Tourism

Policies are what guide the development of nations in the 21st century. Public policy which commonly refers to guidelines and procedures established by governments detail clear objectives, principles, issues and action plans for the development process. As such, the policy making process should not be underestimated as it is also a determinant of how effective policies are. Sport tourism is not a new aspect in todays world and the interconnection between sport and tourism lies in the concept of leisure. It is the continued depiction of sports as leisure activities that has created the sports tourism industry. Indeed as veal (20023) highlights leisure and tourism overlap in that tourism can be seen as a form of leisure but one which occurs away from ones home. Also, it is in these tourism destinations that individuals utilize various leisure services. Sport tourism does have major implications for the development of nations and it is important to note that this development can only be realized through sound and effective policies. This paper seeks to analyze the contributions that sport tourism has made in Thailand. Specifically, the discussion will focus on Thai boxing (Muay Thai) and how it has influenced economic, social and environmental development in Thailand.

According to Cohen (20083) Thailand tourism has grown tremendously in the 21st century and even though it was earlier sponsored through private initiatives, the introduction of government policy has contributed to the immense growth of the industry. This tremendous involvement in tourism policy making has involved the establishment of a national level policy, determination of the target promotion and types of clientele (Hitchcock, 2008136). It is in this endeavor that Thai boxing has taken route as a major tourism attraction which is guided by government policy. Essentially sport tourism in Thailand has been used as a mode of accruing major economic benefits for the kingdoms growing economy. However, the implication of Thai boxing tourism goes beyond economic benefits and extends to social and economic benefits and hazards.

Thai boxing also known as Muay Thai is a form of martial art found in Thailand. Traditional Thai boxing involves hard martial arts as opposed to modern boxing. Muay Thai is unique in Thailand as it is accompanied by traditional rituals and ceremonies for the participants before every fight. Its popularity transcends across the world especially for those who enjoy kickboxing. Thai boxing is a sport which attracts tourists who are players and those who are spectators. For international kick boxers, they travel to Thailand in order to take part in boxing competitions held throughout the country. While they are not competing some of them engage in training in Thailands reputable boxing facilities. The realization that Thai boxing presented an opportunity for the growth of the tourism industry and for revenue generation, Thailands government established policy guidelines for the sport. Ideally, all Thai boxing matches must receive licenses from the ministry of tourism and sports. This legal framework has ensured that Thai boxing is a recognized economic activity which can promote both domestic and international tourism.

As tourism is a major economic factor in Thailand the governments Thailand, Amazing Value package has heightened the number of tourists visiting the kingdom. Houlihan (199722) emphasizes that in order to fully understand such policy responses adapted by any government with regards to sports it is paramount to consider the governments structure. A close study of this structure underlies that there are two important players in promoting sports tourism in Thailand. That is, the ministry of tourism and sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. These institutions have developed guidelines for marketing Thai boxing and facilitating the advancement of prominent Thai boxing players to international levels.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand estimates that tourists visiting the kingdom will rise by 7  to 10  and with an expected economy growth of 3 to 4 this year, Thai boxing will contribute to a portion of these tourists. The economic contribution of sport tourism in Thailand does not lie only with revenues but also in the creation of jobs and development of infrastructure. Ideally, it is the combination of all these cluster benefits that results into a high GDP. Thai boxing as an economic activity emerges in the coming together of various aspects of tourism. One such aspect involves the traveling and hotel industry which engages in providing accommodation and travel facilities for tourists visiting the country for Thai Boxing events. The Thai tourism cluster specifically includes suppliers, service providers, education institutes and government agencies. Suppliers and service providers interact extensively with sport tourists as they seek to experience Thai Cuisine and also purchase souvenirs. On the other hand, the transport industry has expanded tremendously with the keen emphasis on promoting Thai boxing as an economic activity. Travel agencies are developing in areas where Thai boxing arenas and halls are located. This is due to an influx of both domestic and international tourist seeking the thrills of a boxing match. Employment created from these agencies is on the rise and ultimately, increased employment depicts high growth rates. These indirect contributions to the economy of Thailand are referred to as tourism multipliers as asserted by Knop and Standeven (1999172).

The above economic attributes showcase an intersection between Thailands economic policy and their sports tourism policy. Basically, in promoting sports tourism through Thai boxing the government seeks to achieve the goals of their economic policy. These goals include improved growth rates, infrastructure and employment rates. Alcock, Erskine and May (2003137) also emphasizes that social policies impact on economic policies in the governments direct expenditure, incentive provisions, education and training. This is reflected in Thailand as the government has spent substantial amounts of money in building boxing facilities, improving infrastructure and providing incentive packages to tourists. In addition, promoting Thai boxing tourism in Thailand and its effect of generating employment will lead to the improvement of living standards amongst Thai citizens. In so doing, sports tourism will become an agent of antipoverty and riding society of this form of social exclusion. Collins and Kay (200334) explain that poverty is the core of social exclusion and sports has a role to play in either eliminating or disseminating poverty. Sports tourism has the capacity to eliminate or at least reduce poverty rates when its benefits surpass the costs. The reverse can only contribute to heightened levels of poverty. However in Thailand, government expenditure on sport tourism seems to pay off especially with the continued high economic growth rates prior to and after the economic recession.

Regardless of the emerging positive economic benefits of Thai boxing, there are also negative economic impacts. One such impact is the increases in property prices which are as a result of a growing demand for more boxing training and competition facilities. This negative effect is experienced by local residents in Thailand who may aspire to develop such institutions but are disabled due to their lack of financial resources.

Furthermore, the restriction of such property rights by government policies which aim at preventing an upsurge of many Thai boxing facilities also restricts the economic development of local residents. Other potential negative economic impacts of sport tourism include the income benefits accrued being utilized at a national level and not for the local communities which are involved in Traditional Muay Thai. Another negative economic impact is observed during low tourism seasons when individuals working in the tourism industry are out of work. In addition, when there are many sport tourists and the payments allocated to all employees within the industry are dismal then they are unable to derive any benefits from the economic activities of sports tourism.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand interacts closely with other agencies so as to provide alternatives for leisure in tourism. These agencies are involved in developing products ranging from sports, shopping, health spas, culture and heritage. Sports tourism is highly related to social and cultural development. This ideology emanates from capacity of sports in promoting social interactions amongst individuals and also fostering cultural diversity. Houlihan (200813) argues that sport is at the core of social theory as it enables the socialization process which is the end result of the social theory. In essence, Thai boxing brings together international tourists and indigenous communities in Thailand as they share a common enjoyment and this fosters friendships which can even extend outside the kingdoms borders. Furthermore, this coming together instills values of cooperation and appreciation of one another. Tourists are able to appreciate the expertise of indigenous Thai boxers whose hardcore martial arts practice is widely reputed.

Thai boxing also serves an ideal purpose in the pursuit for community development. Gratton and Henry (2001188) imply that the support of sports, leisure and tourism often arises from a governments belief that these elements are capable of having a real impact on community and social problems. Following this, sports tourism plays a crucial role in rebuilding and regenerating communities. Muay Thai is a sport which has been around for many years and its traditional practice was found amongst Thailands indigenous communities.

Generally, the main objectives of such community sporting festivals are to foster and encourage the development of a sense of belonging within these particular communities. These communities came together for such sporting events and in celebrating their traditions it was inevitable that peace would emerge from this process. Currently, the emphasis on sports tourism and the increase of interested tourists has displayed the significance and importance of these rituals and ceremonies in indigenous cultures. Consequently, there seems to be a renaissance and revaluation of indigenous cultures. Furthermore, Muay Thai can be utilized in teaching new generation boxers their cultures and traditions. This can be done in encouraging them to accept and appreciate the rituals and traditional ceremonies indulged in before any Muay Thai match.

Crane, Kawasaki and Kawashima (200263) highlight that cultural forms are intricately linked to national identity and a sense of belonging in the society. Cultural policies developed by governments are part of the context within which indigenous cultural forms operate. In Thailand, the ministry of culture is in liaison with the sports and tourism ministry in order to ensure that cultural heritage is preserved within the practices of traditional Muay Thai. Furthermore, this link between culture and sports tourism also depicts the role of tourism as that one of commodification and display of Thailand indigenous culture. Another aspect of Muay Thai which fosters cultural preservation is the exclusive link between Thai culture and religion. The rituals performed prior to boxing matches represent the overall cultural heritage of Thai society where culture is seemingly a way of life for indigenous communities. This way of life is expressed in the cultural policy of preservation of protection of cultural identity through religion. Chantachon and Thongutum (2009398) also examine other social benefits of engaging in indigenous sports like Muay Thai in Thailand. These benefits which include justice and fairness, team building, respect for others and their opinions, unity and environmental and cultural adjustments are all enabled by the sense of community.

Negative socio-cultural impacts of Thai boxing sports tourism include the loss of indigenous culture and identity which can arise out of the demands for sports practitioners to meet international standards. These standards are more or less defined by the extent of westernization and this inhibits the maintenance of indigenous cultural practices. This factor can also be accompanied by the decline in moral values especially if there emerges an abandonment of local customs among indigenous communities. Tourism has also been associated with increased child labor and sexual exploitation in Thailand although there are no direct links to Muay Thai sports tourism. However, it is logical to conceptualize that these tourists also indulge in other activities other than boxing events. Others include the overexploitation of social and cultural carrying capacities which is inevitable when sports and tourism policies do not take into consideration these elements during policy making or have not made provisions for addressing these problems.

The environmental impact of tourism takes into account issues of air pollution, global warming, congestion, sewage, noise, visual intrusion and ramifications of atmospheric emissions. There are over 500,000 tourists who fly into Thailand for Muay Thai events and this large number only presents part of a larger population of tourists who are contributing to environment degradation. Hall and Richards (200065) argue that in considering environmental impacts of tourism that other factors apart from those emanating from supply of materials and energy resources must be considered. As a tourist destination for Muay Thai sport, Thailand must incorporate in their policies safeguards for the environment. These safeguards should aim at promoting the environments quality. Unfortunately water policies in Thailand have not been able to overcome the water crisis which exists in the country. Wattanakuljarus (20069) illustrates that constant water allocation conflicts in Thailand are quite serious and the growing tourism industry has only elevated the problem. With every incoming tourist 300 liters of water per day are required and in luxury facilities, water requirements often exceed this amount. It is paramount for Thailand to consider the implications of tourism in their water management systems while developing sports tourism policies. An increase in water use, sewerage water and air pollution amount to high environmental costs on Thailands economy which is why these factors need to be addressed thoroughly.

Thai boxing is a sporting activity which can foster sustainable development in Thailand. This is evident from the above discussion which has indicated that there are economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts of sports tourism. Although not all of these impacts are positive there are some which can, through appropriate policy development foster progress. This is reflected in the capacities of Thai boxing in improving the quality of life for indigenous communities as it promotes employment and revenue. Furthermore, as Thai boxers and involved sports industry practitioners provide high quality experiences for tourists, the sport can foster cultural preservation, promote community cohesion and development and also promote environmental quality. Indigenous communities uphold traditions which safeguard the environment and prevent degradation. However, it is important to note that these positive impacts can only be derived when involved agencies contribute in developing effective policies. As earlier mentioned, they are the tools which enable development.

The position of Chief Information Officer (CIO) requires that the person who would
handle this post would have a general knowledge of both the hospitality and the IT
industry. Thus an educational background in hotel management andor a computer or IT
related course would be advantageous in fulfilling this task. A good business mindset
complementing his technical skills would be very helpful in handling the responsibilities
delegated to him.

Amongst these responsibilities include creating business plans and
making business decisions and solutions thus leaving a shift from being just focusing on
technology into dealing with the marketing side of a company. Information technology
plays a crucial role even in a hospitality based IT appointment because every enterprise
or profession in this era evolves with the advances in technology. The person assigned to
this task must be able to speak the language of both business and technology and must
be able to learn every facet of his appointment. The CIO is a solutions finder, a marketing
strategist or business solutions expert, and a well rounded authority in technology, all
these skills all rolled into one package. He must be able to identify the needs and find
answer to them. Persuasion and persistence are two valuable qualities he must possess if
he intends to excel in this industry.

The needs too of both the corporate and the labor side
should not be overlooked because they serve as the framework of detecting whatever
improvement would be essential to the business. He should not stop from learning new
ideas and concepts to further enhance his career and apply it to the company he works
for.

Nihon Matsuri is a place rich in information, culture, entertainments, history, traditional food and anything an eye can feed on. The tour of Nihon Matsuri was one of a kind that enabled me explored the hospitality of the Utah community and Japanese American history, traditions and culture (Nihonmatsuri.org). The trip enabled us to learn more about the Japanese American heritage. Firstly, we were made to understand the meaning of the Nihon Matsuri terms, which we found out that Nihon means Japan and Matsuri means festival.

Therefore, Nihon Matsuri means Japan festival. The festival was characterized by calligraphy, artists demonstration of tea ceremony, making of dolls, martial arts such as aikido, karate, iaido and kendo fashion show odori performance, taiko, singing displays of bonsai, ikebana, dolls, paintings, hands-on art projects for children, historical photographs and many other fantastic experience.

The event in the Japan Festival on April 25, 2010 was one of a kind that gave me the opportunity to enjoy the various shows, performances, displays, food and even hear the history of the Utah community as well. I chose the events such as martial art performances because it was the best opportunity to see for myself what have only seen on the movies. Eye ballot eyeball did I see unbelievable performance of artists tactfully fighting with real swords and spears. The dances were also very amusing, original and entertaining. The performers who were beautiful people and adorned in very beautiful and colorful cloths and dresses spiced the day with their rocking performances of dances and songs.

The history and what the Utah is all about dominated the talks and discussion. Being from another culture, history and tribe was not an issue in the Salt Lake City. The people were very hospitable, loving and cordial that the fact that I come from another community and a different part of the world really impressed them. I realized that we human race can be very important people if we can accept our diversity and instead use it as a strength and not a weakness. It all played out during the tour that I realized that it is very good thing to be a Korean in a Japanese environment, eating their foods, watching their performances and enjoying their company diversity is gold.

During my stay in the festival, I wanted to associate more with the natives because they were friendly and very welcoming. The differences I notice among the people that were there were the different colors of their skins, eyes, attire, hair, stature among others. Despite the differences, one similarity ruled, that all were one people brought together by a common goal or purpose of exploring and appreciating our diversity.

Therefore, the differences that existed never played negatively but instead were instrumental in making the event more marvelous.

The event was important to all the people that participated in it in one way or another. Firstly, some people who attended the event for leisure and the benefit they drew from the event are those that are associated with leisure, which is refreshing the mind, and to bring about positive flow of energy in a person. Another group that was there are those who traveled there for academic reasons like me. Like the rest of us, I was able to learn and acquire knowledge on the history, traditions, culture and practices of Utah community. I was also able to relax, get entertained and interact with people from different lifestyles, which broadened my understanding and perception. I was also able to tour the Salt Lake City, which was a great experience.

There was also the other group that either performed or displayed their artifacts or other items. Their benefit was payment they got for either the commodities or services they offered. The government and the sponsors also benefited from the revenue they collected from the event. In one way or another, all that were present in the Nihon Matsuri benefitted.

The treatment I got from the event for lack of a better term was superb. The reception was cordial my presence among others was recognized and was taken through many activities that made me feel very important at the end of the event. The attendants looked after my desires, which were very important to them, and they were willing to give more than I required. Being from another nationality, those I interacted with were also interested in knowing about my people, our way of life and other things. I realized from the way they treated me, that we could be very fantastic people if only we can regard one another with high dignity, total decorum and respect.

Racial prejudice never played at all in the Nihon Matsuri people were very open and free to one another and the gathering was one interactive social gathering. People from different races had wonderful intercourse, I could see the Indians talk to the white, I, a Korean had a chat with a black from Kenya who happened to be in the event. I did notice any form of racial discrimination because in all the shows I attended the audiences were characterized by diversity of races.

I fall in the midpoint of the continuum system, which is referred to as cultural blindness. I have had the notion that despite the many colors and culture there are in the world races, we are one people, and lines should not be drawn. All people should be served with equal effectiveness. I among other people who belong to the lower levels of the continuum system should develop towards cultural competence. To achieve this attitude, policies and practice change are necessary in order to become more flexible and culturally impartial. This event, which was arena for cultural show and artifacts, is related to the course content in that I was able to learn the culture, history and practices of the Utah community. The continuum concepts were displayed and event gave me an opportunity to see the application of all the levels of continuum process. From my interaction, I could determine the level the people and I interacted with belong in the continuum process.

I could not wait to hear the history of the beautiful community of Utah and the Salt Lake City, which enabled me, to understand the city and the people there even better. The history of the city and the community dates back to 1300 AD when the ancient Pueblo people also called the Anasazi built big communities in the Southern Utah. The Navajo Indians and the Ute from which the state takes its name arrived in the region later. The Mormons pioneers who were 148 in total, 2 children, 3 women and 143 men were the ones that founded the city in July 24, 1847. The Mormons who were members of the Church of Jesus arrived in the region in an attempt to flee from persecution and were seeking a place where they could freely practice their religion. On their arrival, they began to till the land and plant crops. The city was named after a salty inland lake in the desert west to the region. At the time of arrival of the Mormons, the city was part of Mexico but a treaty signed in 1848 made it become the Utah territory in 1850. The city began to assume its present state in 1900s when the historic buildings and the state capitol was built.

The Utah community suffers from underemployment and low unemployment rate, which is about 3.  Another problem they experience is per-pupil expenditure is very low due to the overwhelming number of children. There are also very many single-parent families with very many working mothers. The community and the city also face crime related problems. Gang-related incidents are very many in the community causing security problems in the city.

To have better life the community would like to have a safe environment, economic empowerment and proper education for their children. The culture of the Utah community is very rich, diverse and entertaining. They had had discrimination before concerning their culture but of late, they have learnt that their culture and history is very rich and important and they are proud of what they are. To bridge cultural, racial and sexual gaps or misunderstandings is for people to change their attitudes and become less ethnocentric and biased. In addition, there should be policies in place to ensure more flexible and culturally impartial society in addition, practices should become more congruent with culture.

Since the 1980s, global tourism and hospitality has grown at a fairly constant rate. However, this appears to have changed by several events in the early years of the 21st century leading to reconsideration that development of the sector is inevitable. It has become evident that major natural as well as human induced incidents can have a great on the growth and development of this sector.  The recent years have seen globalization achieve a high degree of popularity. This is attributed to the fact that globalization is transforming the world at a pace that is very rapid hence changing the traditional workplace as well as employment practices. It is considered to be part of change which is inevitable. For organizations to survive and prosper, top management and executives require to learn to manage this change and think differently in a strategic manner. Since most firms in the hospitality and tourism sector desire to compete in the global market, most of them are introducing new techniques of management that require workers that are more educated, skilled and trained. These skills and knowledge have to be nurtured, retained and be utilized in a manner that will enable the firm to achieve a competitive edge in the market. This calls for strategic ands effective management of human resource also known as human resource management (Baum1993).

It has been accepted that the world we live in has become borderless because of globalization. Globalization is viewed to be a channel through which foreign investment is attracted a means of increasing exports as well as developing international alliances that are crucial in penetrating new markets has become a global trend. Globalization is inevitable in todays business world and involves combining strengths, integrating differences and joining efforts to for a successful process. Globalization is therefore a global pressure for change. As such, it has changed business dynamics in the hospitality and tourism sector. There has been increase in flow of capital, competition as well as economic independencies across nations (Baum1993).  Evolving dynamics of labor utilization internationally is also as a result of globalization. Knowledge gaps have also been cited in contract catering in the hospitality sector. It is therefore very crucial for hospitality and tourism managers to understand globalization and its implications and plan for the development and implementation of strategic approaches.  Human resource management is therefore a reality in the current hospitality and tourism sector because of the changing dynamics of the industrys market as a result of globalization.

Human Resource Management (HRM)
Human resource management has been described as the strategic approach to the management of manpower, an organizations most valuable asset. This is because employees both individually and collectively contribute to the attainment of the business goals and objectives (Maxwell1994).  The process of human resource management calls for a rational objective by the organization to retain as well as increase talented employees in the firm. Management of people in an organization involves recruiting and employing people, designing and developing employee related resources, training and developing employees and utilizing as well as compensating the employees services to achieve optimal business profitability through employee performance. The relationship between the management and the employees of the firm is very crucial to HRM (Maxwell1994). Several research findings reveal that employee retention, their performance and productivity is directly dependent on the manner in which they are treated in return for the skills and the experiences they impart on organization. Human resource management is mainly interpreted as managing of employee well being to ensure optimal utilization of their skills, talents and experience for achievement of the goals of the business.

Human resource management is most crucial in the service sector including the hospitality and tourism industry because of their labor intensive nature. According to Baxall (2003), strategic human resource management is crucial to achievement of a competitive edge in the service sector. This author has identified high-performance work systems as the link between HR strategy and business performance. Work systems and employment models which involve a mix of practices including rigorous selection, quality training systems to enhance the ability levels of employees, participative structures which include quality circles and self-managing teams that increase opportunity for employees to contribute, and comprehensive incentives such as internal career ladders and employee bonuses to enhance employee motivation are regarded to be supportive of high performance. According to literature, none of these practices is superior to the others and best results are achieved when all the named practices are bundled together. High-performance work systems require firms to invest highly and consistently in human resources for them to reap higher benefits in terms of productivity as well as agility of the organization. According to Boxall (2003), performance is a function of employee ability, motivation as well as the opportunity to contribute and participate. The best way of utilizing employee potential as well as discretionary judgment is therefore by enhancing the practices that foster the named variables. While these practices are good for the employees and consequently customers, they could however have some negative effects on the employer. Human resource practices that seek to enhance employee motivation, their ability and job satisfaction can be very costly (Truss  Gratton 1994).

High-performance work systems can also be interpreted as human resource advantage in services. This occurs when a company develops and maintains substantial competitive advantage using the quality of its employees (human capital) as well as organizational processes. This requires proper management of human resource through HRM. Most literature argues that HRM is very crucial in the service sector particularly as far as building and sustaining competitive advantage is concerned. This paper seeks to discuss the strategic role of human resource management in the hospitality and tourism sector to establish whether HRM is a reality or a myth in this industry particularly in a business environment that is unstable and rapidly changing. To achieve this, the paper will explore human resource practices employed from the service sector including recruitment and selection, training and development, rewards, motivation, performance appraisals and strategic human resource management.

Strategic Human Resource Management Function
Strategic human resource management to be henceforth referred to as SHRM is one of the branches of human resource management. SHRM is the linking of human capital (human resources) with organizational strategic goals and objectives to improve business performance and nurture an organizational culture that promotes innovation, flexibility as well as competitive advantage (Truss  Gratton 1994). In a business organization, SHRM implies regarding, accepting, and involving the human resource function as one of the strategic partners in the formulation as well as implementation of the firms strategies through human resource activities which include selecting,  recruiting, training and rewarding of employees.

SHRM is characterized by some features which make it crucial particularly in labor intensive sectors such as the hospitality and tourism industry. In SHRM, there is a link that is very explicit between human resource policy and practices and overall organizational goals and its environment (internal and external). SHRM is also characterized by a certain amount of organizing schema that links individual human resource interventions so that they mutually support each other (Boxall1992). Responsibility for the management of human resources is also devolved down the organizational levels.

In the globalized hospitality and tourism industry, SHRM has a very great role to play particularly in the rapidly changing and unstable business environment. HRM professionals are often faced with issues of human resource flow, employee participation, high commitment work systems, reward systems and performance management in the globalization context (Truss  Gratton 1994). The following issues are amongst the major issues that human resource professionals as well as top management who are involved in strategic human resource management are struggling with in this first decade of the twenty-first century cross-cultural issues, increased competition that has become international because of the free market ideology, knowledge management, aligning human resource with core business strategy, integration of soft skills in human resource and development and demographic trends in the labor market as well as on employment. SHRM is argued to be effective in addressing these issues. According to (Truss  Gratton (1994), SHRD is effective in managing crucial resources including human capital and financial resources. SHRM is even more relevant in the service industry. According to Storey (2004), HR strategy is determined by the firms strategic business plan, the workforce planning process, human resource information and external environmental factors.

The last two decades have seen a shift in the perception of the role people play in the success of the organization. There has been a growing view that management of human resource is a fundamental organizational capability and one that requires to be integrated with the business objectives. SHRM is therefore a cornerstone of this notion as it seeks create a link or rather to integrate the overall strategic objectives of the business with the HR strategy and implementation ((Truss  Gratton 1994). This integration takes place when the human resource strategy is aligned (matched) with the firms stage of development, management or strategic orientation style.

An intimately strategic approach strategic approach to human resource management encompasses most of the specific objectives of HRM as well as it practices hence drives all aspects of labor is management (Truss  Gratton 1994). Close integration of HRM with corporate strategy could also give extra benefits including cost reduction when strategies such as outsourcing are used. This strategy saves an organization on cost that would have been spent on coaching, training and communicating to employees. , .

SHRM is argued to be the solution to HR administration and policy issues hence enhances the effectiveness of an agency. SHRM involves inferring how personnel functions interrelate, recognition of the importance of these functions and commitment by employees, personnel managers and supervisors to work towards attaining the set goals. SHRM enhances productivity as well as the effectiveness of organizations. Research reveals that employment of practices such as formal training systems, internal career ladders, employment security, performance appraisal system that is result oriented, employee participation, performance-based compensation and broadly defined jobs by organizations increases their capability of achieving their organizational goals. Merging strategic and HR planning through SHRM and focusing on customeremployee linkages provides business organizations with the only strategic ability that can not be duplicated by competitors enhancing its competitive advantage (Truss  Gratton 1994). SHRM connects customer with employers such employees are able to identify and meet customer needs ensuring customer satisfaction. SHRM enables organizations to identify and assess business needs that are labor-related enhancing proper deployment of resources to meet these needs. It provides an alliance between HR and strategic planners that builds synergy and complements each partys unique expertise to the planning process. SHRM also enhances competitiveness through collaboration. SHRM is key in advancing ensuring that proper processes are in place to ensure that the right person has been selected for the right job, is performing well and their efforts adequately compensated. Service firms are increasingly pursuing strategies that are customer oriented. Service firms recognize that it is critical for their employees to display customer oriented behaviors. SHRD is the only way to achieve this as it is a managerial process that links human resource policies and practices with the strategic goals of the firm. To survive in this error of globalization, strategy is inherent and employees are the instruments of implementing strategies hence the need for SHRD.

Recruitment and Selection Function
Recruitment and selection is one of the main functions of HRM. Recruitment is the process of identifying the sources of manpower and motivating them to apply for vacant jobs within the firm (Decenzo 2009). Recruitment seeks to increase the number of applications so as to allow wider choices for the selection process. Recruitment and selection involves choosing the right candidate for the job or rejecting those who do not fit the job description. In todays globalized world, for a firm to remain competitive, it must have a well talented workforce. According to literature, skilled and talented employees are the only competitive advantage that cannot b duplicated by rivals. This is because technology and procedures can bee copied but talent and skill can not be duplicated. Any firm requires a workforce that understands the needs of the client and is able to come up with innovative cost effective ways of dealing with them. It is the role of the HRM to identify these people and recruit them to be part of the organization. Selection involves choosing candidates a pool that ha been made available through recruitment. Grupta (2006) explains that selection is the process of choosing the most suitable individuals out of all the recruited participants. Relevant information about the candidates is collected through a series of steps so as to assess their suitability for the vacant position. Selection also refers to the process of evaluating the candidates using various means and making a decision or choice which is then followed by an employment offer. Selection is therefore one of thee processes in employment function which starts upon the receipt of application letters and resumes with the major concern being reviewing of these resumes for basic qualifications (Grupta 2006). It is based on the job related qualifications such as required education, knowledge, experience, skills as well as abilities as required by the job description. The qualifications also have to be bona fide occupational qualifications. The hired applicant must meet most if not all the listed requirements in the job description. Selection is therefore a process that matches the applicants qualifications with the job requirementsdescription. It weeds out unsuitable candidates identifying the most suitable candidate for the job (Grupta 2006).

Recruitment and selection process is a very crucial function of an organizations HRM particularly those in the service sector which is labor intensive. This is because no organization can achieve its business goals without selecting the right people. Any fault in selection results to wastage of time as well as money which are very crucial resources for a business. It could also spoil the environment for an organization (Decenzo 2009). Proper selection and placement of employees can go a long way in building a workforce that is stable. Depending on the procedure used, it could also reduce turnover and absenteeism increasing the efficiency as well as productivity of the business. This is very essential in a labor intensive industry such as hospitality and tourism, where employees behavior is very crucial for the success of the business. The basic objective of recruitment and selection is to hire candidates who bring in higher profitability for success of the firm. This process is a challenge hence and every situation I unique. For firms to attract high quality employees who want to build their careers with thee organization in context, the HRM should be innovative, realistic, and persistent and be able to clearly communicate the strengths of the business as well as the benefits of the offered positions.

Training and Developing Function
Training and development refers to those activities in human resource management that are concerned with enabling workers to develop skills, knowledge as well as abilities that are up-to date (Singh 2002).  It involves orientation and socialization which help employees to adapt to the organizational culture. Training and development comprises of phases which include employee training, employee development, organizational development and career development. It involves building new skills and sharpening the old ones among employee with thee sole purpose of increasing the efficiency with which they perform their tasks. It seeks to improve individual performance (Trevor, Ristow,  Ristow 2004).

Initially, training and development of employees was perceived to futile and a waste of money, time as well as resources. Nowadays, which the rapid changes in the global market, training is considered an investment. This is because all departments of an organization including the sales, marketing, finance service and production rely on training for survival. For an organization to be considered to have an effective HRM, then training must be a regarded as a priority and a vital part of the organization (Singh 2002). Training provides the opportunity for the organization to raise the profile of its development activities.

Training and development is critical in raising the level of employee commitment as well as quality of their output. Training and development is beneficial to both the firm and the employees. The organization is able to increase productivity and its quality as employees are equipped with n or improved skills. It also promotes employee motivation as employees are able build their careers achieve their professional as well as personal goals which increase job satisfaction. Training and development can also not be overlooked in terms in terms of employee retention, development of team leaders and managers, and in development of organizational culture (Trevor, Ristow,  Ristow 2004).

Many firms in the service sector have recognized that the service transaction is most crucial as far as opportunities for selling products are concerned. Customers will buy more products or use the same service again depending on how they are served. It is therefore essential for the staff to have the skills that are necessary for to meet customer needs. This is because the manner in which the staff interacts with the customers is dependent on their skill and knowledge. The only disadvantage with training and development on the employers side is that employees could leave after serving only a short tenure following training which is a waste for the organization as it has to more resources to recruit, select and train other employees to replace the ones who leave (Trevor, Ristow,  Ristow 2004). Organizations can however not afford to have a staff that has no competent skills particularly in the globalized world. Training and development as HRM function is therefore very crucial in the hospitality and tourism industry.

The Motivation Function
The motivation function of HRM involves the HRM activities that are concerned with retaining employees and encouraging them to exert high energy levels in their work (Trevor, Ristow,  Ristow 2004). It requires a great deal of attention to the psychological, financial and physiological rewards offered by the firm on regular basis (should be a continuous process). Though an important function of HRM, it is quite challenging as human behavior is generally complex (Mullins 2002.). It is not easy to determine the factors that motivate various employees as people are different. Motivation is a process that is multifaceted as it has individual, managerial and organizational implications. Motivation is more than just what the individual exhibits as it is a compilation of environmental issues related to the job. According to research, the performance of an individual in an organization is a function of their ability as well as their willingness to perform the job. When the performance approach is taken, employees require to have the appropriate abilities and skills for them to adequately do the job (Bratton,  Gold 1999). Jobs also need to be well designed as employees tend to perform poorly below their capability when jobs that are improperly described or poorly laid out.

Managing motivation involves properly designing the job and setting performance standards. It also includes establishing effective compensation as well as benefits programs and understanding the motivational theories which include hierarchy of needs by Maslow, , theory X-theory Y by McGregor, Equity theory by Adams, Expectancy theory by Vroom and Motivation-Hygiene theory by Herzberg (Beer   Spector1985).

Most researchers in human resource management argue that money is not the only thing that can satisfy and motivate employees. They explain that employee retention depends on several other things other than money. If money was the only motivator, employees would leave the moment they are offered a better deal by another employee. Studies have however shown than some employees remained committed to some organizations even though they were not being paid as much as other employees ion other organizations with the same qualification. The implication of these findings was that employees value other things other than money and that it was up to the human resource management to identify the non-monetary needs and avail them if the organization wants to enhance employee satisfaction hence retention. These needs might include the need to develop their career, need for good working conditions, need for enough time for themselves, job satisfaction, participation, involvement and recognition of work well done (Choi, Woods,  Murmann 2000). It is up to HRM to provide these needs. HRM must also act as a source of information as well as inspiration for them to be motivated. Companies in the service industry can not afford high turnover rates or absenteeism because of lack of motivation. The hospitality and tourism industry is labor intensive and requires firm to retain as much of the talented and skilled workforce they have as experience is crucial for them to sustain a competitive advantage in the dynamic market. Based on this role, it is clear that HRM is crucial in the hospitality and tourism sector particularly in the market that has become dynamic as a result of globalization.

Performance Appraisal Function
Managing employee performance should an integral part of the work of any manager within an organization. This is a function of HRM and is as important as financial resources and program outcomes management because employee performance or its absence has a great effect on financial as well as program components of any firm (Choi, Woods,  Murmann 2000).

Performance management through appraisals involves documentation of individual expectations and organizational performance, providing a meaningful process that will be used to reward employees for any contribution that is noteworthy to the organization and providing a mechanism to enhance individual and organizational performance (Falcone,  Sachs 2007).

This is achieved by the HRM identifying organizational goals that need to be accomplished, communicating both individual and organizational goals that support the overall business strategic mission to employees and using performance as a basis for taking appropriate personnel actions such as rewarding noteworthy performance and taking action to improve the unsuccessful and less successful performance (Falcone,  Sachs 2007).

Performance management therefore involves planning work as well as setting expectations, monitoring performance continually, building the capacity to perform, rating performance periodically and rewarding good performance. Performance appraisal is done for the following reasons to identify and recognize potential in employees and utilizing it to the optimal by transferring the employees to stations where their talent can best be used to achieve organizational goals (Falcone,  Sachs 2007).  It is also done to improve organizational performance by improving the performance of individual employees who are contributors. It also allows the organization to identify employee training needs and make plans of training them to enhance their performance. Performance appraisal also gives an equitable procedure of linking payment to performance where numerical criteria are not used.

This role of HRM however has some disadvantages. They provide opportunities biases as they rely on employees appraising their colleagues (Fisher 1997). They can be despised by employees when a proper assessment program and knowledge of the standards lacks. This is because employees could perceive them to be unfair, biased and favoritism on the part of supervisors and managers (Fisher 1997). They can also give wrong results because of their subjectivity to biases lowering overall performance of the organization as the wrong people without the required skills might be promoted while the rightful individuals are sidelined because of biases.

When well administered, performance appraisals enhance employee motivation, job satisfaction, increase performance, participation and involvement. It also enhances creativity and innovation which is very essential in the service industry where firms seek effective products and ways of doing things are cost effective (Falcone,  Sachs 2007).  Globalization of the hospitality and tourism industry has forced firms to employ the standards and quality measures that are internationally recognized and competitive. Performance appraisal is one way of ensuring that procedures and standards are maintained by employees. Quality is crucial in the hospitality and tourism industry. This role of HRM increases the competitive advantage of a firm. From this discussion, it is clear that through this function, HRM has a very strategic role to play in the hospitality and tourism sector in todays globalized economy.

Rewards
Rewards have been identified as a way of motivating employees and increasing retention. Research findings indicate that employees need to feel that they are valued by the organization for them to be motivated. Rewards could be monetary or non-monetary. It has been mentioned before that money is not the only motivator. Employee empowerment, employee involvement, training and development and promotions are all non-monetary ways of recognizing employee efforts. It is however important to understand that the first reason as to why people look for jobs is so that they can earn money to support them. Monetary rewards are therefore also equally important. After all, Maslow explains in the theory of hierarchy of needs that the psychological and safety needs have to be satisfied before an individual can get motivated by other needs. Rewarding for employees is essentially a HRM function.

Rewards, particularly monetary is an essential feature of HRM as it is the main reason as to why people work. It is an arena that is both sensitive and controversial as it has sparked debates both practically and theoretically and has sparked both practical and theoretical. Employees consider rewards as a return in exchange between themselves and the employer for work well done. In addition to compensation employees for their efforts, rewards also have an impact on the attraction, recruitment and retention of talented people.

Reward management is the role of HRM and involves the practice and strategy used in pay systems. It also encourages creativity and innovation as employees seek to benefit from the rewards offered by the firm. It also promotes responsibility as recognition of job done well makes employees feel that they should continue doing so.

Rewards have also been classified as extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic rewards are those material needs of employees that that must be met by the management (Sujan 1986). They include salary, promotions and fringe benefits amongst several others (Rudolph  Kleimer 1989). These are often perceived by employees as a given or a must. Money is believed to be a motivator that influences employees behavior. It can therefore be used to make employee behave in a customer-oriented manner in the hospitality and tourism industry. Management should make efforts to tie performance to bonuses as it challenges and motivates employees to increase their performance.

Intrinsic rewards are psychological incentives such as job rotation, word of thank you, job enlargement, input and several others. These rewards build an environment of trust as well as cooperation among employees. Employees who are intrinsically motivated enjoy performing tasks that are job-related such as influencing customers, being creative and innovative or learning more about the company

According to Nelson (2003), though money is a strong motivator, it is not as powerful as having the management applauding employee for work well done, feeling the contribution to the job, earning respect from peers, being involved and informed  of organizational developments and being allowed to participate. Recognition is the ultimate motivator and communicates to the individual employee as well as the other to follow suite hence eventually increases overall performance as standards of the firm are communicated.

Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be argued that human resource management is indeed a distinct and integrated management function and has a great impact on the future in the globalized hospitality and tourism industry. By discussing its various roles ,  it can be concluded that HRM positive as well as negative  implications to the management, staff and even customers. The HR practices employed from the service industry players require to be properly managed through HRM for firms in the hospitality and tourism industry to succeed and survive in the dynamic globalized market.

Ellis and Pizam (1999) emphasize that there also exists a very integral connection between service quality and customer satisfaction. In fact it can be quite detrimental for organizations if managers are not aware of this link. This is because the developing of adequate marketing strategies relies on the understanding of how service quality and satisfaction are determined and related. As such, managers must examine both quality and satisfaction in order to derive information for use in strategic planning. Kandampully, Mok and Sparks (2001, p.105) points out that the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction is not direct but one linked by the value construct.

Value in this context insinuates the overall assessment of the utilization of services by customers. This assessment incorporates social, emotional and functional dimensions among others. In order to bridge existing gaps between customer satisfaction and service quality, service quality managers must fathom a holistic understanding of their customers. This implies understanding customer expectations and providing the ultimate experience as illustrated by Michelli (2008, p.165). Such an experience starts off by ensuring that staff members put effort and time at facilitating a strong first impression.

This involves showing genuine concern for customerrquote s needs, delivering those specific needs as requested and mastering important details about the customers which can be used in effective delivery of services at a later time.par

Holiday and recreation has become a major part of family life during the recent years. Pressures in work environment and tough daily routines have made it necessary to take out some time from an individuals hectic life and plan holidays and vacations that are meant for recreation and relaxing. When visiting new places a main attraction is the exploration of the place and visits to its main markets and sight seeing areas. In many places, goods are bought and souvenirs are collected by tourist from different countries during their visit. Incomes for many families are generated by the consumption of goods and services by tourists. This has emerged into an industry which provides job opportunities and revenue for the country. Introduction of modern technology into the tourism industry has brought about great convenience in the otherwise patience testing processes of booking and reservations. Tourism organizations are incorporating modern technology into their existing system of working and normal travel agencies are being replaced by sophisticated online systems that allow customer inquiry and reservations.

Tourism Industry
Tourism is a recently emerged industry which has come into full bloom in a small period of time. People from all over the world have developed ideas of exotic holidays to far away places with sight seeing and shopping opportunities. This idea has given rise to a new way for government to generate revenue for their country. Almost every country is investing in their tourism industry and developing new and lavish hotels and sight seeing places which are an attraction for the tourists. Tourists spend a large sum of money over their accommodation, shopping and other expenses during their stay in a country. This has brought new job opportunities in many service industries related to tourism like transport industry which includes airlines, cruise ships and taxis, accommodation industries which include hotels and resorts and entertainment industry which include amusement parks, shopping malls, and other tourist attraction areas. These industries generate cash flow which is beneficial for the country. So all countries have entered into a race of providing more comfortable and exotic holiday schemes to the tourist in an effort to boost their commercial outcomes and generate revenue for the government. This has provided a competitive edge to the tourist and extensive surveys are made by the customer into the prices or airlines available, hotel bookings and various tourist attractions are explored in details before making their final decision.

United Nations classified 3 forms of tourism in 1994 in its Recommendations on Tourism Statistics as follows 1. Domestic tourism where residents of the country travel only within their own country 2. Inbound tourism involving non-residents traveling in the given country 3. Outbound tourism, involving residents traveling in another country.

UN also derived different categories of tourism by combining the 3 basic forms of tourism
1. Internal tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism 2. National tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism 3. International tourism, which consists of inbound tourism and outbound tourism.

Tourism organizations
To serve the purpose of promoting the tourism industry many tourism organizations have come into play. They have a hierarchical structure with the international organizations like World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) leading the front. World Tourism Organization is a specialized unit of United Nations and deals with promotion of tourism in the world. It serves as a global platform for tourism having its headquarters in Madrid, Spain. Then there are several regional organizations which promote tourism in specific regions like Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and European Travel Commission which is a collaboration between thirty three British national tourism organizations and finally there are national tourism organizations of almost every country that promote the tourism industry in their country.

These national tourism organizations play vital role in the promotion and development of tourism related projects that help the tourist in spending quality time during their stay in the country. They plan and develop different amusement and entertainment points in the country to attract more tourists and generate income for their country.  The next step is proper publicity of several places of importance relating to history and culture of the country, so that tourist may be excited to visit. Tourists are specifically interested to gain information about history and background of the country they are visiting. Preparing attractive brochures highlighting the areas of specific interest of the tourist may result in greater number of tourist visiting the country which may be beneficial. On the basis of data collected through automated systems these organizations perform analysis and review of tourist feedback to gain insight in how to better their services to gain more popularity among tourists.

Application of modern technology in tourism organizations
The advent of modern technology has brought remarkable changes in the world where no field or industry has escaped its affect. Technology has provided means for making the travel of people easier and more comfortable. Day by day more organizations are making their work easier by incorporating modern technologies in their services. These technological changes help the organizations in maintaining their data more efficiently and publicizing their services more effectively.  More and more organizations are introducing the use of computer information systems to store tourist data which can later be used for reference and reporting services. Different presentation soft wares and data analysis soft wares are utilized to create dynamic and customized reports. Emerging technologies like web conferencing soft wares have become a part of organizations and are used for communication among employees over a distance and for other team work services like document sharing.

 The digital information environment has added a whole new dimension to the selection of sources and channels of tourist information, complicating even further the already complex information search process (Lehto, Kim  Morrison, 2006). The newest search options provided by the organizations employ modern technology like internet to facilitate their users by allowing them to access the organizations website through the internet and select their preferences to make their travel more comfortable. Help desk inquiries are being replaced by more technological recorded help lines that record and sometimes respond to tourist queries in an efficient manner.

In all industries related to tourism industries, modern technology is rapidly making its way and replacing tradition non technological methods. In the airline industry, the online reservation and booking systems have come into play and replaced the use of travel agencies where every tourist can make surveys and online reservations from the comfort of their homes. Same is the case for hotel industry, where online accommodation booking is available with prices and room facilities information available online for review of customer. Different tourist organizations publicize their services by uploading brochures of different tourist attractions like museums, shopping malls, casinos, amusement parks, beaches and other tourist points available for tourists entertainment and exploration.

Importance of modern technology in tourism organizations
As in all other fields and industries, modern technology has contributed to the efficiency and effectiveness of tourism industry. With the help of modern technology many software systems have come into the markets that are customizable to the requirements of different tourist organizations. These software products help store the tourist data in an efficient manner that can be processed later to provide customized reports and used for surveys by the tourism organization professional researchers like The Tourism Information Technology Center (TITC), who make inferences based on this data for further betterment of the organizational services and identify means to promote tourism in their country. Compared with the situation in 1997, the adoption of IT among hotels has substantially enhanced the areas of customer service and operational effectiveness, rather than merely replacing paper systems (Law  Jogaratnam, 2005).

The use of modern technology also facilitates the traveler in making suitable and convenient travel plans from the comfort of their homes by using many available websites on the internet that provide all updated information regarding the flights available, accommodation transport and holiday plans provided by different tourist organizations. These dynamic websites allows customer to interact with the system comparing rates among different airlines and hotel accommodation helping them make the best choice.

Consumers use IT extensively to evaluate alternative travel opportunities and to compare and contrast offerings. Using Meta Search Engines potential travelers can identify and evaluate products according to their preferences, filters, and requirements (Buhalis OConnor, 2005). An understanding of travelers information search behavior is for instance essential to the design of useful Internet-based technology (Pan  Fesenmaier, 2003). In the context of website usability evaluation, four studies have found that ease of use is one of the most important determinants of perceived website quality (Park, Gretzel,  Sirakaya- Turk, 2007). Rather than subjectively distinguishing the value of each attribute, automated software can provide a more convenient and objective way to evaluate websites (Chan  Law, 2006).

 Use of credit cards and online payments also help customer to make online reservations and do online shopping for his needs making his work easier and comfortable. The application of modern technology in all areas of tourism has made it an integral part of tourism industry. Technology has provided an aspect of accuracy and convenience to all services available to the tourists which travel to places far away from their homes depending on the use of technological products.  Singh and Kasavana (2005) predicted that future IT applications will probably rely on wireless infrastructure, and that online purchasing with cashless payments will become more commonplace. Providing services at the destination, now that mobile phones have become a necessity in this era of wireless communication (Langelund, 2007), cultural tourism has reacted by introducing multi-media museum guides that use mobile device screens to enhance the tourist experience (Alfaro, Nardon, Planesi, Stock,  Zancanaro, 2005). Mobile computers will
allow the personalization of services according to preferences, language skills, and depth
of information required. Hence, Buhalis and OConnor (2005) further suggested that E- tourism in the future will be focused on consumer-centric technologies, and that organizations need to adopt IT to be able to offer this level of service and remain competitive and innovative.

Modern technology is of great importance in running the tourism organizations in an effectual manner with secure handling and storage of customer data and providing efficient and timely service to the traveler. Modern technology is now employed in every industry relating to the tourism like the airline industry, hotel industry, entertainment industry and bus services.

Modern technology also plays a key role in a tourist organizations marketing campaign.
It is used by tourist organizations for marketing their services and advertising their special deals and reduced prices through the internet and other medium of publicity like brochures, banners and downloadable presentations designed on computers. IT can also assist in examining the tourist movement and in marketing research. Lau and McKercher (2006) used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to track the tourists movement pattern within a destination. This technique can have great benefits for tourism marketers to understand consumer behavior while at the destination and to develop strategies for creating tourism experiences.

Law and Jogaratnam (2005) further suggested that IT can transform the nature of tourism and hospitality products, processes, businesses, and competition, and that tourism and
hospitality organizations that have failed to master the right IT systems would find
difficult to direct and manage their information- intensive business damaging their competitiveness.

Conclusion
Hence it is clearly evident from the above discussion that modern technology has made its place in the tourism industry and E-tourism plays a key role in facilitating the tourism organizations both for keeping their tourist data secure and in a maintainable format for future referencing and further research and for providing the tourist a comfortable and efficient travel service that help make their travel a memorable journey.

From point of view of travelers, E-tourism has provided many conveniences for the traveler in choosing their destination and making online surveys by comparing the rates and facilities available among different tourism organizations. From the planning of the journey to the actual departure and up to completion technology facilitates the traveler at all stages making it impossible to plan and undergo the journey with ease and convenience.

There is much to be seen at Gold coast and with largest beaches almost 40 km and amazing temperature.
Impact of diving tourism in Gold Coast

Generally, tourism in Gold Coast has positively and negatively impacted the environment and the community at large.  A lot has been done to either improve the coast line or degraded the coastline either by the tourist or the residents. There following are the impacts both positive and negative.

Coastal Modifications
For many years tourism and recreation have been considered as clean industrials sector, both negative and positive impact have been registered in many part of Australias coastal strip. Tourist amenities such as a transport, accommodation and other service infrastructure are typically placed on or close to the particular attraction, such as a picturesque and private beach, inlet or island. These amenities affect the cultural and natural environment and reduce the scenic values which provided the initial attraction.  The coastal impacts include reconstruction of a coast for example seawalls s and breakwater associated with ports, harbor, canal estates and marinas and reclamations. Estuaries, coastal lakes and lagoons in the south east have been particularly affected by seawall construction and there have been significant loose in salt marsh, mangrove and sea grass habits.

With higher population along the coastal line, many tourists visiting and establishment of the business has caused erosion.  The most affected tourist and recreation facilities are beaches and dune erosion, loss of habits by the residents, decline of wildlife and fisheries.   Impacts on social economic include degradation of cultural heritage site and altered quality of life for established communities, increased cost of living, increased crime and traffic, and building congestion. The dilemmas facing coastal tourism are the erosion of the natural and cultural values of sites (which necessitates continuous demand for new areas) and its uncontrolled and unpredictable growth.

Diving tourism is one of the sectors that have contributed to the economic growth in Australia as whole.  Domestic use of the coastal environment has increased rapidly in the last thirty years. Sun, sand and surf a beautiful climate and a distinctive high rise skyline of apartments, resorts and hotel the Gold Coast is one of the most unique vacation destinations within Australia. Due to the diving tourism Gold Coast has recorded a significant growth in transport and communication industry. Surfers Paradise is the capital of the Gold Coast. A surfer has become a shoppers and entertainments paradise, with a large selection of qualities shopping outlets based around Cavill.

Main Topic explanation
Technology has played a crucial role in the way human beings interact. Present-day interactions are primarily governed by social networking sites such as facebook and twitter. Company meetings are to some extent replaced by video conferencing or instant messengers appended with group functions. Both children and adults alike can get hooked by computer games and other technological applications. Personal or face-to-face communication in this era has thus been reduced in importance due to the existence of the aforementioned. In particular, the research aims at explaining the possible reality of the level of human interaction in Europe with a focus on the country of Slovakia. In light of such circumstances, this research seeks to investigate the relationship between technological advancement and the disintegration of human interaction. The theoretical agenda of this project is primarily based on two major works of Bhambra Rethinking Modernity. Postcolonialism and the Sociological Imagination and Sociology and Postcolonialism Another missing Revolution

Contents of the Case study
As a point of departure, the operational definition of relevant terms in the study will be discussed in Chapter 2. The concepts relevant in this study are as follows Bhambras Assertions on Modernity, Modernity, Human interaction, and Technological Developments. Communism and Chapter 3 discusses in detail the research methodology. As a form of introduction, this paper is essentially a case study on the disintegration of human interaction in Slovakia. A critical literature review will be employed since a longitudinal first-hand data collection is not feasible for the project. Historical accounts as well as data from secondary sources will be collected. Chapter 4 begins with a discussion on the present global situation on human interaction. It is followed by an investigation on the current level of human interaction in Slovak society. Other points to be tackled are outlined in the same chapter.

Scope and Delimitation
The range of possible points of investigation is limited by time and space. Nevertheless, the author has critically chosen what are surmised as the most important considerations in order to address the problem at hand. First, we limit the social networking sites to Facebook and Twitter due in part to their current popularity not only in Europe but also in other parts of the world. Other charting and communication tools like Friendster, Plurk and Multiply will be discussed in much lesser detail. Second, other forms of technology influencing the current social life of the people will be limited to those technologies that replace personal meetings or gatherings. These include the yahoo messenger, meebo, ordinary video conferencing and holographic video conferencing.

Earlier, it was mentioned that an historical investigation is also part of the case study. It serves as a substitute to first-hand longitudinal data collection and investigation. Starting with pre-historic Slovakia is impractical and unnecessary. Moreover, it will take too much space. There is also no clear-cut definition of Slovak territory and culture in the same way that there was no clear definition of which was America, Asia or Europe at that time. For convenience, the author chose to limit the historical investigation from a few years before the communist rule in the country, to the communist state and to its dissolution and finally to present-day Slovakia. During the same time period the evolution of social networking sites and other communication-related technologies are also presented.

Questions to Consider
Some of the questions that are to be considered in this study are the following
What changes in general contributed to the present-day level of interaction among the people of Slovakia
How did the level of interaction among the people evolve
Is the trend in the evolution exclusive to Slovakia
What were the changes instituted in after communism was dissolved in the country
How did they affect human interaction in the country
 Are the changes instituted primarily a result of a collective or an individual movement
What were the global developments during these time period that hastened the changes in the said country
If Slovakia remained to be a communist country, what would human interaction in the country be (Compare the country to other remaining communist countries in the world.)

Hypothesis and Assumptions
The basic assumption in this research is that the disintegration of human interaction in Slovakia is attributable to technological advancement. Hence, factors such as personal or group conflicts due to any reason are not in any way discussed here. Note also that little references have been made due to the fact that the following paragraphs are mere conjectures based from the authors stocked knowledge. The real answer to our main question will be presented in the conclusion in Chapter 5. This will follow a formal discussion on the literature review we employed.

Before presenting the hypothesis for our main problem a review thereof is essential. Is human interaction in Slovakia downplayed by advancements in virtual and mobile communication technologies At the onset, the answer is a resounding yes. Facebook, twitter, instant messengers, mobile phones and video conferences definitely provide a great alternative for people from different parts of Slovakia and the world to socialize. They do not have to meet face-to-face, they have less or even no physical contact like hugging, kissing and shaking hands. Such physical contact according to some scientific findings improves human relations. As a logical corollary, the level of human interaction, in our definition gets downgraded because of the lack of such contact. Video games and other computer applications also engross its users that it takes away peoples time in interacting with their fellows.

Political changes in the country greatly influenced Slovak interaction in the recent years. Since the dissolution of communism in the country, there were changes instituted and observed in the way the government prioritized and implemented programs. Included in such changes are their investments in education, science and technology. These programs must have improved their economy. Recently, they have also joined NATO, and the European Union (EU). Such developments allowed its people to easily be influenced by other advanced and developed nations like France, United Kingdom and Germany. As a result, Slovaks easily embraced modernization.

Part of what the Slovaks embraced is the development in communication technology. To illustrate this point let us take their adoption of Facebook. There exists a Slovakia Fan page. It is well-known that Facebook began in the United States. As a modern, non-communist state, Slovakia has joined in the race of globalization and has there joined in the online social networking bandwagon.

In the previous section we asked if the changes experienced by Slovakia in the level of human interaction are primarily results of collective or individual movement. The Velvet Revolution is a collective movement. Facebook on the other hand just began in a Harvard dormitory room by Mark Zuckerberg. Due to such instances, we can claim that there would always be an interplay between collective and individual movement. Change is brought about by individual actions that are supported by other individuals. The Velvet Revolution could not have succeeded without its leaders while Zuckerbergs Facebook could not have as many members today had it not been for the support of his fellow dormers and other students from other Ivy League Universities.

Had Slovakia remained a communist nation, their level of interaction could have been like that of Russia, North Korea or China. The three remains to be communist nations. North Korea in particular seems to be secluded from the rest of the world. Mobile phones have been prohibited as evidenced by the fact that tourists were forced to leave them at the airport.

Basically, we conjecture that the disintegration of human interaction in Slovak society is attributable to Slovak adoption of new technologies as a result of modernization. Looking on the other side of the issue, we present an alternative hypothesis that is obviously contrary to our initial guess. Our alternative hypothesis is this modern-day social networking and technologies improve human interaction. It can be surmised that social networking sites, communication tools and gaming devices improve human interaction for a variety of reasons. First, social networking sites allow Slovaks virtually interact with their loved ones even if they are far away. Such sites permit them to maintain a close relationship despite a long-distance communication. A constant communication will prevent alienation from one another. Hence, a reunion would not be tantamount to an awkward re-acquaintance. Mobile phones provide a similar experience. Second, gaming devices allow friends and even family members to have a shared hobby. Some may say that games may take away time from family bonding and friendly face-to-face discourse. We hypothesize however that these games actually help its users in that it allows them to maintain a personal space. This maintenance of a personal space gives them a sense of distinction from the Other. As the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas says, the recognition of that difference in the Other is the starting point of Ethics. Ethics, which is roughly defined as a sense of responsibility and morality towards fellow beings is highly connected with human interaction. Consequently, we see from these arguments that human interaction is preserved if not improved.

A third reason for this alternative hypothesis has to do with how much technology allows us to save time. Before, people had to focus on manual labor. They would have to work all day for them to be able to feed themselves and live. By the end of the day, they would be too tired to interact with one another. Technology allows people to save time in their work. They can use whatever time they have left for social interaction which may be that of a face-to-face interaction.

We have presented two possible conclusions to our investigation. First, we surmised that there is indeed disintegration in human interaction in Slovakia due to their adoption of technology. The alternative hypothesis tells otherwise. Now, we present a neutral point which stands as the null hypothesis. That is modern-day social networking and technology has little or no effect on Slovak human interaction during the time period of interest. The author at this point does not have a strong rationale for this possible conclusion. We ought to simply take the hypothesis as it is. Also, the author believes that providing a reason for this particular hypothesis is trivial because we have already stated reasons for the first two. What is left to do is to contradict the reasons presented above.

Concepts and Operational Definition of Terms
Essential in our undertaking and even for the readers of this project is a basic overview of the concepts and terms relevant in our study on the purported disintegration of human interaction in Slovakia. We discuss here the concepts of modernity, eurocentrism, Bhambras assertion on modernity, human interaction and relevant technological advancements. The essence of this chapter lies in the fact that there is no clear-cut definition and understanding of the concepts important in our investigation. For instance, readers may not know what is meant exactly by human interaction. Therefore we present herein our operational definitions. It means that we define the terms according to how we use it in the study. We do similarly for the other words.

Modernity
At the outset, seeing the word modernity would not cause much trouble because it can be easily be defined by anyone. Unfortunately, when one is exposed with more sociological scenarios all over the world, one may find the concept problematic in the same way that the word Asian is ambiguous. To elucidate our point, lets first take the case of the word Asian. Anything Asian is something that comes from the continent of Asia.

Asian foods are not just spicy, there are also delicacies such as the sinigang which boasts of a sour soup, and then there is the tinola which has a bland soup. There is nothing specific about Asian food. When we talk about Asian clothes we think of kimono (Japan), barot saya (Philippines), and others. Again, there is nothing specific about Asian clothes. When we say that anything Asian comes from the continent of Asia then there should no longer be a clear concept of Asia because the west has infiltrated their very culture during their occupation of countries like the Philippines (Spain), East Timor (Portugal), Singapore (Britain), India (Britain). Now, whatever comes from Asia would always have a trace of Europe or the West. Similarly, there is no longer a clear concept of the word modernity. In connection with this, some may ask How modern is modern

According to Bhambra, Modernity, broadly conceived, refers to the social, cultural, political, and economic changes that took place in Western Europe from the mid-sixteenth century onwards. Bhambra also presents other arguments regarding its definition. Wagner, for instance, says that modernity marks a rupture that leads to some specificity of the West in global comparison. The neo-functionalist Alexander echoes Wagner and suggests that the transition to modernity within Western society provided a capacity for transformation unprecedented in other civilizations of the world The postmodernist Smart, associates the condition of modernity with the development of Western industrial capitalist societies. Then there is Seldman who argues that modernity can be understood in terms of the distinctiveness of the culture at the heart of the modern world. Modernity can thus be seen as something that lies on the one side of the demarcation line between the West and the East or what is believed to be traditional or pre-modern.

Bhambra demonstrates that the Western experience is taken both as the basis for the construction of the concept of modernity and that it has a validity that transcends the human experience.

The concept of modernity is essential in this study since it is, in Bhambras words, the dominant frame for social and political thought. Our social inquiry is very much entangled with this concept. Hence, we should have an understanding of it and we should also be open about the latest constructions of its definition. This is the reason why our methodology is very much rooted in Bhambras assertions which are to be explained later in this chapter.

Eurocentrism
According to Bhambra, Eurocentrism is the belief, implicit or otherwise, in the world historical significance of events believed to have developed endogenously within the cultural-geographical sphere of Europe. Most social scientists seem to have this perspective. Wallerstein speaks of five ways in which social science expresses its Eurocentrism. These are the following historiography, the parochiality of its universalism, its assumptions about (Western) civilization, its Orientalism, and its attempts to impose a theory of progress. Eurocentrism also has its critics. These critics fall under three main categories
1.) Those that argue that other civilizations were also in the process of doing what Europe was doing and could have succeeded if Europe had not impeded them
2.) Those who believe that Europe was doing nothing special or new in terms of an historical viewpoint but was simply (temporarily) at the forefront of a continuation of long-standing trends and developments
3.) Critics who believe that Europes achievements have been incorrectly scrutinized and inappropriately understood.

Bhambras Assertion
Westerners seem to claim its pre-eminence due in part to Eurocentrism. It is commonly believed that modernity emerged in Europe. This came from the consideration of history and the fact that Eastern countries lag in the technological race. Moreover, the industrial revolution which radically changed how people live all over the world, occurred in Europe. Other sociologists claim that this understanding marginalizes non-westerners. They came into the defense of Eastern countries by saying that they too were on the process of a similar kind of revolution and they were only thwarted by European colonialism. Bhambra cites Delanty in his book. He said while the subsequent history of modernity is said to bear the impact of its European origins, it has somehow extricated itself from these origins and now can be understood simply as a global phenomenon that is inflected in diverse ways according to local traditions

The aforementioned leave more questions than answers. Is the West really pre-eminent in social, cultural and technological development Is it a mere Western void pride If they are right, why has technology enhanced their social set-up What is the current trend of post modernitys cultural development Is there a positive growth in human interaction as compared to the obvious decay in moral and human communications as a result of unprecedented pride and mean technological development

Bhambra then proposes a rethinking of modernity. He cites sociologists and historians and their interpretations of modernity. Bhambra basically asserts that our understanding of modernity today should be reconstructed and seen in a new light. His assertion would be helpful in our analysis of the present-day human interaction in Slovakia. Recall that in this investigation a global, a regional (in Europe) and a local (Slovakia) perspective is required in order to understand the origins of Slovakias modernity and how it affected human interaction. Whilst thinking of our own case study, Bhambras assertions and questions cannot be ignored. The answers to those questions posed above will be pursued alongside our study on the purported disintegration of human interaction in Slovakia.

Sociological imagination
C. Wright Mills The Sociological Imagination which was originally published talks about a certain sense of being trapped in todays circumstances. According to him, neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both. However, people rarely refer to history and institutional changes. Essentially, his argument tells us that there would always be an inter play between personal troubles or circumstances and societal transformations.

The sociological imagination is an essential skill in our undertaking of this investigation. It enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society. He adds that all social studies would always return to the problems of biography, history and their intersections. The practice of this kind of imagination in the undertaking of any study shall ask three sorts of questions.

What is the structure of this particular society as a whole What are its essential    components, and how are they related to one another How does it differ from other varieties of social order Within it, what is the meaning of any particular feature for its continuance and for its change 2.) Where does this society stand in human history What are the mechanics by which it is changing What is its place within and its meaning for the development of humanity as a whole How does any particular feature we are examining affect, and how is it affected by, the historical period in which it moves And this period-what are its essential features How does it differ from other periods What are its characteristic ways of history-making  3.)  What varieties of men and women now prevail in this society and in this period And what varieties are coming to prevail In what ways are they selected and formed, liberated and repressed, made sensitive and blunted What kinds of human nature are revealed in the conduct and character we observe in this society in this period And what is the meaning for human nature of each and every feature of the society we are examining

In this research employing the sociological imagination requires that there be a conscious effort to distinguish between the personal troubles of milieu and the public issues of social structure.

C. Wright Mills defines the two as follows
Troubles occur within the character of the individual and within the range of his immediate relations with others they have to do with his self and with those limited areas of social life of which he is directly and personally aware. Accordingly, the statement and the resolution of troubles properly lie within the individual as a biographical entity and within the scope of his immediate milieu-the social setting that is directly open to his personal experience and to some extent his willful activity. A trouble is a private matter values cherished by an individual are felt by him to be threatened.

Issues have to do with matters that transcend these local environments of the individual and the range of his inner life. They have to do with the organization of many such milieux into the institutions of an historical society as a whole, with the ways in which various milieux overlap and interpenetrate to form the larger structure of social and historical life. An issue is a public matter some value cherished by publics is felt to be threatened. Often there is a debate about what that value really is and about what it is that really threatens it. This debate is often without focus if only because it is the very nature of an issue, unlike even widespread trouble, that it cannot very well be defined in terms of the immediate and everyday environments of ordinary men. An issue, in fact, often involves a crisis in institutional arrangements, and often too it involves what Marxists call contradictions or antagonisms.

Just to reiterate, we will employ the sociological imagination in our investigation on the disintegration of human interaction in Slovakia. This skill will help us answer in particular question 6 in the previous chapter.

Human Interaction
In this paper, we define human interaction as the face-to-face relation people have with other individuals or groups. This includes two main aspects physical contact (does not include the violent form) and discourse. In this research we are concerned with the symptoms of the degradation thereof. Apparently, the symptoms would be the following

Decreased physical contact
Decreased time spent with people
Because our investigation is about the effects of technology and other modern communication tools on Slovak human interaction we must take special consideration of the following
 The decrease in frequency of physical contact is due to the fact that people get engrossed with their technological tools.

Personal time spent with other people is taken away by the time they spent with their virtual tools.
Everything becomes virtual in terms of human relations. The two are mutually dependent on one another.

Technological Advancements
In this paper, the primary technological advancements that we are concerned with are those related with communications technology, computers, programming and gaming.

Research Methodology
A case study on the evolution of human interaction to its present form in Slovak society will be performed in this paper. The study will be performed via a critical analysis of existing literature regarding the topic. Informationdata will be gathered through secondary sources. Such an analysis is appropriate with the research questions posed earlier in the introduction.

The case study is ideally an empirical, longitudinal and in-depth investigation of Slovak human interaction. The study is essentially longitudinal since the literature reviewed includes historical accounts from communist Slovakia to present-day Slovakia. Such an historical investigation has been advised by Gurminder Bhambra. According to Bhambra, an understanding of the present requires a comprehension of the past. Empirical information is not produced in this research but they will be taken from other sources. Such information will be given a new interpretation in the light of our topic. Relevant data on present-day Slovakia are also taken from other sources. Essentially, the entire research is a critical literature review on the evolution of human interaction in Slovakia.

Since Slovakia has supposedly joined the field of globalization, findings related to human interaction and modernity may at large be applicable to other countries as well. The use of facebook and games addiction for instance, is not exclusive in Slovakia. Hence the disintegration of human interaction effected by those applications applies to other countries as well. It is the investigation of the evolution of Slovak society, that is its history, is what makes the study distinctively focused on the country.

The literature review will mainly be composed of a review of historical accounts on Slovakia and the relevant technological advancements during the time period we are concerned with. Archival records showing statistics on the use of social networking sites, game programs and other related technologies will also be presented. In addition to the aforementioned, physical artifacts and direct observation are going to be employed but to a much lesser degree.

Case Study Structure
The research will take the form of a linear analyticcomparative case study with an emphasis on theory-building. The case study will be looked at from a number of viewpoints so that the best possible explanation may be given. The structure is linear analytic in a sense that the whole project is a vast literature review.  We will have to pay attention not only to the results of other studies and accounts but also to the manner by which they arrived at their statements and conclusions.

Fabrication of an evolution map
Once a literature review is employed we will strive to fabricate an evolution map of human interaction in Slovakia. The evolution map will be superimposed on a timeline of important events in Slovak history. The same map with the historical timeline will also be superimposed on the timeline depicting the technological advancements in the same time period.

Literature Review and Discussion
In this chapter we present recent literature related to our investigation on the disintegration of human interaction as a result of technological advancements in Slovakia. Selected literature will also be in line with Bhambras assertion on the redefinition of modernity and his stand on the importance of an historical review in the understanding of the present.  We first present additional information related to Bhambras rethinking of modernity. Then, we look at an overview of the effects of technological advancements on human interaction.

There are several literatures available for scrutiny in the field of sociology which shows the perceived origin of modernity and the mentality of the westerners toward modernity. According to Bhambra (2007), the ideology of modernity was founded by the western countries that allegedly exploited African manpower and resources in order to enrich themselves. The latter were stripped off their resources in order for the capitalists to develop themselves. Bhambra argues that the perception of the western countries especially the United Kingdom and other European countries like Germany and France is like a superiority complex. This superiority complex is formally called as eurocentrism. The definition of modernity nowadays is narrowly viewed as something that originated in the West particularly in Europe. The work of Ridvan (2008), extensively shows the development that the Eastern European countries in their attempts to follow the footsteps of their more advanced Western European counterparts. Further reading on and a comparison of the works of the two authors shows that there is a need to see the concept of modernity in a new light.

Whenever one looks at the relationship between the postmodern era and the postcolonial period, technological changes are inevitably observed. Technological developments have occurred and they have been modeled after the fundamental principles of our being. Modernization has greatly altered not only our life style but our social life as well. Basing from experience, we have become dehumanized as we have been molded into machine-like beings with the advent of these technologies.

There are studies that reveal the negative effect of technological advancement not only in Slovakia but all over the world. Such advancement, basing from observation, has confined people to cyber cafs or in their computer tables in search of an unknown world as seen through the internet. Social networking sites also hook people onto computers and their handheld devices which connects them to the world minute-by-minute.

Freeman (2006) argues that social networks exist because they allow individuals to express their personal sentiments in the internet. Moreover, such sites allow them to form bonds with individuals who are geographically far from them but are nevertheless compatible with their personal values and beliefs. Such sites permit these individuals to share personal information that will allow them to meet people with similar traits. These observations were a result of his investigation conducted in high school setting. He said that most of the students also socialized through drafting text messages on their phones while others exploited the use of electronic mails. This is a clear indication that media used for socialization is changing from the traditional approach of face-to-face communication to charts and other forms of correspondence.

Knowledge explosion along the lines of information communication technology has facilitated ties among the young generation. Freeman (2006) further elaborated on a distinguishing feature of the traditional society. He says that it is marked by solidarity largely because individual difference is minimized. He adds that the present society can be joined together by points of common difference and independent roles played by individuals. This position indicates that social interaction is best practiced between differentiated individuals playing diverse roles. Facebook, mobile phones and electronic mails are best utilized when persons are located on different geographical locations.

Johan (2005) in his study discovered that weak ties are of paramount help in search for information and innovation. The position held in the statement was that people in a social group have a common trait when it comes to having opinions about personality and other observable characteristics. The similarity is a reason why people in a social group were attractive to convergence. On the contrary, being in a clique meant a minimized span of knowledge. So as to obtain fresh information members have to navigate outside their group. Friends, role models, associate becomes a critical source of new knowledge and insights. This marked the beginning of new discoveries. For this reason, social groups with differentiated characteristics are reason for new age of information communication techonology.

Social scientist Freeman (2006) studied dynamics in virtual social network settings. Classrooms and study groups forms the main setting where people shape their skills in interactions. The sociologist established that learners can perfect their learning skills by being part of a group with distinctive characteristics. The learning capabilities of students can be enhanced by differentiating learners according to their learning pace. On the other hand, an experimental research carried out by psychologists, learning is best perfected in an environment where commonality in characteristics is present. Either way, when it comes to what works for the students social networking is necessary for them to establish a study group suited to their learning style.

In an investigation of 10 Downing Street you tube, a hyper-developed means of interaction was revealed. The gap which originally existed between the elite in the political system and the poor citizens is slowly being bridged by the possibility of posing a question to the UK Prime Minister and getting a response. Political debates across nations can be perfectly executed through a well developed interactive media (Giddens, 2001). The public are now able to participate in presenting their views on various political ideologies through the use of the social media especially the internet. Online communications has undoubtedly been advanced in the United Kingdom and all the European countries. Basing on the current surge of information and communication technology, there is a growing concern over the rate at which social media is taking control of our lives. In essence, according to Freeman (2006) there is a growing trend of children and teenagers being influenced by the internet and other forms of available technology.

One notable concern of the increase in the use of information technology is the increase in online interactive games which are socially not recommended especially for young people. There is a growing sentiment that the rate at which these children are exposed to these allegedly unhealthy materials is unfortunately uncontrollable. The games that these people get involved with during their free time have led to the increase in child violence in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world like China and the United States. These countries are notable for their economic grandeur and modernity. In these countries, online interactive games and applications as well as advanced communications technology are ubiquitous. The rate of use of such technologies has been on the rise and currently it shows no signs of decline.

The aforementioned information says little about the actual conditions in Slovak society. However, the effects of technology on human interaction are believed to be generic as mentioned earlier. Later on an historical analysis will provide the Slovakia-specific element of this research.
The Current Situation all over the world and discuss here the social networking sites and the stats (2)

Social networking sites, cellular phones, game programs have enjoyed a massive following in the recent years because of a worldwide acceptance of modernization. The rise of capitalism and the industrial revolution began an onslaught of technological developments that currently led to a plethora of investments on such products. The internet nowadays serves is purpose as a connecting system of groups and individuals in a virtual world. Over the recent years, social networking sites
Other technologies, video conferencing (2)
Computer gaming and statistics (1)
The Current Situation in Slovakia (3)
What could have lead to this situation in Slovakia and the world of course (12)
Describe the human interaction in pre-communist Slovakia (1)
Describe human interaction in communist Slovakia (1)
Briefly discuss the events that lead to the dissolution of communism in Slovakia (5)
Technological developments during the same time period (5)
An analysis of the current situation in Slovakia (5)
If Slovakia remained a communist country it could have been like (5)
China
Russia
North Korea
Present a timeline or an evolution map of the human interaction in Slovak society (2)

Is there really disintegration in human interaction based from the presented information How did Modernity affect human interaction not only Slovakia but all over the world (1)