputation. Section 5: Conclusion In the final analysis, it seems most appropriate to say that Londonââ¬â¢s museums are now at a seminal moment in their historical development a moment of both opportunity and precariousness. The opportunities promised by massive lottery funding at first seemed likely to engender a great rejuvenation of Londonââ¬â¢s museums; indeed, this new source of funding promised to keep Londonââ¬â¢s museums competitive with the other great museums of the world for the foreseeable future. The advent of free admission was met with both tentativeness and warmth by the senior figures interviewed by this researcher; apprehension because free admission, and thus loss of revenue from admission charges, meant a far greater degree of dependence upon the government and the LHF and thus greater financial uncertainty. If the new relationship between lottery funding and free admission worked in practice as some had suggested in theory that it would, then Londonââ¬â¢s museums would have a br ight and perhaps glorious future. If, on the other hand, the organization and administration of lottery funding was inadequate or improperly practised then a disparity would open between increasing admissions numbers and the ability of museums to pay the extra costs of these visitors. In the event, both expectations and fears were realised by the introduction of free admission in Londonââ¬â¢s museums. As the figures cited throughout this dissertation attest, visitor figures rose spectacularly in the wake of free admission. Greater numbers of the British general public and international visitors than ever before were able to receive the cultural and scientific treasures of Londonââ¬â¢s great museums. Nonetheless, once the honeymoon period had waned, it became clear to many museum managers and directors that insufficient lottery funds were being supplied to compensate for loss of revenue incurred after the dropping of admissions charges and after the increase of visitors a lso from this policy. In the years since free admission was introduced, Londonââ¬â¢s museums have acquired ever greater deficits on their balance sheets. This lack of funding has, in the opinions of the persons interviewed for this research, one principal cause: the inadequacy of the preparation and the superficiality of vision of the government when hastily making arrangements for the lottery funded policy of free admission. Moreover, this lack of funding has three further detrimental and deleterious effects: firstly, Londonââ¬â¢s museums can no longer compete with major American and European museums in the purchasing and acquiring of major new pieces; as such, in the long-term these museums will be able to attract fewer visitors. Secondly, Londonââ¬â¢s museums cannot purchase enough spectacular pieces to tempt tourists and British youngsters away from other London attractions such as Madam Taussards, the London Eye, the Millennium Bridge. If this double-draining (to wards other museums and other attractions) of museum audiences continues then they will be caught in the vicious circle of too few visitors and so too little money to buy attractive new exhibits. Thirdly, lack of funding is leading to a further ââ¬Ëbrain-drainââ¬â¢ to America and the commercial sector of talented young curators and scientists who cannot find matching salaries in London. If this drain continues for much longer then Londonââ¬â¢s museums will seriously jeopardise their reputations. It is evident from the literature reviewed and from the senior figures interviewed, that the strategic solutions needed to provide financial stability for Londonââ¬â¢s museums must be built around the development of a better working relationship and better communication between the government, the HLF and museum managements. Paramount, is the question of how the extra costs incurred due to increased visitor numbers are to be adequately met from lottery funds. Museum directo rs might rightly point out and in so doing they would have the sympathy of great swathes of the general public that a far greater quantity of lottery finding might be made available if less were spent on the often dubious causes which the National Lottery presently seems devout to supply. If the effort to forge an improved relationship with the LHF and government fails, then Londonââ¬â¢s museums have few viable strategic options. One possibility is a return to the charging of admission fees; such a move would however face considerable government and public opposition. A change of government might facilitate such a move, or might even lead to an improved relationship between itself and museum directors. The only other option and this is more of a hope than an expectation or strategy is of some massive private donation or endowment to support Londonââ¬â¢s museums. Even if such an endowment were given to a single institution such as the British Museum or the Natural Histor y museum, such an endowment would not offer a solution to Londonââ¬â¢s other museums. If however the government-museums relationship succeeds then the two other major problems of recruitment difficulties and international competition will disappear since these problems are the result of financial difficulties. Abruzzo, James. (1998). ââ¬ËMuseum Strategy and Marketingââ¬â¢. Curator, Vol. 41, No. 4, 1998, pp. 279-282. Baron, R. (2003). ââ¬ËReinventing a State Program for Museum Fundingââ¬â¢. Curator, Vol. 46, No. 1, 2003, pp. 19-36. Babbidge, A. ââ¬ËUK Museums; Safe and Sound?, Cultural Trends 37, , 2000 Cain, V. (2005). ââ¬ËMuseums and the Future of Collectingââ¬â¢. Curator, Vol. 48, 2005 pp. 339-342. Freudenheim, T. L. (2005). ââ¬ËThat Politics Problemââ¬â¢. Curator, Vol. 48, 2005, pp 372-377. Genoways, H. (1998). ââ¬ËMuseum Ethicsââ¬â¢. Curator, Vol. 41, No. 4, 1998, pp. 282-285. Heritage Lottery Fund. (2005). Museums and Ga lleries: 10 Years of Heritage Lottery Fundingââ¬â¢. National Museums and Galleries: Funding and Free Admission, first report of session 2002-2003, House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee One Year On Visitor Numbers Soaring At National Museums Following Abolition Of Entry Charges, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1 January 2003 Quirk, R (et. al.). (1989). The Oxford English Dictionary. (2nd Ed.). Oxford University Press, Oxford. Season of millennium museum project openings most impressive ever seen in UK, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 20 January 2000. Sharp, L. (2006). ââ¬ËControversy and Challenge: British Funding Increases Nationally, But Not to National Museumsââ¬â¢. Curator, Vol. 49, No. 1, 2006, pp. 55-65. Selwood, S Davies, M. (2005). ââ¬ËCapital Costs: Lottery Funding in Britain and Consequences for Museums. Curator, Vol. 48, 2005, pp. 439-467. Thackray, J Press, B. (2001). The Natural History Museum: Natureâ⠬â¢s Treasure House. The Natural History Museum, London. The London Museums Agency. (2004). London Cultural Capital ââ¬â Realising the Potential of a World Class City. Two Years On Free Admission to National Museums Draws Even Bigger Crowds, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 9 March 2003
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